The laboratory is equipped with tools for testing of soil properties to

determine all relevant charactersitics neccessary for civil engineering

projects. All tests described below are conducted in accordance with
appropriate British Standards Method of Test for Soil for Civil
Engineering Purposes. The types of tests that can be conducted in this
laboratory facility include the following:

Permeability Characteristics
The soil mechanics laboratory also has
equipment for testing soil permeability
characteristics. The Constant Head
Apparatus is used specifically for soils with
high permeability such as sands and gravel.
The permeability characteristics of soils is
required in many construction projects where Index properties
drainage is an important feature. These apparatus
projects include landfill site design, earth dam
and sheet-pile wall design, contaminated land
investigations, and groundwater lowering
feasibility studies.
Direct Shear Test
Shear Box Equipment
Direct shear test for cohesionless and
cohesive soils is conducted using a motorised
and manual mode shearbox equipment. Soil
shear strength parameters are important for
stability as every physical structure will
impose some load on the soil that supports
the foundations. The stress set-up in the soil
may cause soil deformation. This failure
mechanism is known as shear failure and
occurs when shear stresses set up in the soil
mass exceeds the maximum shear resistance Compaction Test
that the soil or rock can offer. Equipment
Computerised California Bearing Ratio
(CBR)
This test was developed in California, USA,
for estimating the bearing value of highway
subbase and subgrades, hence its name. The
test provides data with respect to the
performance of soil for subsequent use in the
civil engineering projects such as road
construction.

Consolidation Test
Using Consolidation Apparatus
(Oedometer), evaluation of Consolidation
Characteristics of soils of low permeability
can be conducted. The data from this test
together with classification data and the
knowledge of the soils loading history enable Oedometer
estimates to be made of the behaviour of the
foundation under load.

Soil Compaction Test

Most civil engineering projects require the use of soil as filling material. It
is necessary for the soil to be compacted to a dense state so that
satisfactory engineering properties can be acquired. The soil mechanics
laboratory has equipment for conducting this test.
The compaction tests will shed light on the following mechanical
properties of a soil:

Relationship between dry density and moisture content for a given degree
of compactive effort achievable.
Moisture content at which maximum dry density is achievable.
Value of the maximum dry density achievable.

Moisture Content Determination

Moisture content of the soil is the
percentage of water present by mass of a
given soil sample. Moisture content is one of
the parameters used in classifying a given
soil type for use in any engineering project. Moisture Apparatus

Soil Index Properties

The soil index properties are used extensively
by engineers to discriminate between the
different types of soils within broad
categories. For instance, clay soil will
exhibit a wide range of engineering
properties that will depend on its
mineralogical composition. Some apparatus for
particle size analysis

The index property tests that can be conducted in the soil mechanics
laboratory include the following:

Determination of particle size distribution using sedimentation by

Hydrometer method.
Computerised instrumentation in the Industrial Minerals laboratory can
be used to determine fine particle size distribution.
Determination of plastic limit, shrinkage characteristics, density and
particle density (specific gravity).
Liquid limit test depending on the soil type (e.g. clays); this test can be
conducted by either using Casagrande method or cone penetration method.
Rock Mechanics Laboratory
Efforts are currently underway for setting-up facilities for conducting
rock tests such as triaxial, uniaxial, permeability, durability and other
related rock strength tests.Thus, the rock mechanics laboratory will
support dimension stone projects (quality assurance), mining industry,
construction industry, foundation engineering and environmental
protection.