1、Designation: D 4254 00 (Reapproved 2006)e1Standard Test Methods forMinimum Index Density and Unit Weight of Soils andCalculation of Relative Density1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4254; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,
2、 in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. Asuperscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.e1NOTECorr
3、ected research report reference in Section 12 editorially in March 2008.1. Scope*1.1 These test methods cover the determination of theminimum-index dry density/unit weight of cohesionless, free-draining soils. The adjective “dry” before density or unitweight is omitted in the title and remaining por
4、tions of thisstandards to be be consistent with the applicable definitionsgiven in Section 3 on Terminology.1.2 System of units:1.2.1 The testing apparatus described in this standard hasbeen developed and manufactured using values in the gravi-metric or inch-pound system. Therefore, test apparatus d
5、imen-sions and mass given in inch-pound units are regarded as thestandard.1.2.2 It is common practice in the engineering profession toconcurrently use pounds to represent both a unit of mass (lbm)and a unit of force (lbf). This implicitly combines two separatesystems of units; that is, the absolute
6、system and the gravita-tional system. It is scientifically undesirable to combine the useof two separate sets of inch-pound units within a singlestandard. This test method has been written using the gravita-tional system of units when dealing with the inch-poundsystem. In this system, the pound (lbf
7、) represents a unit of force(weight). However, balances or scales measure mass; andweight must be calculated. In the inch-pound system, it iscommon to assume that 1 lbf is equal to 1 lbm. While reportingdensity is not regarded as nonconformance with this standard,unit weights should be calculated an
8、d reported since the resultsmay be used to determine force or stress.1.2.3 The terms density and unit weight are often usedinterchangeably. Density is mass per unit volume, whereas unitweight is force per unit volume. In this standard, density isgiven only in SI units. After the density has been det
9、ermined,the unit weight is calculated in SI or inch-pound units, or both.1.3 Three alternative methods are provided to determine theminimum index density/unit weight, as follows:1.3.1 Method AUsing a funnel pouring device or a handscoop to place material in mold.1.3.2 Method BDepositing material int
10、o a mold by ex-tracting a soil filled tube.1.3.3 Method C2Depositing material by inverting agraduated cylinder.1.4 The method to be used should be specified by theindividual assigning the test. If no method is specified, theprovisions of Method A shall govern. Test Method A is thepreferred procedure
11、 for determining minimum index density/unit weight as used in conjunction with the procedures of TestMethods D 4253. Methods B and C are provided for guidanceof testing used in conjunction with special studies, especiallywhere there is not enough material available to use a 0.100 ft3(2 830 cm3) or 0
12、.500 ft3(14 200 cm3) mold as required byMethod A.1.5 These test methods are applicable to soils that maycontain up to 15 %, by dry mass, of soil particles passing a No.200 (75-m) sieve, provided they still have cohesionless,free-draining characteristics (nominal sieve dimensions are inaccordance wit
13、h Specification E11).1.5.1 MethodAis applicable to soils in which 100 %, by drymass, of soil particles pass a 3-in. (75-mm) sieve and whichmay contain up to 30 %, by dry mass, of soil particles retainedona1-12-inch (37.5-mm) sieve.1.5.2 Method B is applicable to soils in which 100 %, by drymass, of
14、soil particles pass a34-inch (19.0-mm) sieve.1.5.3 Method C is applicable only to fine and medium sandsin which 100 %, by dry mass, of soil particles pass a38-in.1This standard is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D18 on Soil andRock and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.03 on
15、Texture, Plasticityand Density Characteristics of Soils.Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2006. Published March 2006. Originallyapproved in 1983. Last previous edition approved in 2000 as D 4254 00.2Kolbuszewski, J. J., “An Experimental Study of the Maximum and MinimumPorosities of Sands,” Proceeding
16、s, Second International Conference on SoilMechanics and Foundation Engineering, Rotterdam Vol I, 1948, pp. 158165.1*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.Copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.(9.5-
17、mm) sieve and which may contain up to 10 %, by drymass, of soil particles retained on a No. 10 (2.00-mm) sieve.1.5.4 Soils, for the purposes of these test methods, shall beregarded as naturally occurring cohesionless soils, processedparticles, or composites or mixtures of natural soils, or mix-tures
18、 of natural and processed particles, provided they arefree-draining.1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the a
19、pplica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2. Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:C 127 Test Method for Density, Relative Density (SpecificGravity), and Absorption of Coarse AggregateD 422 Test Method for Particle-Size Analysis of SoilsD 653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Conta
20、inedFluidsD 854 Test Methods for Specific Gravity of Soil Solids byWater PycnometerD 1140 Test Methods for Amount of Material in Soils Finerthan No. 200 (75-m) SieveD 2216 Test Methods for Laboratory Determination of Wa-ter (Moisture) Content of Soil and Rock by MassD 2487 Practice for Classificatio
21、n of Soils for EngineeringPurposes (Unified Soil Classification System)D 2488 Practice for Description and Identification of Soils(Visual-Manual Procedure)D 3740 Practice for Minimum Requirements for AgenciesEngaged in the Testing and/or Inspection of Soil and Rockas Used in Engineering Design and C
22、onstructionD 4253 Test Methods for Maximum Index Density and UnitWeight of Soils Using a Vibratory TableD 4753 Guide for Evaluating, Selecting, and SpecifyingBalances and Standard Masses for Use in Soil, Rock, andConstruction Materials TestingD 6026 Practice for Using Significant Digits in Geotechni
23、-cal DataE11 Specification for Wire Cloth and Sieves for TestingPurposesE 177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias inASTM Test MethodsE 691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study toDetermine the Precision of a Test Method3. Terminology3.1 Definitions: For common definitions in
24、this standardrefer to Terminology D 6533.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.2.1 dry density/unit weight rdor gd, nthe dry density/unit weight of a soil deposit or fill at the given void ratio.3.2.2 given void ratio, e, nthe in-situ or stated void ratioof a soil deposit or fill.3.2.3
25、maximum index density/unit weight, rddmaxor gdmax,nthe reference dry density/unit weight of a soil in the denseststate of compactness that can be attained using a standardlaboratory compaction procedure that minimizes particle seg-regation and breakdown.3.2.4 maximum-index void ratio, emax, nthe ref
26、erencevoid ratio of a soil at the minimum index density/unit weight.3.2.5 minimum index density/unit weight rdminor gdmin,nthe reference dry density/unit weight of a soil in the looseststate of compactness at which it can be placed using a standardlaboratory procedure that prevents bulking and minim
27、izesparticle segregation.3.2.6 minimum-index void ratio, emin, nthe reference voidratio of a soil at the maximum index density/unit weight.3.2.7 relative density, Dd, nthe ratio, expressed as apercentage, of the difference between the maximum index voidratio and any given void ratio of a cohesionles
28、s, free-drainingsoil to the difference between its maximum and minimumindex void ratios. The equation is:Dd5emax2 eemax2 emin3 100 (1)or, in terms of corresponding dry densities:Dd5rdmaxrd2rdmin!rdrdmax2rdmin!3 100 (2)or, in terms of corresponding dry unit weights:Dd5gdmaxgd2gdmin!gdgdmax2gdmin!(3)3
29、.2.8 density index/unit weight, Id, nthe ratio, expressedas a percentage, of the difference between any given drydensity/unit weight and the minimum index density/unitweight of a given cohesionless soil to the difference between itsmaximum and minimum index densities/unit weights. Theequation is:Id5
30、rd2rdminrdmax2rmin3 100 (4)or, in terms of corresponding dry unit weights:Id5gd2gdmingdmax2gdmin3 100 (5)4. Summary of Test Methods4.1 The minimum index density/unit weight represents theloosest condition of a cohesionless, free-draining soil that canbe attained by a standard laboratory procedure, w
31、hich preventsbulking and minimizes particle segregation. Any particularprocedure selected will consist of determining the density/unitweight of oven-dried soil placed into a container of knownvolume in such a manner that prevents bulking and particlesegregation, and minimizes compaction of the soil.
32、5. Significance and Use5.1 The density/unit weight of a cohesionless soil may bedetermined by various in-place methods in the field or by themeasurement of physical dimensions and masses by laboratorysoil specimens. The dry density/unit weight of a cohesionlesssoil does not necessarily, by itself, r
33、eveal whether the soil isloose or dense.5.2 Relative density/unit weight expresses the degree ofcompactness of a cohesionless soil with respect to the loosestD 4254 00 (2006)e12and densest condition as defined by standard laboratory pro-cedures. Only when viewed against the possible range ofvariatio
34、n, in terms of relative density/unit weight, can the drydensity/unit weight be related to the compaction effort used toplace the soil in a compacted fill or indicate volume change andstress-strain tendencies of soil when subjected to externalloading.5.3 An absolute minimum density/unit weight is not
35、 neces-sarily obtained by these test methods.NOTE 1In addition, there are published data to indicate that these testmethods have a high degree of variability.3However, the variability can begreatly reduced by careful calibration of equipment, and careful attentionto proper test procedure and techniq
36、ue.5.4 The use of the standard molds (6.3.1) has been found tobe satisfactory for most soils requiring minimum index density/unit weight testing. Special molds (6.3.2) shall only be usedwhen the test results are to be applied in conjunction withdesign or special studies and there is not enough soil
37、to use thestandard molds. Such test results should be applied withcaution, as minimum index densities/unit weights obtainedwith the special molds may not agree with those that would beobtained using the standard molds.NOTE 2The quality of the result produced by this standard isdependent on the compe
38、tence of the personnel performing it, and thesuitability of the equipment and facilities used. Agencies that meet thecriteria of Practice D 3740, generally, are considered capable of competentand objective testing/sampling/inspection/etc. Users of this standard arecautioned that compliance with Prac
39、tice D 3740 does not in itself assurereliable results. Reliable results depend on many factors; Practice D 3740provides a means of evaluating some of those factors.6. Apparatus6.1 Apparatus for Methods A, B, and C:6.1.1 Drying Oven, thermostatically controlled, preferablyof the forced-draft type, ca
40、pable of maintaining a uniformtemperature of 230 6 9F (110 6 5C) throughout the dryingchamber.6.1.2 Sieves, 3-in. (75-mm), 1-12-in. (37.5-mm),34-in. (19-mm),38-in. (9.5-mm), No. 4 (4.75-mm), No. 10 (2.00-mm),and No. 200 (75-m) conforming to the requirements ofSpecification E11.6.2 The apparatus for
41、determining the minimum indexdensity/unit weight of cohesionless soil by MethodsAand B isspecified in 6.3. Apparatus required for Method C is specifiedin 6.4.6.3 Apparatus for Methods A and B:6.3.1 Standard MoldsCylindrical metal molds havingnominal volumes of 0.1000 ft3(2 830 cm3) and 0.500 ft3(14
42、200 cm3). The molds shall conform to the requirementsshown in Fig. 1.The actual volume of the molds shall be within61.5 % of the specified nominal volume.6.3.2 Special MoldsCylindrical metal molds having acapacity less than 0.100 ft3(2 830 cm3), an inside diameterequal to or greater than 2-34 in. (7
43、0 mm) but less than 4 in. (100mm) and conforming to the design methodology presented inFig. 2. Such molds may only be used when the test results areto be used in conjunction with design or special studies, andthere is not enough soil to use the 0.100 ft3(2 830 cm3) mold.6.3.3 Balances(s), of suffici
44、ent capacity to determine thetotal mass of the specimen and mold, having sufficient accu-racy that the mass of the soil is determined to the nearest 0.1 %.Balances capable of satisfying these requirements for mostconditions have specifications as follows:6.3.3.1 For 0.500-ft3(14 200-cm3) molds, use
45、a balancehaving a minimum capacity of 40-kg and meeting the require-ments of Specification D 4753 for a Class GP 10 (readability of5 g).6.3.3.2 For 0.100-ft3(2 830-cm3) molds, use a balancehaving a minimum capacity of at least 15 kg and meeting therequirements of Specification D 4753 for Class GP 5
46、(readabil-ity of 1 g).6.3.3.3 For special molds that are less than 0.1 ft3(2 830cm3) in capacity, use a balance having a minimum capacity ofat least 2 kg and meeting the requirements of SpecificationD 4753 for a Class GP 2 (readability of 0.1 g).6.3.4 Pouring Devices, are used in conjunction with th
47、e0.100 ft3(2 830 cm3) standard mold and with special molds.Pouring devices consist of relatively rigid containers havingvolumes about 1.25 to 2 times greater than the volumes of themold(s) used, and fitted with spouts or tubes about 6 in. (150mm) long. Two pouring spouts are required, one having ani
48、nside spout diameter of 0.50 in. (13 mm) and another with aninside spout diameter of 1.0 in. (25 mm). A lipped brim, orother means, must be provided to securely connect the spout tothe container that permits free and even flow of the soil fromthe container into the spout, and then into the mold.6.3.
49、5 Rigid, Thin-Walled Tubes, for use with Method B. Thesize of the tubes is dependent upon the mold size selected. Thevolume of the tubes shall be between 1.25 and 1.30 times thevolume of the mold. The inside diameter of the tube shall beabout 0.7 times the inside diameter of the mold.6.3.6 Other equipment such as mixing pans, a large metalscoop, a hair-bristled dusting brush, and a metal straightedge(for trimming excess soil after it has been placed in the mold).6.4 Apparatus for Method C:6.4.1 Glass Graduated Cylinder, having a volume of 2000mL, gradua
