School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment Soils Laboratory Report brief Introduction The soil mechanics component of module DESN10041 Sustainable Engineering Materials includes 2 soils laboratory sessions: ? Soils Lab 1: Classification (Particle Size Distribution & Atterberg Limits). Soils Lab 2: Compaction (Dry Density-Moisture Content Relationship, MCV Test & Sand Replacement Density Test). The assessment for the soil mechanics component is a single report, covering the content of both of the lab sessions. For full understanding of the content of the lab session, the relevant soils online content in the module room on NOW should be considered. Timetabled soils seminars, in the weeks following the lab sessions, also provide further guidance on competing the soils lab report. Workbooks (including results sheets) are provided during both of the soils lab sessions, for the purposes of recording and/or calculating end results. Blank copies of the workbooks will also be placed in the module room on NOW. Coursework assignment brief Scenario for lab tests Soil samples have been taken from a ground investigation at a site. The samples consist of 2 different types of soil: Soil A (a granular soil) and Soil B (a cohesive soil). These soils are the ones that are tested during your 2 timetabled soils lab sessions: ? Soils Lab 1: Soil A (granular soil): Particle size distribution test Soil B (cohesive soil): Atterberg limit tests Soils Lab 2: о Soil B (cohesive soil): Dry Density-Moisture Content Relationship Soil B (cohesive soil): MCV test Soil B (cohesive soil): Sand replacement density test* You are to produce one report, which covers all activities conducted in both of the Soil Labs (i.e. You are NOT to produce one report for Soils Lab 1 and another report for Soils Lab 2). * For the sand replacement density test, you are to write your report as if the test had been conducted on in-situ compacted soil at a site. In addition to reporting all of the tests conducted in Soils Labs 1 & 2, you are also to include a separate section of the report (titled "In-situ stress calculations") based on the following: In-situ stress calculations In a section of your report titled "In-situ stress calculations" you are to determine the effective stress in the soil at a site, based on the following information: An area of the site contains Soil B (cohesive soil) to a depth of 4m. In this area, the density of Soil B has been determined to be 1.9 Mg/m³ (1900 kg/m³). The water table in this location is 1.5m below ground level. ? You are to determine the effective stress in the soil at a depth of 3.5m. In the section of your report titled "In-situ stress calculations", clear working to determine the effective stress in the soil at a depth of 3.5m must be shown, including a simple cross-section sketch of the ground. See Week 18 'Soil Activities' on NOW for guidance. Report content & format Your report should be typed (i.e. not hand-written) and presented in a manner befitting a professional report that you would expect to find in industry. Sections 2-5 of the report (see below) should be no more than 1000 words (no less than 10pt font), not including any tables/charts. To achieve this you will need to write accurately, briefly and clearly, prioritising the information that you include. Full assessment criteria are given below. This assignment is worth 25% of your total module grade. This is an individual assignment: students should use their own lab test results (although it is acknowledged that some lab results are shared, and thus will be common within some reports). Each individual student is to produce a report in their own words and of their own design. Sections in the report should include: 1. A title page clearly indicating an appropriate title, your name, number & course. 2. A section titled "Introduction", containing: ? A brief outline of the context and overall purpose/aim of the report (based on the Scenario section above). 3. A section* titled "Soil A (granular soil)", including: ? A sub-section titled "Method for soil A". A sub-section titled "Result for soil A". 4. A section* titled "Soil B (cohesive soil)", including: } A sub-section titled "Methods for soil B". ? A sub-section titled "Results for soil B". 5. A section titled "Summary" including: ? A sub-section titled "Discussion", covering the meaning / significance / usefulness of each of the individual tests conducted (this may require some wider reading, using module information, notes, recommended texts & your own wider research). A sub-section titled "Limitations", with brief comments on the accuracy / errors associated with your results. A sub-section titled "Conclusions", with a clear, short statement regarding the classification / properties of each of the soils tested. *IMPORTANT NOTE: For the "Methods..." and "Results..." sub-sections for soils A & B (sections 3 & 4 above): Full procedures for the methods are in the relevant British Standards (BS). For each test where the BS method has been followed, it is sufficient just to state (for example) "For the particle size distribution test (sieving), the procedure in BS1377 Part 2 was followed" with no further specific details. However, any aspects of a test that did not follow the BS should be stated. Within the results sub-sections, you should summarise the end result of each test (i.e. the value/property/parameter that has been calculated or determined using the test data recorded in the lab): o For some results, a simple statement of the end result of the test will be sufficient. However, where the end result has used a graph or chart, this should be included in the results section. o When including such graphs/charts you may use the BS table/chart provided (in the lab workbooks), or where appropriate you may re-draw the tables/chart in Word/Excel: Either is acceptable, as long as they are clearly and neatly presented. o Whilst the end result of each test is to be included in the results section of your report, any other raw test data collected in the lab (i.e. on lab handouts/sheets) should be included in appendices (see below). Sections 2-5 of your report (see above) should be no more than a maximum of 1000 words, not including tables & charts. Following sections 2-5 above, your report should also include: 6. A section titled "In-situ stress calculations" as described above. 7. A section titled "References": ? Ensure that you correctly cite any references that are used in your report (see 'Plagiarism & referencing' below). 8. A section titled "Appendices", including copies of all raw lab data sheets used in the lab sessions, plus any calculations conducted. Appendices should be used to include information that aids the main report but which is not essential to its understanding. Inclusion of lab data sheets & graphs (taken from the lab workbooks) is the only part of the report where hand written text/numbers is acceptable, and where neatness of presentation is not a significant issue. Information from the following BS forms are required (either in the results sections or as appendices), and can be included as the BS form itself (neatly completed) or by re- drawing the information in Word / Excel: Soils Lab 1 Particle size distribution (sieving) results table. ? ○ ○ Particle size distribution chart (Form 2N). ○ Liquid limit and plastic limit results table (Form 2C). Plasticity chart (taken from BS 5930). Soils Lab 2 ○ Dry density moisture content results table (Form 4A). ○ ○ Moisture condition results table & chart (Form 4C), for the MCV test. In-situ density test results table (Form 9A). All of the above forms are provided in the lab workbooks used during the laboratory sessions. Note: Although you may work together for some aspects of the soils lab activities, the report itself is an individual assignment. Whilst some lab test results will be obtained as a group, you must produce your own report. Raw lab test data is shared during some tests, but calculations, graphs, determination of properties, etc, must be completed on an individual basis.