This document outlines laboratory experiments for a geotechnical engineering course, including determining liquid limit, plastic limit, dry density, particle size distribution, compaction, and specific gravity of soil. It describes how geotechnical investigations are performed through surface and subsurface exploration to obtain soil properties for engineering design, and notes tests will be conducted in groups and laboratory experiment reports should follow a specific format.

1. FCE 311 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS
Department of Civil & Construction Engineering
University of Nairobi

2. OBJECTIVES
• Geotechnical investigations are performed
to obtain information on the physical
properties of soil and rock around a site to
design earthworks and foundations for
proposed structures and for repair of
distress to earthworks and structures
caused by subsurface conditions

3. • A geotechnical investigation will include
surface exploration and subsurface
exploration of a site. Sometimes,
geophysical methods are used to obtain
data about sites. Subsurface exploration
usually involves soil sampling and
laboratory tests of the soil samples
retrieved.
• Tests will be conducted in groups.

4. LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS
• Liquid Limit Determination
• Plastic Limit Determination
• Dry Density Determination using Sand
Replacement
• Particle Size Distribution
• Compaction
• Specific Gravity of Soil

5. LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS
1. Title
2. Scope and Objectives: Purpose of
experiment clearly defined
3. Description of Apparatus: Describe the
Apparatus, Draw a neat and accurate
diagram
4. Methodology: Describe the procedure,
Describe the preparation of the specimen
5. Results and Analysis: Present / tabulate
the results, Neat calculations (show
formulae), Neat graphs

6. 6. Experimental Errors: Discussion on
experimental errors
7. Discussion
8. Conclusion
9. Recommendation
10.References

7. SUBMISSION
• Submit individual report with Report
Covers offered by the Technician.