Consolidation Test
- Add a weighing machine and a consolidation ring from the apparatus menu and weigh the ring by clicking on it. The ring is weighed to account for its weight in future measurements of other components added to it.
- Add a soil sample from the apparatus menu and add it to the ring to weigh them together by clicking on the soil. We observe the dimensions of the sample as is visible from the values in the observations menu.
- Add porous stones to the top and bottom of the sample (while enclosed in the ring) from the apparatus menu. The stones facilitate the drainage of pore water present in the soil.
- Add a loading device and a water bath from the apparatus menu and move the ring with the soil and stones to the bath by clicking on it. This is done to assemble the consolidometer.
- Fill the bath with water to saturate the soil by clicking on the bath.
- Add a loading cap to distribute the load equally from the apparatus menu and apply a load on the sample (via the loading cap) by clicking on the cap.
- Observe the changes in the dial gauge readings at different time intervals as is visible from the table in the graph menu. We use these readings to plot the graph shown.
- Also observe the table derived from these readings in the observations menu. We perform the experiment for different values of load as is visible in the table. Note that the 'Average Height' and 'Consolidation Coefficient' values correspond to the change in consolidation from the previous load (previous row) to the current load (current row).
- Click the restart button to perform the experiment again.