Soil Testing Laboratory

Laboratory Directors: Dr. Bernhard Lempe, Dr. Marion Nickmann

The soil testing laboratory is available to the members of the department for research and investigations on soil samples. In addition to numerous small devices, a shear box and experimental equipment for water permeability tests on soils of different grain sizes with and without applied normal stress are particularly worth mentioning.

Feasible experiments:

Grain Size Analysis 
by means of wet or dry sieving
Sedimentation analysis using the hydrometer, burette or Atterberg method

Water Content Determination
Water content determination according to DIN 18121
Consistency limits according to DIN 18122
Water absorption according to ENSLIN-NEFF

Density Determination 
Water content and density by means of cylinder sample extraction according to DIN 18125 T2
Dry density of soils by the rubber balloon method according to DIN 18125 T2
Particle density in the pycnometer according to DIN 18124
Particle density (noncohesive soils) in the wide mouthed bottle
Dry density of soils through hydrostatic weighing according to DIN 18125 T1

Determination of Ignition Loss and Lime Content
Ignition loss according to DIN 18128
Lime content according to SCHEIBLER (DIN 18129)
Determination of lime content, sulfur content and organic carbon content with the LECO-instrument

Determination of Water Permeability 
with constant and variable hydraulic gradient
with or without applied normal stress (up to 2.5 bar) according to DIN 18130

Investigation of Soil Compaction and Swelling Behavior
Compression test with up to 6 loading levels and reloading
Swelling test and powder swelling test (according to THURO)
Swelling test according to KAISER&HENKE

Shear Strength Analysis
Direct Shear Test
Field experiment with pocket vane tester and pocket penetrometer

Proctor Compaction
Determination of standard proctor density according to DIN 18127

Cone Penetration Test
Precussion soil probing DPL-5 according to DIN 4094

Water Analysis
Measurement of water level with the light plummet 
Extraction of water samples
Investigation of water samples in laboratory and on site
on conductivity, temperature or aggressiveness toward concrete according to DIN 4030

Analysis of Porosity and Weathering Resistance
Determination of water absorption and dry density through hydrostatic weighing according to DIN 52102
Crystallization experiment with Glauber's salt solution according to DIN 52111
Water storage test according to DIN 4022 T1