PRACTICAL

Group No.
SOIL SAMPLING BY HAND AUGER

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

PRACTICAL/LABWORK

BNC 31803 SITE INVESTIGTION

INSTRUCTION SHEETS

PRACTICAL NO. P5

TITLE SOIL SAMPLING BY HAND AUGER

DATE OF PRACTICAL WORK

NAME MATRIX NO.

NAMA NO. MATRIK
1.

2.
GROUP MEMBERS
3.

4.

5.

1.
LECTURER / INSTRUCTOR
2.

RECEIVED DATE AND STAMP

TOTAL MARK (FROM RUBRIC

ASSESSMENT)
 PRACTICAL
SOIL SAMPLING BY HAND AUGER

STUDENT CODE OF ETHICS

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

I hereby declare that I have prepared this report with my own efforts. I also admit to not accept or

provide any assistance in preparing this report and anything that is in it is true.

1) Group Leader __________________________________ (Signature)

Name : __________________________________
Matrix No. : __________________________________

2) Group Member 1 ___________________________________ (Signature)

Name : ___________________________________
Matrix No : ___________________________________

3) Group Member 2 __________________________________ (Signature)

Name : __________________________________
Matrix No. : __________________________________

4) Group Member 3 __________________________________ (Signature)

Name : __________________________________
Matrix No. : __________________________________
 PRACTICAL
SOIL SAMPLING BY HAND AUGER

OBJECTIVE
• To obtain the disturbed samples by using hand auger and determine the water
(moisture) content of soils.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this experiment, students are able to:

• Determine location and thickness of soil and rock strata (subsurface soil profile)
• Evaluate physical properties of soil.
• Handle hand auger equipment.

INTRODUCTION

Soil samples may be recovered using a variety of methods and equipment, depending on the
portion of the soil profile required (surface versus subsurface), and the type of sample required
(disturbed versus undisturbed) and the soil type.

Hand augers are commonly used for obtaining disturbed soil samples at or near the surface
and for boring to depths where samples may be obtained with a soil sampler or soil core
sampler. These augers are generally suitable for all types of soil above the groundwater level
but suitable only in clayey soil below the groundwater level. The augers are rotated into the
ground until they are filled, and then lifted out of the borehole to be emptied. A different auger
can be used for each formation (soil) type. The hand auger may be used up till the depth of
about 6 meters (or more if required).

THEORY

This system uses an auger, a series of extension rods, a “T” handle, and a thin-wall tube
sampler. The auger bores a hole to a desired sampling depth and then is withdrawn. The
auger tip is then replaced with a tube core sampler, lowered down the borehole, and driven
into the soil at the completion depth. The core is then withdrawn and the sample collected.

Several types of augers are available; these include bucket, continuous flight (screw), and
post-hole augers. Bucket augers are better for direct sample recovery because they provide
a large volume of sample in a short time. By using continuous flight, the sample was collected
directly from the flights. The continuous flight augers are satisfactory when a composite of the
complete soil column is desired. Post-hole augers have limited utility for sample collection, as
they are designed more for their ability to cut through fibrous, rooted, swampy soil.
 PRACTICAL
SOIL SAMPLING BY HAND AUGER

EQUIPMENT

• Hand Auger and bucket auger

• T handle
• Drill extension rods
• Guiding plates
• Trowels
• Dry oven
• Balances

PROCEDURE

1. Attach the auger bit to a drill rod extension, and attach the “T” handle to the drill rod.
2. Clear the area to be sampled of any surface debris. It may be advisable to remove the
first 100 to 150 mm of surface soil from an area approximately 150 mm in radius around
the drilling location.
3. Begin augering, periodically removing any accumulated soil from the auger bucket.
4. After reaching the desired depth (get the sample every 200mm depth), slowly and
carefully remove the auger from boring. (Note: when sampling directly from the auger,
collect sample after the auger is removed from boring and proceed to Step 10.)
5. Remove auger tip from drill rods and replace with a pre-cleaned thin-wall tube sampler.
Install proper cutting tip.
6. Carefully lower tube sampler down borehole. Gradually force tube sampler into soil.
Care should be taken to avoid scraping the borehole sides. Also avoid hammering of
the drill rods to facilitate coring, since the vibrations may cause the boring walls to
collapse.
7. Remove tube sampler and unscrew drill rods.
8. Remove cutting tip and remove core from device.
9. Discard top of core (approximately 1 inch), as this represents material collected by the
tube sampler before penetration of the layer of concern.
10. Transfer sample into an appropriate sample or homogenization container.
11. Measure the moisture content of each depth.
 PRACTICAL
SOIL SAMPLING BY HAND AUGER

DATA SHEET

Sample for depth: _____________

Measurement No. (1) (2) (3)

Mass of can = m1 (g)
Mass of can + moist soil = m2 (g)
Mass of can + dry soil = m3 (g)
Mass of dry soil, m4 =m3 – m1 (g)
Mass of moisture, m5 = m2 – m4 (g)
Moisture content, w (%),

AVERAGE MOISTURE, w%

Sample for depth: _____________

Measurement No. (1) (2) (3)

Mass of can = m1 (g)
Mass of can + moist soil = m2 (g)
Mass of can + dry soil = m3 (g)
Mass of dry soil, m4 =m3 – m1 (g)
Mass of moisture, m5 = m2 – m4 (g)
Moisture content, w (%),

AVERAGE MOISTURE, w%

Sample for depth: _____________

Measurement No. (1) (2) (3)

Mass of can = m1 (g)
Mass of can + moist soil = m2 (g)
Mass of can + dry soil = m3 (g)
Mass of dry soil, m4 =m3 – m1 (g)
Mass of moisture, m5 = m2 – m4 (g)
Moisture content, w (%),

AVERAGE MOISTURE, w%
 PRACTICAL
SOIL SAMPLING BY HAND AUGER

Sample for depth: _____________

Measurement No. (1) (2) (3)

Mass of can = m1 (g)
Mass of can + moist soil = m2 (g)
Mass of can + dry soil = m3 (g)
Mass of dry soil, m4 =m3 – m1 (g)
Mass of moisture, m5 = m2 – m4 (g)
Moisture content, w (%),

AVERAGE MOISTURE, w%

Sample for depth: _____________

Measurement No. (1) (2) (3)

Mass of can = m1 (g)
Mass of can + moist soil = m2 (g)
Mass of can + dry soil = m3 (g)
Mass of dry soil, m4 =m3 – m1 (g)
Mass of moisture, m5 = m2 – m4 (g)
Moisture content, w (%),

AVERAGE MOISTURE, w%

Sample for depth: _____________

Measurement No. (1) (2) (3)

Mass of can = m1 (g)
Mass of can + moist soil = m2 (g)
Mass of can + dry soil = m3 (g)
Mass of dry soil, m4 =m3 – m1 (g)
Mass of moisture, m5 = m2 – m4 (g)
Moisture content, w (%),

AVERAGE MOISTURE, w%
 PRACTICAL
SOIL SAMPLING BY HAND AUGER

DISCUSSION ON:-

1. Describe the purpose of soil sampling

2. Briefly explain what is the type of sample will be obtained directly from auger and thin-
wall tube sampler?
3. Discuss the parameters can be measure by sample obtained from Question 2.
4. Briefly explain is the best time to collect soil samples?
5. Point out the operational requirements for drilling boreholes on site.
6. Recommend appropriate methods to collect undisturbed soil sample in the field.

Prepared by: Approved by:

______________________________________ ______________________________________
DR. TUAN NOOR HASANAH BT TUAN ISMAIL AP. DR. NORSHUHAILA BINTI MOHAMED
SUNAR

Date/Tarikh : FEBRUARY 2019 Date/ Date/Tarikh : FEBRUARY 2019