ASTM D4943-18

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: D4943 − 18
Standard Test Method for
Shrinkage Factors of Cohesive Soils by the Water
Submersion Method
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D4943; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope* responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
1.1 This test method covers the procedure for determining
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
the shrinkage factors of cohesive soils, using the water sub-
For specific safety hazards, see Section 8.
mersion technique, whereby the volume of a dried soil pat is
1.8 This international standard was developed in accor-
determined while suspended in a water bath.
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
1.2 The data obtained following this test method are also
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
used to determine the shrinkage ratio, volumetric shrinkage,
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
and linear shrinkage of the soil.
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
1.3 This test method is applicable only for cohesive soils.
1.4 Since this test method is performed only on that portion
2. Referenced Documents
of a soil which passes the 425-µm (No. 40) sieve, the relative
2.1 ASTM Standards:
consistency of the tested portion of the soil to the properties of
C670 Practice for Preparing Precision and Bias Statements
the sample as a whole must be considered when evaluating the
for Test Methods for Construction Materials
entire soil sample.
C702 PracticeforReducingSamplesofAggregatetoTesting
1.5 All recorded and calculated values shall conform to the
Size
guide for significant digits and rounding established in Practice
D75 Practice for Sampling Aggregates
D6026.
D420 Guide for Site Characterization for Engineering De-
1.5.1 The procedures, used to specify how data are
sign and Construction Purposes
collected/recorded and calculated in this standard, are regarded
D653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained
as the industry standard. In addition, they are representative of
Fluids
the significant digits that should generally be retained. The
D854 Test Methods for Specific Gravity of Soil Solids by
procedures used do not consider material variation, purpose for
Water Pycnometer
obtaining the data, special purpose studies, or any consider-
D3740 Practice for Minimum Requirements for Agencies
ations for the user’s objectives; and it is common practice to
Engaged in Testing and/or Inspection of Soil and Rock as
increase or reduce significant digits of reported data to be
Used in Engineering Design and Construction
commensuratewiththeseconsiderations.Itisbeyondthescope
D4318 Test Methods for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, and
of this standard to consider significant digits used in analysis
Plasticity Index of Soils
methods for engineering design.
D4753 Guide for Evaluating, Selecting, and Specifying Bal-
1.6 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded ances and Standard Masses for Use in Soil, Rock, and
as standard except the sieve designations are shown using the Construction Materials Testing
alternative sieve designation in parentheses. No other units of D6026 Practice for Using Significant Digits in Geotechnical
measurement are included in this standard. Data
E2251 Specification for Liquid-in-Glass ASTM Thermom-
1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of the
eters with Low-Hazard Precision Liquids
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
E11 Specification for Woven Wire Test Sieve Cloth and Test
Sieves
This test method is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D18 on Soil and
Rock and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.03 on Texture, Plasticity
and Density Characteristics of Soils. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
CurrenteditionapprovedJune1,2018.PublishedJuly2018.Originallyapproved contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
in 1989. Last previous edition approved in 2008 as D4943 – 08, which was Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
withdrawn April 2017 and reinstated in June 2018. DOI: 10.1520/D4943-18. the ASTM website.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
D4943 − 18
Practice D3740 provides a means of evaluating some of those factors.
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions:
6. Apparatus
3.1.1 For definitions of common technical terms found in
6.1 Balance or Scale—A balance or scale having a mini-
this standard, refer to Terminology D653.
mum capacity of 500 g and meeting the requirements of
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
Specification D4753 for a balance of 0.01-g readability.
3.2.1 shrinkage factors of soils—determinations made on a
soil pat consisting of the Shrinkage Limit, Shrinkage Ratio, 6.2 Suspension Apparatus (optional)—Adevice centered on
Linear Shrinkage and Volumetric Shrinkage. the balance, suitable for suspending the soil specimen in a
container of water located in proximity to the balance or scale.
3.2.1.1 shrinkage limit—the shrinkage limit is the water
content of a soil where further loss of moisture will result in no
6.3 Shrinkage Dish—A circular porcelain or monel metal
additional volume reduction.
milk dish having a flat bottom about 40 to 45 mm in diameter
and about 12 to 15 mm deep.
3.2.1.2 shrinkage ratio—the ratio in the change in soil
volume, expressed as a percentage of the dry volume, to the
6.4 Drying Oven—An oven, thermostatically controlled,
corresponding change in water content above the shrinkage
preferably of the forced draft type, and capable of maintaining
limit, expressed as a percentage of the mass of oven-dried soil.
a uniform temperature of 110 6 5°C throughout the drying
3.2.1.3 linear shrinkage—the decrease in one dimension of
chamber.
a soil mass, expressed as a percentage of the original
6.5 Humidity Enclosure (optional)—Small closed container
dimension, when the water content is reduced from a given
large enough for shrinkage dishes and a small container of
value to the shrinkage limit.
water used in dry climates to slow the initial rate of drying.
3.2.1.4 volumetric shrinkage—the decrease in volume, ex-
6.6 Mortar and Pestle—Mortar, iron or porcelain, with
pressed as a percentage of the soil mass when dried, of a soil
rubber tipped pestle.
mass when the water content is reduced from a given percent-
age to the shrinkage limit. 6.7 Spatula—A spatula or pill knife having a blade suffi-
ciently long and wide enough for easy use when mixing and
3.2.2 soil pat—the intact dry or wetted soil specimen
placing the prepared soil in the shrinkage dish. A blade about
molded in a shrinkage dish.
100 mm long by 20 mm wide has been found to be acceptable.
4. Summary of Test Method
6.8 Straightedge—A stiff metal straightedge of convenient
length. The scraping edge shall be beveled if it is thicker than
4.1 A sample of fine-grained soil is thoroughly mixed with
3 mm.
distilled or demineralized water to form a paste that is slightly
wetterthantheliquidlimitconsistency.Thispasteisusedtofill
6.9 Sieve—425-µm (No. 40) sieve conforming to the re-
a small dish to form a soil pat. The initial water content of the
quirements of Specification E11.
wet soil pat is determined. The soil pat is slowly dried to a
6.10 Wax—Microcrystalline or other suitable wax mixture
constant mass.The change in volume of the soil, due to drying,
which does not become brittle when dry and does not shrink
is determined using a water submersion technique. A thin
during solidification. Sufficient quantity when melted in the
coating of wax is used to prevent water absorption by the dry
wax warmer to submerge the soil pat.
soilpatduringsubmersioninthewater.Then,thewatercontent
loss to dry the soil to a constant volume is determined and
NOTE 2—A50/50 mixture of paraffin wax and petroleum jelly by mass
subtracted from the initial water content to calculate the
has been demonstrated to provide an adequate alternative.
shrinkage limit.The changes in specimen volume and mass are
6.11 Sewing Thread or Fine Fishing Line—Fine sewing
used to compute the shrinkage factors of the soil.
thread or fine fishing line to hold the specimen to dip into the
wax and suspend the specimen during the mass in water
5. Significance and Use
determination.
5.1 The shrinkage limit can be used to evaluate the shrink-
6.12 Water Bath—Of sufficient size (for example, 250 mL
age potential, crack development potential, and swell potential
beaker) to fully submerge the soil pat when determining
of earthwork involving cohesive soils.
indicated mass in water.
5.2 The shrinkage limit, along with the liquid limit and
6.13 Wax Warmer—With sufficient temperature control to
plastic limit of soil, are often collectively referred to as the
avoid overheating.
Atterberg limits in recognition of their formation by Swedish
soil scientist,A.Atterberg. These limits distinguish the bound- 6.14 Tongs or Gloves—For handling hot materials.
aries of the several consistency states of cohesive soils.
6.15 Thermometer—A thermometer, capable of measuring
NOTE 1—The quality of the result produced by this standard is
in the room temperature range with ≤0.5°C gradations and
dependent on the competence of the personnel performing it, and the
conforming to the requirements of Specification E2251.
suitability of the equipment and facilities used. Agencies that meet the
criteria of Practice D3740 are generally considered capable of competent
6.16 Glass or Clear Plastic Plate, about 80 by 80 mm, and
and objective testing/sampling/inspection/and the like. Users of this
about 5 mm thick used for determining the volume of the
standard are cautioned that compliance with Practice D3740 does not in
itself assure reliable results. Reliable results depend on many factors; shrinkage dish.
D4943 − 18
6.17 Petroleum Based Lubricant, used to grease the shrink- ionized or tap water may be used for the water bath and
age dish. shrinkage dish volume determination. However, the same type
of water shall be used for both purposes.
6.18 Liquid Limit Device and Grooving Tool,asdescribedin
Test Method D4318.
11. Preparation of Test Specimen
7. Reagents and Materials 11.1 Prepare the test specimen in accordance with the
procedures outlined in Test Method D4318, using either the
7.1 Purity of Water—Where distilled water is referred to in
wet or dry preparation procedure. The water content of the soil
this test method, either distilled or demineralized water may be
shall be adjusted to a consistency that will require about ten
used.
blows of the liquid limit device to close the groove along a
distance of 13 mm. Dependent upon the soil type, the amount
8. Safety Hazards
of water required may exceed the liquid limit by as much as 10
8.1 Wax melting equipment and hot wax may burn unpro-
percent.
tected skin. Overheated wax may burst into flames; therefore,
extreme care should be exercised when working with hot wax.
12. Procedure
Do not use an open flame device to heat wax.
12.1 Select a shrinkage dish and record its identification
designation and its volume. The volume of the shrinkage dish
9. Sampling
is used as the volume of the wet soil pat and is determined by
9.1 Obtain samples from any location that satisfies testing
proceduresoutlinedinA1.3andA1.4.Lightlygreasetheinside
needs. However, use Practices C702 and D75, as well as Guide
of the shrinkage dish.
D420, as guides for selecting and preserving samples from
12.2 Determine and record the mass of the greased shrink-
various types of sampling operations.
age dish.
9.2 Where sampling operations have preserved the natural
12.3 Place, in the center of the dish, an amount of the
stratification of a sample, keep the various strata separated and
prepared soil equal to about one-third the volume of the dish
perform tests on the particular stratum of interest with as little
and cause the soil to flow to the edges by tapping the dish on
contamination as possible from other strata. Where a mixture
a firm surface, cushioned by several layers of blotting paper or
of materials will be used in construction, combine the various
similar material.Add an amount of soil approximately equal to
components in such proportions that the resultant sample
the first portion, and tap the dish until the soil is thoroughly
represents the actual construction case.
compacted and entrapped air has been brought to the surface.
9.3 Where data from this test method are to be used for
Add additional soil and continue the tapping until the dish is
correlation with other laboratory or field test data, use the same
completely filled and excess soil flows over its edge. Strike off
material as used for these tests whenever possible.
the excess soil with a straightedge and level the soil with the
9.4 Obtain a representative portion of soil from the total
top edge of the shrinkage dish.Wipe off all soil adhering to the
sample sufficient to provide 150 to 200 g of material passing
outside of the dish.
the 425-µm (No. 40) sieve. Mix samples thoroughly in a pan
12.4 Determineandrecordthemassofthedishpluswetsoil
with a spatula or scoop and obtain a representative portion
immediately after leveling.
from the total mass by making one or more sweeps with a
12.5 Allow the soil pat to dry in air until the color of the pat
scoop through the mixed mass.
turns from dark to light.
...