Engineering Geology Laboratory
Laboratory Head: Dr. Michal Rysiukiewicz
e-mail: michal.rysiukiewicz/at/uwr.edu.pl
Department of Applied Hydrogeology,
Institute of Geological Sciences of the University of Wroclaw.
ul. Cybulskiego 34, 50-205 Wrocław
tel. 71 375 92 46
Description of activities
The activities of the Engineering Geology Laboratory are focused on geological-engineering, geotechnical and environmental work.
Basic tests performed in the laboratory:
- Macroscopic soil analysis
- Analysis of basic physical characteristics of soil
- Testing the grain size of non-cohesive soil samples (sieve analysis)
- Testing the grain size of cohesive soil samples (areometric, pipette, microaggregate analysis)
- Soil compaction test by vibrating fork method
- Testing the consistency of cohesive soil samples using various methods (Casagrande’s apparatus, Cone Penetrometer, Vasiliev cone)
- Soil swelling test
- Testing the organic matter content of the soil
- Testing the aggressiveness of ground water towards concrete
- Testing the optimum moisture content and the degree of soil compaction by the Proctor method
- Soil compressibility testing
- Soil shear strength testing
Equipment of the Laboratory
Automatic Proctor Compactor
| The compactor is designed for determining optimal moisture and maximum specific gravity of the soil skeleton using the Proctor method. Also used for compacting samples in CBR cylinders. |
| Equipped with tools for compaction according to PN-88/B-04481 standard for methods I, II, III, and IV. |
Cone Penetrometer
| The penetrometer is designed for determining the liquidity limit and the soil consistency index. The test measures the depth of penetration of a freely falling measurement cone. |
Automatic Casagrande Apparatus
| Device for determining the liquidity limit. |
M/LPzE-2e Shaker for 200mm sieves
| The laboratory shaker is used to determine the grain composition of bulk materials, such as aggregates or sands. The device allows to carry out grain size analysis in dry state or with water washing. On the basis of grain size analysis, the following are determined: average grain size, main fraction and homogeneity index. |
Oedometers
| The oedometer is designed for testing soil compressibility under uniaxial load. Also used for testing soil swelling under the influence of water. |
Matest Automatic Direct Shear Device
| The apparatus is designed to carry out direct shear tests of collected soil samples, the purpose of which is to determine the soil’s shear strength, cohesion and angle of internal friction. |
GeoStar 8i Package
| The GeoStar package is the most popular tool in the country that independently generates borehole sheets and sections based on user-inputted tables from tests and surveys. Documents are created in accordance with the latest formal requirements (vocabularies, colors, drawing form). For example, CPT charts and dynamic soundings can be plotted on cross sections in addition to lithological or geotechnical layers, water and soil parameters. The results and documents are stored in a database, facilitating team work, quick retrieval, and access. |
