Compressibility Characteristics of Fibrous Tropical Peat ... - Ejge.com

Vol. 14, Bund. C 4
Sample preparation
This study took undisturbed samples of peat soil from Kampung Jawa Klang, Selangor, in
Malaysia with a sampling tube and containers capable of being sealed to prevent the loss or gain
of moisture. Jolting during transports was avoided. The researchers in this study designed and
fabricated a suitable auger with a sampling tube and containers to collect undisturbed peat
samples, as shown in Figure 2. Refer to BS 1377-1 for the preparation methods.
Researchers of this study formed the handle from a 60 cm crossbar and the stem was 100 cm
high. The interior of the cylindrical tube was 150 mm in diameter. It's fitted the upper part of the
hollow cylindrical body with a cover plate and the thin tube with a valve designed to be left open
during sampling to release both air and water pressure. Meanwhile, the lower part of the
cylindrical tube was sharpened to cut roots as the auger slowly rotated into the peat ground during
sampling. The auger’s operators then close the valve prior to the withdrawal of the tube with the
peat sample enclosed, thus providing a vacuum effect to help hold the sample in place. Soon after
the operators withdrew the sampler they sealed the cylindrical tube with paraffin wax.
Once in the laboratory, we opened the top cover of the cylindrical tube to extract the sample. The
auger enables the extraction of peat core samples 150 mm in diameter and 230 mm long. We
trimmed the top and bottom of the specimen. As fibrous soil such as peat is easily disturbed, we
carried out the trimming process carefully and quickly to minimize any change in the soil
sample’s water content. All tests reported here were performed inside a constant temperature
room at 20±2°C.
Figure 2: Sampler fabricated to collect undisturbed peat samples
These procedures, including the setting up of the specimen in the Rowe Cell apparatus, covered
the preparation of a cylindrical test specimen of the original soil sample. The specimens’ heights
and diameters of samples were 50, 150 mm respectively, as shown in Figure 3(a).