CIV 324 Winter 2012

Assignment 1

Prof. Kwon
Name:

Due Jan 20 (Friday) by 6:00 am, GB drop boxe in the 4th floor computer lab.

1. [Soil phase relationship] The following data are given for a soil: porosity = 0.45, specific gravity of
the soil solids = 2.68, and moisture content = 10%. Determine the mass of water to be added to 10 m3
of soil for full saturation.

[solution]

=
n

Va + Vw
=
0.45
Va + Vw + Vs

=
Gs

Ws
=
2.68
Vs w

=
w

Ww
= 0.1
Ws

(1)

(2)

(3)

For 10 m3 of soil in current state, the volume of void ( V=

Va + Vw ) is
v

Vv = 0.45 10= 4.5 m3

(4)

and, the volume of solid is Vs =10 4.5 =5.5 m3 . To fully saturated, the void should be filled with
water.
From (2) and (3)

Ww / 0.1 Vw w / 0.1
=
= 2.68
Vs w
Vs w

(5)

Hence, the volume of water in the initial state is

Vw = 0.1 2.68 Vs = 1.474 m3

(6)

From (4) and (6), additional water that should be added is

4.5 1.474 =
3.026 m3

CIV 324 Winter 2012

Prof. Kwon

2. [Soil phase relationship] A large soil sample obtained from a borrow pit has a wet mass of 26.5 kg.
The in-place volume occupied by the sample is 0.013 m3. A small portion of the sample is used to
determine the water content; the wet mass is 135 g, and after drying in oven, the mass is 117g.
(a) Determine the soils water content.
(b) Determine the soils wet and dry density for conditions at the borrow pit.

[solution]

135 117
=
100 15.4%
117
(b) wet 26.5=
=
kg / 0.013m3 2038.5 kg / m3
(a)=
w

Mass of water in 26.5 kg of wet soil

M w = (135 117) /135 26.5 = 3.533kg

Mass of solid

M s =26.5 3.533 =22.97 kg

=
dry 22.97
=
/ 0.013 1767 kg / m3

CIV 324 Winter 2012

Prof. Kwon

3. [Soil phase relationship] Borrow soil is used to fill a 75,000 m3 depression. The borrow soil has the
following characteristics: unit weight =15.107 kN/m3, water content w = 8%, and specific gravity of
the solids Gs = 2.66. The final in-place dry unit weight should be 17.56 kN/m3, and the final water
content should be 13%.
(a) How many cubic meters of borrow soil are needed?
(b) Assuming no evaporation loss, what water mass is needed to achieve 13% water content?
(c) What will be the density of the in-place fill after a long rain?

[Solution]
Draw the mass and volume phases of the borrow soil on a phase diagram. Assuming unit volume (1 m3),
Total weight WT = Ww + Ws = 15.107 kN
From water content of 8%, Ww/Ws = 0.08, Ws = 13.988 kN, Ww = 1.119 kN
Volume of solid = Ws/s =(13.988)/(2.66*9.81) = 0.536 m3
Volume of water = Ww/w =(1.119)/(9.81) = 0.114 m3
Volume of air = 1 0.536 0.114 = 0.35 m3

At the final stage,

Dry unit=
weight d

Vs s
Vs (2.66 9.81)
=
= 17.56
Va + Vw + Vs
1

Hence, volume of void Vs = 0.673 m3

Water content of 13%, Ww/Ws = 0.13, Ws = 17.56 kN, Ww = 2.283 kN
Volume of water Vw = Ww/w = 0.233 m3
Volume of air Va = 1 0.233 0.673 = 0.094

(a) Total volume of 75,000 m3 will be filled with the compacted soil (at final stage above). Total required
solid is 75000 * 0.673 = 50,475 m3 and corresponding weight is 50475*(2.66)*(9.81) = 1.317 * 106 kN.
The weight of solid should be transported. To have this weight of soil in the initial stage, required volume
of borrow soil is
(1.317 * 106 ) / (0.536 * 2.66 * 9.81) = 94200 m3

CIV 324 Winter 2012

Prof. Kwon

(b) The weight of water in 94200 m3 of borrow soil is 94200 * 0.114 * 9.81 = 1.054 * 105 kN.
The weight of soil in the final stage is 75000*0.233*9.81 = 1.714*105 kN.
The difference between the two is the additional water: 0.66 *105 kN
Required mass of water = 0.66*105 /9.81 = 6728 ton = 6.728*106 kg

(c) After long rain, the soil will be fully saturated. Hence, the volume of water will be 0.233 +0.094 =
0.327 m3 per unit volume of soil and volume of air will be zero.
The saturated unit weight is,

=
sat

Vw w + Vs s (Vw + Vs G s ) w
=
= (0.327 + 0.673 2.66)(9.81)
= 20.77 kN / m3
Vw + Vs
1