University of Central Florida

Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering

Instructor: Dr. RICARDO ZAURIN

University of Central Florida
Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering

Instructor: Dr. RICARDO ZAURIN

Last Lecture…
Phase Relations
 Three Phases in Soils
S : Solid Soil particle
W: Liquid Water (electrolytes)
A: Air Air
Weight‐Volume Relationships

Volume Weight
VA WA  0
VV
VW Ww
VT
WT
VS Ws
 Objectives
To compute the masses (or weights) and 
volumes of the three different phases. 

Va air Ma=0

Vv
Notation
M = mass or weight Vw water Mw
V = volume Mt
Vt
s = soil grains
w = water
a = air soil
Vs Ms
v = voids
t = total

Phase Diagram 7
 Three Volumetric Ratios
 Void ratio e (given in decimal, i.e. 0.65)
Is a measure of the void volume with respect to the Solid Volume. 

e
Volume of voids (Vv ) Vv  Vs e Vt  Vv  Vs
Volume of solids (Vs )
 Porosity n (given in percent i.e. 100%, 65%)
Is also a measure of the void volume with respect to the Total Volume, expressed as a 
percentage. 
Volume of voids (Vv ) Vv
n n
Total volume of soil sample (Vt ) Vv  Vs

Vs e Vs e e n
n  n e
Vs e  Vs Vs (e  1) (1  e) (1  n)
 Three Volumetric Ratios

 Degree of Saturation S (given in percent i.e.100%, 65%)
Is the percentage of the void volume filled by water.

Total volume of voids contains water (Vw )

S 100%
Total volume of voids (Vv )

Completely dry soil S = 0 %
Completely saturated soil S = 100%
Unsaturated soil (partially saturated soil)      0% < S < 100%
 Definitions…  Once Again
Void ratio (e) is a measure of the void volume 
with respect to the Solid Volume. 

Va air Ma=0
VV
e Vv
Vw
VS water Mw

Vt Mt

Vs soil
Ms

Phase Diagram 10
 Definitions
Porosity (n) is also a measure of the void volume with 
respect to the Total Volume, expressed as a 
percentage. 

Va air Ma=0
VV
n X 100% Vv
Vw
VT water Mw

Vt Mt

Theoretical range: 0 – 100% soil

Vs Ms

Phase Diagram 11
 Definitions
Degree of saturation (S) is the percentage of the 
void volume filled by water.

Va air Ma=0
VW
S X 100% Vv
Vw
VV water Mw

Vt Mt

Range: 0 – 100%
Vs soil
Ms
Dry
Saturated

Phase Diagram 12
 Density and Unit Weight
• Mass: Mass
Is a measure of a body's Density,  
inertia, or its "quantity of Volume
matter". Mass is not changed
at different places.
Weight Mass  g
MASS IS RELATED TO DENSITY Unit weight ,   
Volume Volume

• Weight: g : acceleration due to gravity

Is the force of gravity acting on
a body. The value is different at     g    9.8 m
various places (Newton's sec 2
second law F = ma)
 w  9.8 kN
WEIGHT IS RELATED TO UNIT WEIGHT m3

 w  62.4 lb
ft 3
 Weight Relationships
 Water Content w (expressed in %)
Is a measure of the water present in the soil, compared with the solids.

Weight of water (Ww )

w 100%
Weight of soil solids (Ws )

• For some organic soils w>100%, up to 500 %
• For quick clays, w>100%

 Density of water (slightly varied with temperatures)

 w  1g / cm  1000 kg / m  1Mg / m
3 3 3

 w  1.94slug / ft 3
 Weight/Density Relationships
Density/unit weight of soil 
Dry unit weight
Is the unit weight of the soil solids with respect to the total volume.
Weight of soil solids (Ws )
d 
Total volume of soil sample (Vt )
Total, Wet, bulk, or Moist unit weight (0%<S<100%, Unsaturated)
Is the unit weight of the soil in the current state. 
 W 
Weight of soil sample(Ws  Ww ) Ws 1  w  Ws 1  w
 m 
 
Ws 
Total volume of soil sample (Vt ) Vt
Vt

Saturated density (S=100%, Va =0)

Mass of soil solids  water(M s  M w )
sat 
Total volume of soil sample (Vt )

 Submerged density (Buoyant density) '  sat   w

 Other Relationships
Specific Gravity (Gs)
• The ratio of the unit weight of a given material 
to the unit weight of water.

s  s
Gs  
w  w

• Most of the values fall within 2.6‐2.9
Typical Values of Specific Gravity

(Lambe and Whitman, 1979)

(Goodman, 1989)
 Definitions (Weight Relations)
Water content (w) is a measure of the water 
present in the soil. 

Va air Ma=0
MW
w X 100% Vv
Vw
MS water Mw

Vt Mt
Expressed as percentage.

Range = 0 – 100+%. Vs soil

Ms

Phase Diagram 19
 Definitions
Dry density (d) is the density of the soil in dry state.

MS
d  Va air Ma=0

VT Vv
Vw water Mw
Units: t/m3, g/ml, kg/m3 Vt Mt

Vs soil
Ms

Phase Diagram 20
 Definitions
Total, Wet, bulk, or Moist density (m) is the density 
of the soil as is.

MT
m  Va air Ma=0

VT Vv
Vw water Mw
Units: t/m3, g/ml, kg/m3 Vt Mt

Vs soil
Ms

Phase Diagram 21
 Definitions
Saturated density (sat) is the density of the soil 
when the voids are filled with water. 

Va air Ma=0

Vv
Vw water Mw
Submerged density (’) Vt Mt

is the effective
density of the soil Vs soil
Ms
when it is
submerged.
’ = sat - w Phase Diagram 22
Various Forms of Relationships for   ,  d , and ,  s
 Solution of Phase Problems
• Remember the following simple rules:

1.Remember the basic definitions of n,w, e, s, 
S, Gs,etc.
2.Draw a phase diagram.

3.Often use  Se = wGs
 Example moist sand =>Not saturated
volume of 450 cm3
wet mass of 786 g.
• A moist sand sample
has a volume of 450 Volume Mass

cm3 and a wet mass

of 786 g. The Va air Ma=0

density of the solids is Vv

2.65 g/cm3 and the Vw water M

786
55g
w g.

dry mass is 731 g. Vt3

450 cm Mg.
786 t

Determine the void

ratio, porosity, soil
Vs 731g
Ms
percentage water
content and the
degree of saturation.
Solids density is 2.65 g/cm3 dry mass is 731 g. Mass of water = 786 – 731 = 55 g
 moist sand =>Not saturated

• Determine the void

ratio, porosity, Volume Mass

percentage water
content and the Va 119.15
air Ma=0
174.15 cm3
degree of saturation. cm3Vv
density is 2.65 g/cm3 Vw3
55cm water M
786
55g
w g.

VV Vt3
450 cm Mg.
786
e
t

VS
Vs3
275.85cm soil
MS 731 731g
Ms
 solid  Vs   275.85cm3
Vs 2.65

Vv = V – Vs = 450 – 275.85= 174.15 cm3 V = V – V = 174.15-55= 119.15 cm3

a v w
 moist sand =>Not saturated
e
n  0.63 / 1.63  0.3865  38.65%
• Determine the void (1  e)
ratio, porosity, Volume Mass

percentage water
content and the Va 119.15
air Ma=0
174.15 cm3
degree of saturation. cm3Vv
Vw3
55cm water M
786
55g
w g.

174.15 Vt3 Mg.

786
VV 450 cm t
e e
VS 275.85 e  0.63
Vs3
275.85cm soil
731g
Ms
MW 55
w w  0.0752 w  7.52%
MS 731
VW 55
S S S  31.58%
VV 174.15
 Example moist sample =>Not saturated
Vt = 0.4 m3
M = 711.2 kg
• A 0.4 m3 moist sample
Ms=623.9 kg
sample has mass of
Gs=2.68
711.2 kg and a dry mass
Volume Mass
of 623.9 kg. The
Specific Gravity of the
soil solids compared with Va air Ma=0
the water is 2.68. Vv
Estimate: Vw water Mw

V3t
0.4 m 711.2 M
kg.t
a) Moisture Content.
b) Moist density.
Vs soil
c) Dry unit Weight Ms kg
623.9

d) Void Ratio.
e) Porosity.
 Example moist sample =>Not saturated
Vt = 0.4 m3
• Estimate: M = 711.2 kg
a) Moisture Content. (w) Ms=623.9 kg

b) Moist density. (  ) Gs=2.68

Mass
c) Dry unit Weight ( d ) Volume

d) Void Ratio. (e)

Va air Ma=0
e) Porosity. (n)
Vv
a) Moisture Content. Vw water Mw
87.3kg
M W 87 .3kg 711.2 M
w   0 .14 V3t
0.4 m kg.t
M S 623 .9 kg
w  14%
b) Moist density. soil
Vs Ms kg
623.9
M 711.2kg
 T 
VT 0.4m3 kg
  1,778 3
m
 Example c) Dry Weight.

MS 623 .9 kg m
• Estimate: d  g  3
x 9 .81 2
VT 0 .4 m s
a) Moisture Content. ( w)
N
b) Moist density. (  )  d  15,301.15
m3
c) Dry unit Weight ( d ) Volume Mass
d) Void Ratio. (e)
Va air Ma=0
e) Porosity. (n)
VV
e Vv
d) Void Ratio VS Vw water Mw g.
786
87.3kg
Gs  w Gs  w
d  e 1 V3t
0.4 m 711.2 M
kg.t
1 e d
d   d / g  d  1,559.75kg / m 3
Vs soil
Ms kg
623.9
2.68x1000kg / m3
e 1
1559.75kg / m 3
e  0.718
 Example
• Estimate:
a) Moisture Content. (w)
b) Moist density. (  )
c) Dry unit Weight ( d ) Volume Mass
d) Void Ratio. (e)
Va air Ma=0
e) Porosity. (n)
Vv
e) Porosity Vw water Mw g.
786
87.3kg
V3t 711.2 M
kg.t
e 0.718 0.4 m
n 
1 e 1  0.718
Vs soil
Ms kg
623.9
n  0.418 n  41.8%
Next Lecture:
Relative Density

Sieve Analysis

Plasticity…