CE-312 Soil Mechanics: Dr.

Kutay

3 Weight-Volume Relationships
Objectives: Be able to convert volume to mass and vice-versa in soils. Be familiar with the different phases in a soil mass and their significance to construction.

3.1 Phase Diagram

Phase diagram is simplified representation of three phases in soils: Air, water and solids.

Weight = weight of water = weight of solids Total weight =

Volume = volume of air = volume of water = volume of solids Total volume = Volume of voids =

CE-312 Soil Mechanics: Dr. Kutay

3.1.1 Basic volume and weight relationships

Three basic volume relationships are: void ratio, porosity and degree of saturation Void Ratio (e): Ratio of volume of voids to the volume of solids [2.1] Porosity (n): Ratio of volume of voids to the total volume [2.2]

[2.2.1]

From [2.2.1]

[2.2.2]

Degree of Saturation (S): Ratio of volume of water to the volume of voids. [2.3]

Question: Which one of the following is true? a) Value of e can be more than 1 b) Maximum value of S is 1 c) Maximum value of n is 1 d) All of the above

CE-312 Soil Mechanics: Dr. Kutay Weight relationships: Common weight relationships are: moisture content and the unit weight. Moisture content (w) (aka water content): ratio of weight of water to the weight of solids [2.4]

Unit Weight () (aka moist unit weight): The weight of soil per unit volume.

[2.5]

Dry Unit Weight ( d): The weight of solids per unit volume.

[2.6]

Relationship between dry unit weight ( d) and unit weight ():

[2.7]

We can also use density instead of unit weight. Given that

and

, where

g= gravitational acceleration (g= 9.81 m/s2 = 32.2 ft/s2), following equations can be derived: [2.8]

CE-312 Soil Mechanics: Dr. Kutay

3.1.2 Relationships among unit weight (), void ratio (e), water content (w) and Specific Gravity (Gs)
Let Vs = 1, then

From the definition of unit weight:

[2.9]

Given Eq [2.7],

then:

[2.10]

Rearranging Eq. [2.10] yields:

[2.11]

The degree of saturation (S) is

then:

[2.12]

CE-312 Soil Mechanics: Dr. Kutay

3.1.3 Various unit weight relationships:

CE-312 Soil Mechanics: Dr. Kutay Example: A 27.5 lb soil sample has a volume of 0.22 ft3, a water content of 10.2%, and a specific gravity (of solids) of 2.65. Compute the unit weight, dry unit weight, degree of saturation, void ratio and porosity.

Steps of solving problem using a phase diagram: a) Draw a phase diagram and annotate all of the dimensions presented in the problem. Remember Wa = 0 and if the soil is saturated then Va = 0; b) Assume a dimension (e.g., V=1ft3) if no specific volume or weight are given. c) Determine all the remaining dimensions in phase diagram by simple additions and subtractions. d) Compute required parameters using weight or volume relationships (Eqs [2.1]through [2.8]) Solution of example above using phase diagram:

CE-312 Soil Mechanics: Dr. Kutay

CE-312 Soil Mechanics: Dr. Kutay

CE-312 Soil Mechanics: Dr. Kutay