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1 COMPONENTS OF SOILS
VOLUME
V = Vs + Vv = Vs + (Vw + Va)
Where Vs = volume of soil solids
Vv = volume of voids
Vw = volume of water in the voids
Va = volume of air in the voids
WEIGHT
W = Ws + Ww (Assume Wa = 0)
where Ws = weight of soil solids
Ww = weight of water
VV
Void ratio, e =
VS
Porosity, n = VV
VT
VW
Degree of saturation, Sr = x 100%
VV
1.2 Weight-Volume Relationships
e
n=
1 e
Ww
Moisture content, w
Ws
W WS
d d
1 w
Unit weight Dry Unit weight or
V V
1.2 Weight-Volume Relationships
Gs = s/w
Gs = (Ws/Vs)/w
w =Ww/Vw
Gs = Ws/(w x Vs)
Vw = Ww/w
If Vs =1,
= wGsw/w
Ws = Gsw
Ww = wWs = wGsw = wGs
where
Gs = specific gravity
of soil solids
w = moisture
content
w = unit weight of
water
Assume Vs = 1
Relationships among Unit Weight, Void Ratio, Moisture
Content, and Specific Gravity
The unit weight and dry unit weight can be calculated as below:
W G Gs w
d s s w e 1
V 1 e d
Ws wGs w
Vw wGs
w w
Vw wGs
S Sre = wGs
Vs e
Relationships among Unit Weight, Void Ratio, Moisture
Content, and Specific Gravity
W Ws Ww Gs w e w Gs e w
sat
V V 1 e 1 e
Sr = 1 when
e = wGs
saturated
Relationships among Unit Weight, Void Ratio, Moisture
Content, and Specific Gravity
Vv
n If V is equal to 1, then Vv is equal to n, so Vs = 1 - n
V
Relationships among Unit Weight, Porosity, and Moisture Content
Worked example 1
A specimen of clay was tested in the laboratory and the following data were
collected:
Mass of wet specimen M1 = 148.8 g
Mass of dry specimen M2 = 106.2 g
Volume of wet specimen V = 86.2 cm3
Specific gravity of particles Gs = 2.70
Determine: (a) the water content, (b) the bulk and dry densities, (c) the void ratio
and porosity, and (d) the degree of saturation.
Solution :
Worked example 1
Worked Example 2
Given :
1. The weight of a moist soil sample is 45.6 Ib.
2. The volume of the soil measured before drying is 0.40 ft3.
3. After the sample is dried out in an oven, its weight is 37.8 Ib.
4. The specific gravity of solids is 2.65.
Required
(a) Water content. (b) Unit weight of moist soil. (c) Void ratio.
(d) Porosity (e) Degree of saturation.
Solution:
Worked Example 2
Porosity (n)
Solution:
Assume
Worked Example 4
Porosity (n)
Worked Example 5
Given:
1. A 100% saturated soil has a wet unit weight of 120 lb/ft3.
2. The water content of this saturated soil was determined to be 36%.
Required
(a) Void ratio (b) Specific gravity of solids.
Solution:
Worked Example 5
Given:
A soil sample has the following data:
1. Void ratio = 0.94.
2. Degree of saturation = 35%.
3. Specific gravity of solids = 2.71.
Required
1. Water content.
2. Unit weight.
Solution :
Worked Example 6
1. A moist soil has these values: V = 7.08 x 10-3 m3, m = 13.95 kg, w = 9.8%, and Gs =
2.66.
Determine the bulk density, dry density, void ratio, porosity, degree of saturation and
volume occupied by water.
(Answer: 1970.3 kg/m3, 1794.4 kg/m3, ,0.48, 0.324, 54.3%, 0.00125 m3)
2. In the natural state, a moist soil has a volume of 0.3m3 and weight 5500N. The oven
dry of the soil is 4911N. If Gs = 2.74, calculate the moisture content, moist unit
weight, dry unit weight, void ratio, porosity and degree of saturation.
(Answer: 12%, 18.33 kN/m3, 16.37 kN/m3, 0.64, 0.39, 51.2%)
3. A representative soil specimen collected from the field weight 1.8 kN and has a
volume of 0.1 m3. The moisture content as determine in the laboratory is 12.6%.
Given Gs = 2.71, determine the moist unit weight, dry unit weight, void ratio, porosity
and degree of saturation.
(Answer: 18 kN/m3, 15.99 kN/m3, 0.66, 0.398, 51.7%)
4 A saturated soil has a dry unit weight of 16.2 kN/m3. Its moisture content is 20%.
Determine the sat, Gs , and e.
(Answer: 19.44 kN/m3, 2.46, 0.49)
Exercise
5. The following data are given for a soil; porosity = 0.45, Gs = 2.68, and w = 10%.
Determine the mass of water to be added to 10m3 of soil for full saturation.
(Answer: 3026 kg)