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2 - Weight-Volume Relationships, Plasticity, and Structure of Soil
2 - Weight-Volume Relationships, Plasticity, and Structure of Soil
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
Iraq-Ramadi
Basic Concepts
Soil is a collection of particles that do not form a totally solid substance
Soil is a combination of:
Soil material in particles
Air
Water
The relationship between this combination defines much of what any particular soil can do to support foundations
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College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
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Phase Diagram
Assumptions and Definitions:
Weight of air = 0
Dry Soil: Water weight and volume = 0
Volume of voids include all non-soil volume, both
air and water
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College of Engineering
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Saturated Soil
Saturated Soil: Air volume = 0
Only water and solids appear in completely saturated soil
Basic Formulas
V total=V air+V water+V soil
Wtotal=Wwater+Wsoil
or
W x = xV x
or
Mtotal=Mwater+M soil
M x = xV x
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College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
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wV x
wV x
In most cases, calculations in soil mechanics are done on a weight basis. Exceptions include wave propagation problems
(earthquakes, pile dynamics,. etc.)
Important Variables
1. Void ratio, e
Vv
Expressed as decimal Sands (0.4 1.0) Clays (0.3 1.5)
Vs
2. Porosity , n
n
Vv
x100%
Vt
Prove that
e
1 e
or
n
1 n
3. Degree of saturation, S
S
Vw
x100%
Vv
S = 0 % Dry Soil,
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4. Air Content, Ac
Ac
Va
x100%
V
Ac
n(1 S )
5. Water Content,
Ww
x100%
Ws
can be equal to zero in dry soil and may be reached 500% in some marine and organic soils.
6. Unit weight,
Total unit weight,
Wt
Vt
Ws
Vs
Ww
Vw
Ws Ww
Vt
s
There are three other useful densities in soils engineering; they are
- Dry Unit weight,
Ws
Vt
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College of Engineering
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Ws Ww
Vt
sat
sat
Wt
Vt
(Va = 0, S = 100 % )
If we replaced the weight in these relationships by mass we could find basic definitions for density ( ) instead of unit weight ( ).
7. Specific gravity
apparent
G
w
Gs
Solid
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College of Engineering
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College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
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Example 1
Given:
Total Volume = 1 cu. ft.
Total Weight = 140 lb.
Dry Weight = 125 lb.
Find
Water Content
Wet Unit Weight
Dry Unit Weight
By Definition:
Dry Unit Weight = Dry Weight = 125 lb/ft3
Wet Unit Weight = Total Weight = 140 lb/ft3
Solve for Weight of Water
W T = Ws + Ww
140 = 125+Ww
Ww = 15 lb/ft3
Solve for Water Content
w = Ww/Ws = Ww/125 = 15/125 = 0.12 = 12%
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College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
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Example 2
Given:
Total Mass = 18.18 kg
Total Volume = 0.009 m3
Dry Mass = 16.13 kg
Specific Gravity of Solids = 2.7
Find
Wet Density
Dry Unit Weight
Void Ratio
Water Content
Compute Mass of Water
Mt = Ms+Mw
18.18 = 16.13+Mw
Mw = 2.05 kg
Compute Water Content
w = Mw/Ms
w= 2.05/16.13 = .127 = 12.7%
Compute Volumes
Volume of Water
Vw = M w / w
Vw = 2.05/1000 = 0.00205 m3
Asst. Prof. Khalid R. Mahmood (PhD.)
46
University of Anbar
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
Iraq-Ramadi
Volume of Solids
Vs = Ms s = Ms/(Gs w)
Vs = 16.13/((1000)(2.7)) = 0.00597 m3
Volume of Air
Va = Vt Vw Vs
Va = 0.009-0.00205-0.00597 = .00098 m3
Example 3
Given
Saturated Soil
Void Ratio = 0.45
Specific Gravity of Solids = 2.65
Find
Wet Unit Weight
Water Content
Assumptions
Va = 0
Vt = 1
Vs + Vw = 1
3
w water = 62.4 lb/ft
Solve for Volumes
for saturated soil Vv = Vw
e = Vw/Vs = 0.45
Vw = 0.31 ft3
Asst. Prof. Khalid R. Mahmood (PhD.)
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University of Anbar
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
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Vs = 0.69 ft3
Compute Wet Unit Weight
Weight of Soils = wVsGs = (62.4)(0.69)(2.7) = 114 lb
Weight of Water = wVw = (62.4)(0.31) = 19.4 lb
Total Weight = 114 + 19.4 = 133.4 lb
Since volume is unity, total weight is also net unit
weight = 133.4 pcf
Compute Water Content
= Ww/Ws = 19.4/114 = 0.17 = 17%
Example 4
Given
Well Graded Sand
Specific Gravity of Solids = 2.65
Void Ratio = 0.57
Porosity = 36.5%
Find
Degree of Saturation
Wet and Dry Unit Weight of Soil
Solution
Set sample volume = 1 m3
Total Volume = 1= Vw + Va + Vs
Void ratio e = 0.57 = Vv/Vs
Vt = 1 = 2.754 (Vw + Va) (1)
Asst. Prof. Khalid R. Mahmood (PhD.)
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University of Anbar
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
Iraq-Ramadi
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University of Anbar
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
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L).
2-
3-
).
S ).
State
Water content
Brittle
Semi solid
S.L
L.I<0
Plastic
P.L
L.I = 0
Liquid
L.L
L.I = 1
= P.L
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College of Engineering
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Liquid Limit
Definition
Atterberg defined the liquid limit as a water content at which the soil becomes a viscous liquid.
Casagrande- defined the liquid limit as a water content at which a standard groove cut in the remolded soil sample by a grooving
tool will close over a distance of 13 mm (1/2) at 25 blows of the L.L cup falling 10 mm on a hard rubber base. (See the figure
below)
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In practice, it is difficult to mix the soil so that the groove closure occurs at exactly 25 blows, so Casagrande did the following:
,%
Flow curve
L.L ( l)
Slope = tan
N (No. of blows)
25
Log. Scale
Sometimes one point liquid limit test can be used because, for soils of similar geologic origin, the slopes of the flow curves are
similar.
L.L(
L)
n(
n tan
)
25
Where tan
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Plastic Limit
Atterberg defined the plastic limit as water content at which soil becomes in plastic state . Casagrande defined the plastic limit as
water at which a thread of soil just crumbles when it is carefully rolled out to a diameter of 3 mm(1/8). It should break up into
segments about 3 10 mm (1/8 3/8 inch) long. If the thread crumbles at diameter smaller than 3 mm, the soil is too wet. If the
thread crumbles at diameter grater than 3 mm, the soil past the P.L
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Shrinkage Limit
It defines as a water content at which no further volume change occurs with continuous loss of moisture.
Volume of soil
Vi
Vf
Moisture content (%)
S.L
P.L
L.L
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Porcelain dish
VI soil volume
44.4 mm dia.
m1 soil mass
12.7 mmheight
Vf soil volume
m2 soil mass
Oven dried
Before drying
After drying
where
However
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(%)
m1 m2
x100%
m2
also
(%)
S .L
(Vi V f )
m2
x100%
We can also estimate the magnitude of S.L using the plasticity chart, as we will described in lab.
Other index properties for the soil
- Plasticity index, P.I
- Flow index, F .I
L.L P.L
2
log N 2 log N1
log
N2
N1
1 for
one
cycle
Toughness index, T .I
P .I
F .I
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L.L
n
L.L P.L
L.L
P.I
P.L
P.I
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Civil Engineering Department
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Plasticity increase
4. Type of ions.
The type of absorbed ions will effect the plasticity characteristics such
as Na , Mg will give high plasticity while Ca will give low plasticity.
5. Content of organic matter.
As the organic matter content increase the plasticity characteristics
Increase.
Asst. Prof. Khalid R. Mahmood (PhD.)
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University of Anbar
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
Iraq-Ramadi
Activity
Skempton (1953) observed the following relationship. He defined a quantity called Activity which the slope of the line
correlating P.I & % finer than 2 m.
A
P.I
%ofclay sizefraction, byweight
P.I
Soil 1
A1
Soil 2
A2
This term used for identifying the swelling potential of clay soils and for certain classification properties.
Asst. Prof. Khalid R. Mahmood (PhD.)
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University of Anbar
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
Iraq-Ramadi
A
< 0.75
0.75 1.25
1.25 2.0
Soil classification
Non Active
Normally Active
Active
A
0.4 0.5
0.5 1.0
1.0 7.0
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University of Anbar
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
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Example
The following data were obtained from the liquid & plastic limits tests for a soil with
Liquid limit test
No. of blows
Moisture content; %
15
42
20
40.8
28
39.1
= 15 %
Plastic limit test
P.L = 18.7 %
Moisture Content %
Required
44.00
40.00
L.L = 39.5 %
36.00
10.00
100.00
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P.I
L.I
C .I
F .I
T .I
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Plasticity Chart
Casagrande (1932)
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Factors that affect the soil structure areThe shape, size, and mineralogical composition of soil particles,
The nature and composition of soil water.
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Voids
Loose
Dense
A useful way to characterize the density of a natural granular soil is with relative density Dr as described before.
Honeycombed structure
In this structure, relatively fine sand and silt form small arches with chains of particles as shown in the figure below. Soils
exhibiting honeycombed structure have large void ratios and they can carry ordinary static load.
However, under heavy load or when subjected to shock loading, the structure breaks down, resulting in large settlement.
Asst. Prof. Khalid R. Mahmood (PhD.)
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University of Anbar
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
Iraq-Ramadi
Soil solid
Void
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Thixotropy
Thixotropy is the ability of certain substances to liquefy when agitated and to return to a gel form when at rest. The term
thixotropy is derived from the Greek words thixis, meaning "the act of handling," and trope, meaning "change." Thixotropic
substances are colloidal gels when solid and sols when liquefied. Examples of thixotropic substances include catsup, some
hand creams, certain paints and printer's inks, and suspensions of clay in water. The reversibility and essentially isothermal
nature of the of the gel-sol-gel transformation distinguish thixotropic materials from those that liquefy upon heating--for
example gelatin.
Thixotropic systems are quite diverse. Therefore, it is unlikely that a single descriptive theory can include them all. However,
in general, the phenomenon is found only in colloidal suspensions.
Various mechanisms can cause thixotropic behavior. For a gel system, agitation disrupts the three-dimensional structure that
binds the system into a gel. Agitation might also introduce order into the system. In a system containing long polymeric
molecules, these molecules can be disordered in the gel. When the gel is agitated, the molecules can align in the direction of
flow, reducing the resistance to flow.
Some substances possess a property which is nearly the opposite of thixotropy. This property is called dilatancy. A dilatant
substance is one that develops increasing resistance to flow as the rate of shear increases. A household example of a dilatant
material is a thick dispersion of cornstarch in water. This appears to be a free-flowing liquid when poured, but when it is
stirred, it becomes very firm. Another familiar example of dilatancy is the phenomenon of wet sand appearing to dry and
become firm when it is walked on.
Asst. Prof. Khalid R. Mahmood (PhD.)
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