University of Kirkuk/College of Engineering Department of Civil Engineering

Soil Mechanics-Third Year

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Soil Composition

1. Unit weight and density of Soil

Weight, (W): 𝑾 = 𝑴𝒈

M = mass, g= gravity acceleration = 9.81 m/s2 or 32.17405 ft/s2

Density, (ρ): 𝝆 = 𝑴⁄𝑽

V= volume.

Unit weight, (γ): 𝜸 = 𝑾⁄ 𝑽 𝛄 = 𝐖 / 𝐕 = 𝐌 𝐠 / 𝐕= 𝛒 𝐠

2. Definitions of soil phases

Soil is a multiphase material consists of solid particles, water, and air. Thus, the
soil has three phases: solid, liquid and gas.

a) Three Phase (Partially Saturated Soil).

b) Two Phase (Fully Saturated Soil).

c) Two Phase (Dry Soil).

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University of Kirkuk/College of Engineering Department of Civil Engineering

Air
Water Air
Water

Solid Solid
Solid

Partially Saturated Soil Fully Saturated Soil Dry Soil

Figure 2.1 Different soil phases

Three Phase Diagram

Figure 2.2 Weight-volume relationships in soil

𝑽=𝑽𝒔+𝑽𝒗=𝑽𝒔+𝑽𝒘+𝑽𝒂

𝑴=𝑴𝒔+𝑴𝒘

𝑾=𝑾𝒔+𝑾𝒘

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University of Kirkuk/College of Engineering Department of Civil Engineering

Void ratio: 𝒆=𝑽𝒗 / 𝑽𝒔

Porosity: 𝒏=𝑽𝒗 / 𝑽

𝐕𝐯 𝐕𝐯 𝐕𝐯 ⁄𝐕 𝐧
𝐞= = = =
𝐕𝐬 𝐕 − 𝐕𝐯 𝟏 − 𝐕𝐯 ⁄𝐕 𝟏 − 𝐧

𝐕𝐯 𝐕𝐯 𝐕𝐯 ⁄𝐕𝐬 𝐞
𝐧= = = =
𝐕 𝐕𝐬 + 𝐕𝐯 𝟏 + 𝐕𝐯 ⁄𝐕𝐬 𝟏 + 𝐞

Obviously, for the same material e > n.

Degree of saturation (S):

𝐕𝐰
𝐒= ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝐕𝐯

Moisture content (Water content):

It is measured by the ratio of the weights (w can be greater than 100%).

𝐰 = 𝐖𝐰 ⁄𝐖𝐬 and 𝐖𝐰 = 𝐕 ∗ 𝛄𝐰

Unit Weight Types

* Total unit weight, γt: (moist unit weight, γmoist) (bulk unit weight, γbulk) (wet unit
weight, γwet)

𝐖 𝐖𝐬 + 𝐖𝐰 𝐖𝐬 [𝟏 + (𝐖𝐰 ⁄𝐖𝐬 )] 𝐖𝐬 (𝟏 + 𝐰)
𝛄𝐭 = = = =
𝐕 𝐕 𝐕 𝐕

* Dry unit weight γd:

𝐖𝒔 𝛄𝐭
𝛄𝐝 = =
𝐕 𝟏+𝐰

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∵ (𝐖𝐬 + 𝐖𝐰 ) > 𝐖𝐬 ∴ 𝛄𝐝 < 𝛄𝐭

* Saturated unit weight γsat: (when saturation, S = 1)

𝐖 𝐖𝒔 + 𝑾𝒘
𝛄𝐬𝐚𝐭 = =
𝐕 𝐕

* Submerged unit weight, γsub: (buoyant unit weight, γb)

𝛄𝐬𝐮𝐛 = 𝛄𝐬𝐚𝐭 − 𝛄𝐰

𝐌 𝐌𝐬
Note: 𝛒𝐭 = , 𝛒𝐝 =
𝐕 𝐕

3. Relations among unit weight, e, w, and Gs

For the soil element shown below, the volume of soil solid is 1.0.

Figure 2.3 Weight-volume relationships when Vs=1.

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University of Kirkuk/College of Engineering Department of Civil Engineering

𝛄𝐬 = 𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰 , 𝐕𝐬 = 𝟏. 𝟎, 𝐖𝐬 = 𝐆𝐬 ∗ 𝛄𝐰

𝐖𝐰 = 𝐰𝐖𝐬 = 𝐰𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰

𝐖 𝐖𝐬 + 𝐖𝐰 𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰 + 𝐰𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰 (𝟏 + 𝐰)𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰
𝛄𝐭 = = = =
𝐕 𝐕 𝟏+𝐞 𝟏+𝐞

𝐖𝐬 𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰
𝛄𝐝 = =
𝐕 𝟏+𝐞

𝐖𝐰 𝐖𝐰 𝐰𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰
𝛄𝐰 = , 𝐕𝐰 = = = 𝐆𝐬 𝐰
𝐕𝐰 𝛄𝐰 𝛄𝐰

𝐕𝐰 𝐰𝐆𝐬
𝐒= =
𝐕𝐯 𝐞

𝐒. 𝐞 = 𝐰. 𝐆𝐬

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐢𝐥, 𝐒 = 𝟏. 𝟎, 𝐞 = 𝐰. 𝐆𝐬

𝐖 𝐖𝐬 + 𝐖𝐰 𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰 + 𝐞𝛄𝐰 (𝐆𝐬 + 𝐞)𝛄𝐰

𝛄𝐬𝐚𝐭 = = = =
𝐕 𝐕 𝟏+𝐞 𝟏+𝐞

4. Relations among unit weight, n, w, and Gs

For a soil element shown below, the total volume equal to 1.0.

𝐖𝒔 𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰 (𝟏 − 𝐧)
𝛄𝐝 = = = 𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰 (𝟏 − 𝐧)
𝐕 𝟏

𝐖𝐬 + 𝐖𝐰 𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰 (𝟏 − 𝐧) + 𝐰𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰 (𝟏 − 𝐧)
𝛄𝐭 = =
𝐕 𝟏
= 𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰 (𝟏 − 𝐧) + 𝐰𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰 (𝟏 − 𝐧)

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University of Kirkuk/College of Engineering Department of Civil Engineering

Figure 2.4 Weight-volume relationships when V=1.

𝐖𝐬 + 𝐖𝐰 𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰 (𝟏 − 𝐧) + 𝐧𝛄𝐰
𝛄𝐬𝐚𝐭 = = = [𝐆𝐬 (𝟏 − 𝐧) + 𝐧]𝛄𝐰
𝐕 𝟏

If the soil is fully saturated (S=1.0), then the water content is:

𝑾𝒘 𝐧𝛄𝐰 𝐧 𝐞
𝐰= = = =
𝐖𝒔 𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰 (𝟏 − 𝐧) 𝐆𝐬 (𝟏 − 𝐧) 𝐆𝐬

Table 2.1 Typical Soil Properties

Type of soil e wn (%) d (kN/m3)

Loose uniform sand 0.8 30 14.5
Dense uniform sand 0.45 16 18
Loose angular-grained silty sand 0.65 25 16
Dense angular-grained silty sand 0.4 15 19
Stiff clay 0.6 21 17
Soft clay 0.9-1.4 30-50 11.5-14.5
Loess 0.9 25 13.5
Soft organic clay 2.5-3.2 90-120 6-8
Glacial till 0.3 10 21

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Table 2.2 Various Unit-Weight Relationships

Example 2.1

For a moist soil sample, the following are given: Total volume (V) = 1.2 m3, Total
mass (M) = 2350 kg, Moisture content (w) = 8.6%, Specific gravity of soil solids
(Gs) = 2.71. Determine the following: 1. Moist density, 2. Dry density, 3. Void
ratio, 4. Porosity, 5. Degree of saturation, 6. Volume of water in the soil sample.

Solution

M 2350
1. ρ = = = 1958.3 kg⁄m3
V 1.2
Ms M 2350
2. ρd = = (1+w)V = 8.6 = 1803.3 kg⁄m3
V (1+100)∗1.2

Gs ρ w Gs ρ w 2.71∗1000
3. ρd = ⇛e= −1= − 1 = 0.503
1+e ρd 1803.3
e 0.503
4. n = = = 0.335
1+e 1+0.503

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8.6
wGs ∗2.71
5. S = = 100
= 0.463 = 46.3%
e 0.503

6. Volume of Water:

2350
M 2350 − ( 8.6 )
Mw M − Ms M − 1 + w 1+
100 = 0.186 m3
= = =
ρw ρw ρw 1000

Example 2.2

The following data are given for a soil: (n) = 0.4, (Gs) = 2.68, (w) = 12%.

Determine the mass of water to be added to 10 m3 of soil for full saturation.

Solution

𝛒 = 𝐆𝐬 𝛒𝐰 (𝟏 − 𝐧) + 𝐰𝐆𝐬 𝛒𝐰 (𝟏 − 𝐧)

= 𝟐. 𝟔𝟖 ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 ∗ (𝟏 − 𝟎. 𝟒) + 𝟎. 𝟏𝟐 ∗ 𝟐. 𝟔𝟖 ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 ∗ (𝟏 − 𝟎. 𝟒)
= 𝟏𝟖𝟎𝟎. 𝟗𝟔 𝐤𝐠⁄𝐦𝟑

𝛒𝐬𝐚𝐭 = [𝐆𝐬 (𝟏 − 𝐧) + 𝐧]𝛒𝐰 = [𝟐. 𝟔𝟖 ∗ (𝟏 − 𝟎. 𝟒) + 𝟎. 𝟒] ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 = 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟖 𝐤𝐠⁄𝐦𝟑

Mass of water needed per cubic meter equals:

𝛒𝐬𝐚𝐭 − 𝛒 = 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟖 − 𝟏𝟖𝟎𝟎. 𝟗𝟔 = 𝟐𝟎𝟕. 𝟎𝟒 𝐤𝐠

So, total mass of water to be added equals:

207.04 * 10 = 2070.4 kg

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Example 2.3

A saturated soil has a dry unit weight of 103 lb/ft3. Its moisture content is 23%.

Determine:

a. Saturated unit weight, sat

b. Specific gravity, Gs

c. Void ratio, e

Solution
a. Saturated unit weight

𝐖𝐬 𝛄𝐬𝐚𝐭
𝛄𝐝 = = ⇛ 𝛄𝐬𝐚𝐭 = 𝟏𝟎𝟑 ∗ (𝟏 + 𝟎. 𝟐𝟑) = 𝟏𝟐𝟔. 𝟔𝟗 𝐥𝐛⁄𝐟𝐭 𝟑 ≈ 𝟏𝟐𝟕 𝐥𝐛⁄𝐟𝐭 𝟑
𝐕 𝟏+𝐰

b. Specific gravity, Gs

𝐆𝐬 𝛄𝐰 𝐆𝐬 ∗ 𝟔𝟐. 𝟒
𝛄𝐝 = ⇛ 𝟏𝟎𝟑 = ⇛ 𝐆𝐬 = 𝟐. 𝟔𝟔
𝟏 + 𝐰𝑮𝒔 𝟏 + 𝟎. 𝟐𝟑 ∗ 𝐆𝐬

c. Void ratio, e

𝐞 = 𝐰𝑮𝒔 = 𝟎. 𝟐𝟑 ∗ 𝟐. 𝟔𝟔 = 𝟎. 𝟔𝟏

5. Consistency of soil

Soil consistency describes the degree and kind of cohesion and adhesion between
the soil particles as related to the resistance of the soil to deform or rupture.

➢ Since the consistency varies with moisture content, the consistency can be
described as dry consistency and moist consistency.

➢ Consistency largely depends on soil minerals and the water content.

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Cohesion and Adhesion

➢ Cohesion is the attraction of one water molecule to another resulting from

hydrogen bonding (water-water bond).

➢ Adhesion is the attraction of a water molecule to a non-water molecule (water-

solid bond).

6. Stickiness of soil

Stickiness is the capacity of soil to adhere to other objects.

➢ Non-Sticky–little or no soil adheres to fingers after release of pressure;

➢ Slightly Sticky – soil adheres to both fingers after release of pressure with little
stretching on separation of fingers;

➢ Moderately Sticky–soil adheres to both fingers after release of pressure with

some stretching on separation of fingers;

➢ Very Sticky-soil adheres firmly to both fingers after release of pressure with
stretches greatly on separation of fingers.

Non-Sticky Slightly- Sticky Very Sticky

Figure 2.5 Definition of soil stickiness

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