SOIL MECHANICS EXERCISES

Exercise 1: Identification and stress state

Exercise 1
A clay sample taken to laboratory is placed in a glass container. The total mass of the
wet sample and the container is A = 72,49g. This mass diminishes to B = 61,28g after
putting in the drying oven. The container mass is C = 32,54g. A measure with the
pycnometer showed that the specific density of the solid constituents is G = 2,69.
a) Without any other information, we’ll consider the sample saturated. Give (w  10
kN/m³) :
 the moisture content,
 the porosity,
 the void ratio,
 the wet density,
 the dry density.
b) Before putting the sample in the drying oven, we measure its volume by immerging
it in mercury. This volume is V = 22,31 cm³. What is the degree of saturation and
the new density values (wet, dry and saturated).

Exercise 2
From the two grain size distribution curves reported in Appendix:
a) Complete the following identification criterion: degree of uniformity, coefficient of
curvature and percentage of particles thinner than 0.02 mm.
b) Classify the soil with the USCS classification rules (see USCS standard in
Appendix).

Exercise 3
Four samples have been taken at four different levels in a borehole. Identification tests
have been performed on each of them:

Plasticity
Sample Level Porosity Water content
index
[-] [m] [-] [%] [%]
A -2 0.6 33 35
B -4 0.4 19.5 33
C -10 0.35 19.5 12
D -14 0.25 12 -

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The four grain size distribution curves are reported in the following figure:

B
C

0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10

a) Deduce the degree of saturation of each specimen (s = 27 kN/m3 for each soil).
Estimate the level of the water table at the location of the borehole. The water
table surface is located between two levels of sample extraction. Which ones?
b) Under normal conditions, how would you classify these soils in terms of
permeabilities? Estimate the order of magnitude of their water permeability.
c) The following illustrations sketch the microstructure of the four samples soils.
Relate those illustrations with the four samples.

5 µm 1 µm

2
 1 mm
1 µm

Additional exercise - 1
300 g of dry soil is mixed with 54 g of water. The unit weight of solid grains can be
assumed equal to 26.5 kN/m3. The mixture is compacted in a cylinder of 5 cm in diameter
and 10 cm in height. Then, the sample must be saturated with water.

Determine the mass of water that must be added to saturate the sample, assuming that
the total volume remain constant during saturation.

Solution:
31.33 g of water to add

Additional exercise - 2
The following data are given for a soil: n = 0.45, Gs = 2.68 and w = 10%. Determine the
mass of water to be added to 10m³ of soil for full saturation.

Solution:
Δmw = 3026kg

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APPENDIX
Grain size distribution: Curve 1

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Grain size distribution: Curve 2

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