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Weight-Volume relationships

V A  Vw
Air, WA = 0 e
Vs
VA
Void ratio
Vv = VA + Vw Water, Ww = Vww
Vw
W 
Solid, Ws = VswGs w (or m)   w  100 %
Vs  Ws 
Solid, Vs Moisture content

 V A  Vw 
n    100 %
Schematic of soil phases V
 A  V w  V s 
porosity

Ws Ws  Ww  Vw 
d  b  S    100 %
Vs  VW  V A Vs  VW  V A V
 A  V w 
Dry unit weight Bulk unit weight Degree of saturation

Soil Definitions and Terminology

air
water Air
e e
Se water

Solid 1 1 Solid
Solid

e Gs w Se
n d  w
1 e 1 e Gs

1  S e Gs 1  A
 b  1  w d A d 
1  wGs
w
1 e

Specific volume v = 1+e

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Relative density (Dr)

• Measure of how densely the grains are packed in a coarse
grain soil in %. Also known as density index (ID)
0 100

Loosest
emax  e Densest
Dr 
emax  emin

Relative density (Dr)

• Measure of how densely the grains are packed in a coarse
grain soil in %. Also known as density index (ID)
0 100

Loosest
emax  e Densest
Dr 
emax  emin

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Relative density (Dr)

• The maximum density is determined by compacting a sample
underwater in a mould, using a circular steel tamper attached to a
vibrating hammer.
• The minimum density is achieved by shaking and inverting the
cylinder several times, the resulting volume being read from the
graduations on the cylinder.
• Full details of the above tests are given in BS 1377, Part 4 (1990).
• emax and emin for granular soils depend on several factor such as
• Grain size
• Grain shape
• Nature of the grain-size distribution curve
• Fine contents, Fc (that is, fraction smaller than 0.075 mm)

the filling-of-
void phase
where the fines
tend to fill the
void spaces
between the
larger sand
particles.

replacement-of-solids phase
where the large-sized
particles are pushed out and
gradually are replaced by the
fines.

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Example 2

A sample of soil has a moisture content w = 14.7% and

a volume of 1000 cm3, and weight of 18.4 N. The
grain specific gravity Gs=2.72. Calculate the unit
weight, the specific volume and the saturation ratio.
What would be the unit weight and the moisture
content of the soil if it had the same specific volume,
but was saturated? What would be the unit weight if the
soil had a moisture content of zero?

Example 2

The unit weight is given by the total weight divided by

the volume of the sample:

b = 18.4 N/0.001 m3 = 18 400 N/m3 = 18.4 kN/m3

 b  1  w d
air

Se water e

G s w G s w
1 d  
Solid
1 e v

 = Gs(1+w) w/  b
= 2.72(1+0.147)(9.81)/18.4 = 1.663

 e =  - 1 = 0.663

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Example 2
air

water e
Se
Se S (v  1)
w 
Gs Gs
Solid 1

S = wGs/e
= (0.147)(2.72)/0.663 = 0.603 or 60%

If the soil were saturated at the same specific volume, the sat
moisture content would be given as (S = 1)

wsat = e / Gs
= (0.663)/(2.72) = 0.244 or 24.4%

Example 2

The saturated unit weight  sat would be given as (S = 1):

 sat = (Gs + e)  w/(1+e)

= (2.72 + 0.663)(9.81)/(1.663) = 19.96 kN/m3

The dry unit weight  dry would be given as:

 dry = Gs  w/(1+e)
= (2.72)(9.81)/(1.663) = 16.05 kN/m3