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Phase Relations of Soil
What is Soil ?
Soil Soil is not a coherent solid
material like steel and concrete,
but is a particulate material.
Soil: A Three Phase System

Soils are solid particles with water or air or both in

the voids between the particles.
 Three Phases of Soil

For the purpose of study and analysis, It is convenient to

represent soil by a Phase Diagram.
Three Phases in Soils

S : Solid Particle (Soil Grains) Total Volume (V) = Vs+Vw+Va

W: Water Total Weight (W) = Ws+Ww
A: Air
The weight of air can be neglected
Three/Two Phase Diagrams of Soil

Three Phase Two Phase Two Phase

Partially
Dry Soils Saturated Soils
Saturated Soils
Phase Relations
Volume Relationships
✓ Void Ratio
✓ Porosity
✓ Degree of Saturation

Weight Relationships
✓ Water Content
✓ Unit Weight (Density)
Void Ratio (e)
Void ratio (e) of a soil is the ratio of
the volume of voids to the volume of
solid.
𝑉𝑉
𝑒=
𝑉𝑆
Void Ratio is greater than zero, but there is no
upper limit to its value.

Expressed in decimals
Porosity (n)
The porosity (n) of a soil is the ratio
of the volume of voids to the total
volume of the soil.

𝑉𝑉
𝑛= X 100%
𝑉

The porosity cannot be greater than 100%

Expressed in percentage
Relationship between Porosity & Void Ratio

𝑛
𝑉𝑜𝑖𝑑 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 (𝑒) =
1−𝑛

𝑒
𝑃𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 (𝑛) =
1+𝑒
 Vv
The voids ratio is defined as e =
Vs

Vv
n =
and the porosity as V

The relation between these quantities can be simply

determined as follows
Vs = V - Vv = (1 - n) V
Hence

Vv Vv n
e = = =
Vs ( 1 − n )V 1 − n
 Recall From Previous Lectures That…
Civil Engineers are generally concerned with the
mechanical properties of soil.
✓ Strength
✓ Compressibility
✓ Permeability
Question…
What would be the effect of Void Ratio and
Porosity on above…??
 Degree of Saturation (Sr)
Degree of saturation (Sr) is the
percentage of the void volume
filled by water.

𝑉𝑤
𝑆𝑟 = X 100%
𝑉𝑉
Range: 0 – 100%

Dry Expressed in percentage

Saturated
Degree of Saturation (Sr)
Vv = Vw Thus, Sr = 1(100%) Vw = 0 Thus, Sr = 0

Completely saturated soil Completely dry soil

(Two-phase system) (Two-phase system)
Soil at Different Moisture Levels/
Degree of Saturation:

At 100 % At 0 %
Saturation Saturation (Partially
(Saturated Soil) (Dry Soil) Saturated Soil)

Sr=1 Sr=0 Sr <1 but >0

Pore spaces are Pore spaces are Pore spaces are

completely filled with completely filled with partially filled with
water air water
 Degree of Saturation of Sand
Condition of sand Degree of Saturation(%)
Dry 0
Humid 1 - 25
Damp 26 - 50
Moist 51 - 75
Wet 76 - 99
Saturated 100
Water content (w)
Water content (w) is a measure of the water
present in the soil.
The water content or moisture content (w)
of a soil is the ratio of weight of water to
the weight of solids present in the soil.

𝑊𝑊
𝑤= X 100%
𝑊𝑆
Range = 0 – 100+%. (No upper limit)

Expressed in percentage
What would be the effect of water content on

✓ Strength
✓ Compressibility
✓ Permeability
Determination of Water content (w)
➢Dry-Wet Basis
• Oven Dry Method (Most Accurate)
• Hot Plate Method
• Sand Bath Method
• Alcohol Method
➢Wet-Wet Basis
• Speedy Moisture Tester (Calcium Carbide Method)
• Infra-Red Lamp Method
Oven Dry Method

Thermostatically
Controlled Ovens
Generally soils are dried at the
Temperature of 105-110oC for 24
hours