CVE 131

Engr. Raquel O. Masalig

Download:
1. The moist unit weight of a soil is 19.2 kN/m3.
Given that Gs = 2.69 and water content is 9.8%.
Determine the void ratio, porosity and degree of saturation.
Given:

a. Void ratio, e b. Porosity, n c. Degree of Saturation, S

𝐺𝑠 + 𝑆𝑒 𝑒 𝜔𝐺𝑠
𝛾𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡 = 𝛾𝑤 𝑛= 𝑆=
1+𝑒 1+𝑒 𝑒
𝐺𝑠 + 𝜔𝐺𝑠
𝛾𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡 = 𝛾𝑤
1+𝑒
 2. For a given soil, the following are known. Gs = 2.74, moist unit weight = 20.6 kN/m3.
and water content is 16.6%. Given:
a. Determine the porosity.
b. Determine the degree of saturation.
c. Determine the weight of water in kN to be added per cubic meter of soil for a
100% degree of aturation.
a. Porosity, n b. Degree of Saturation, S c. Weight of water to be added
𝐺𝑠 + 𝜔𝐺𝑠 𝜔𝐺𝑠
𝛾𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡 = 𝛾𝑤 𝑆=
1+𝑒 𝑒

𝑒
𝑛=
1+𝑒
 3. For a given sandy soil, emax = 0.75, emin = 0.46 and Gs = 2.68. If the relative
density of the soil Dr =78% and its water content is 9%, determine the following:
a. In situ void ratio Given:
b. Moist unit weight of compaction in.
c. Dry unit weight

a. Void ratio b. Moist unit weight c. Dry unit weight

𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 𝑒 𝐺𝑠 + 𝜔𝐺𝑠
𝐷𝑟 = 𝑥100 𝛾𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡 = 𝛾𝑤
𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑛 1+𝑒
❑ “What are the engineering properties of the soil.”

❑ In the early 1900s, a Swedish scientist names Albert Atterberg developed

a Methodology to describe the consistency of fine–grained soils. This
methodology is known today as “Atterbergs Limits”.
 Volume, V
solid semisolid plastic Liquid

Water content, 𝜔
❑ Shrinkage Limit – water content below which the soil volume remains
constant.
❑ Plastic Limit – water content below at which the soil begins to
crumble when rolled to 1/8” thread PI = LL - PL
❑ Liquid limit – water content below at which the grove cut into a soil
pad in liquid limit device closes over 0.5” width in exactly 25 taps.
❑ Plasticity Index – the difference between the liquid limit and the plastic limit
Volume, V

solid semisolid plastic Liquid

SL PL LL
Water content, 𝜔

𝒘 − 𝑷𝑳
𝑳𝑰 =
𝑷𝑰

Description of the Strength of Fine-Grained Soils Based on Liquidity Index

Values of LI Description of soil strength
LI < 0 Semisolid state—high strength, brittle, (sudden) fracture is expected
0 < LI < 1 Plastic state—intermediate strength, soil deforms like a plastic material
LI > 1 Liquid state—low strength, soil deforms like a viscous fl uid
❑ 2 Tests used today to determine the Liquid Limit:
▪ The Casagrande Cup Method – ASTM D4318
▪ The Fall Cone Method

1. Moist fine-grained soil is spread in the

cup and a groove is cut into the soil.
2. The crank is turned causing the cup to tap
against the base.
3. The number of taps required to close the
gap is recorded.
4. The LL is the moisture content
corresponding to 25 taps to close the gap.
https://wecivilengineers.wordpress.com/2018/01/23/liquid-limit-test-of-soil/
❑ Flow Line Technique
❑ To obtain the plastic limit, roll a small soil sample into threads and find the water
content at which threads approximately 3 mm in diameter will just start to
crumble.

❑ Things to consider:
1. Keep the soil you aren’t rolling yet under a moist paper towel to
prevent it from drying.
2. Roll the soil on a flat surface, not in your hands.
 𝑀1 − 𝑀2 𝑉1 − 𝑉2 𝛾𝑤
𝑆𝐿 = − × 100
𝑀2 𝑀2 𝑔
❑ Indicator of Sensitivity
𝒘 − 𝑷𝑳
𝑳𝑰 =
𝑷𝑰

❑ Indicator of Clay Type

PI
𝑷𝑰
𝑨=
(% 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏)

% clay
❑ Indicator of Swelling Potential

If the soil has PI > 20, then soil is probably prone to shrink/swell.

❑ Indicator of Stress History

▪ If LI ≥ 1, then the soil is probably normally consolidated
▪ If LI < 1, then the soil is probably over consolidated.
❑ PLASTICITY CHART (Casagrande) Upper limit of
all known soils
Inorganic clays

Atterberg Line

If we can tell that a fine-grained soil is

a clay or silt from a plasticity chart,
why would we have to perform a
hydrometer test?

▪ The tests measure different things.

❑ Interpreting Casagrande’s Cup Data

20
▪ LL = Brittle failure is not
expected, as the
soil is in a plastic
Water content(%)

20 ▪ PL = state (0 , LI , 1).

20
▪ PI =

▪ LI =
20

20
10 20 20 20 Assume the soil is
20 20 20
Number of Blows – log scale
▪ eLL = saturated at the
liquid limit.
1. 2.
3.