Geotechnical Engineering I

Introduction
 Meaning of terms
• Geotechnical Engineering

Geo means : Earth, which includes soils and rocks

Technical : Mechanics which is used to know the behaviour of soils and rocks

Soil: Relatively unconsolidated materials, organic or inorganic in character

that lies above the bed rock of earth crust.

Rock: Consolidated material which constitutes minerals and form earth crust.

Soil Mechanics & Soil Engineering

Rock Mechanics & Rock Engineering
Introduction: Soil Mechanics
Definition:
History of Soil Mechanics

• Ancient History: Home from earth, Roads with boulders etc.

• Karl Terzaghi: Father of soil Mechanics, Wrote first book in German
about soil.
• Rankines and Columb’s Theory, Atterbeg’s Limits etc.
• Prof Jai Krishna, Universty of Roorkee (Now, IIT Roorkee) in 1948
started teaching soil mechanics as separate subject.
• Indian Geotechnical Society established in 1948 at University of
Roorkee
Origin of Soil
• Weathering of Rocks
Physical or Mechanical weathering
Chemical weathering
Rock Cycle
Rock Cycle
Weathering of Rocks
Physical Weathering
Chemical weathering
Type of soil
Type of soil
Type of soil
Type of soil
Types of soil
Types of soil
Types of soil
Types of soil
Types of soil
Index Properties, Relationship and Tests
Phase Diagram

Soil Mass
• Solids
• Voids
Air
Water
Phase Diagram
Three Phase Diagram
Two Phase Diagram for dry soil
Two Phase Diagram for saturated soil
Fundamental definition: Void ratio and Porosity
• Void Ratio (e): Raito of volume of voids to the volume of solids
e = Vv / Vs
Limiting value of void ratio e>0

Porosity (n) = Ratio of volume of voids to the

total volume of soil mass.
n = Vv / V

Limiting value of porosity 0<n<100

Fundamental definition: Moisture content
Fundamental definition: Unit weight
Fundamental definition: Unit weight
Fundamental definition: Unit weight
Fundamental definition: Specific Gravity
Fundamental definition: Specific Gravity
Degree of Saturation
Air Content
Relative Density
Volume- Mass Relationship
Volume- Mass Relationship
Relationships between void ratio and porosity

n = Vv/V = Vv/(Vv+Vs) ; divide by Vs both numerator and denominator

N = e/(1+e)
Relationships between void ratio and porosity
Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Determination of Moisture content of Soil

Moisture content = [{(M2-M1)/(M3-M4)} {(G-1)/G)-1}]x100 %

Limitations: Specific gravity shall be known.

Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Specific Gravity by specific gravity bottle
• Fine grained soil: Same procedure as pycnometer bottel
Gradation of Soil Wentworth
Scale

Remove
Cobbles and
Boulders from
Analysis (>75mm)

“Gravel”
75-2 mm

“Sand”
2-0.075 mm

“Silt and Clay”

<0.075 mm
 • For coarse-grained soils (gravel and sand), determine the
percent passing the #10, 40, and 200 sieves.
Cobble
3“
Gravel
#10
#10 Very Coarse to Med Sand
#40
Fine/Very Fine Sand
#200
Silt/Clay

#200
#40
Grain Size Analysis of soil
Wt Cumulative
Size (mm) Retained % Retained Retained % passing
4.75 0.257 0.1285 0.1285 99.8715
2.36 0.133 0.0665 0.195 99.805
1.18 5.295 2.6475 2.8425 97.1575
0.6 12.848 6.424 9.2665 90.7335
0.425 35.324 17.662 26.9285 73.0715
0.3 22.809 11.4045 38.333 61.667
0.15 91.014 45.507 83.84 16.16
0.075 23.697 11.8485 95.6885 4.3115
 Grading curves
100

80

% Finer
60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)
W Well graded
U Uniform
P Poorly graded
C Well graded with some clay
F Well graded with an excess of fines
Soil Hydrometer:
Specific Gravity of soil suspension at the centre of bulb

Stem

Bulb
Calibration of hydrometer

Effective Height (BB to AA)

He = H + h/2 - VH/2A

He = H + ½ (h - VH/A)
Calibration chart
 grain size distribution
• Sieving - used for particles > 75 mm

• Hydrometer test - used for smaller particles

• Analysis based on Stoke’s Law, velocity proportional to diameter

Figure Schematic diagram of hydrometer test

 Hydrometer Analysis

Dispersing agent : Sodium hexametaphosphate to deflock the soil particles

Hydrometer reading & Corrections
Calculation of Hydrometer Analysis
 Cumulative
Size (mm) Wt Retained % Retained Retained % passing
4.75 0.257 0.1285 0.1285 99.8715
2.36 0.133 0.0665 0.195 99.805
1.18 5.295 2.6475 2.8425 97.1575
0.6 12.848 6.424 9.2665 90.7335
0.425 35.324 17.662 26.9285 73.0715
0.3 22.809 11.4045 38.333 61.667
0.15 91.014 45.507 83.84 16.16
0.075 23.697 11.8485 95.6885 4.3115
0.063 0.976 0.488 96.1765 3.8235
0.053 2.674 1.337 97.5135 2.4865
0.045 0.802 0.401 97.9145 2.0855
0.038 0.64 0.32 98.2345 1.7655
pan 1.434 0.717 98.9515 1.0485
 Grading curves
100

80

% Finer
60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)
W Well graded
 Grading curves
100

80

% Finer
60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)
W Well graded
U Uniform
 Grading curves
100

80

% Finer
60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)
W Well graded
U Uniform
P Poorly graded
 Grading curves
100

80

% Finer
60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)
W Well graded
U Uniform
P Poorly graded
C Well graded with some clay
 Grading curves
100

80

% Finer
60

40

20

0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Particle size (mm)
W Well graded
U Uniform
P Poorly graded
C Well graded with some clay
F Well graded with an excess of fines
Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Determination of Index Properties of Soil
Consistency of Clays

As water content increases,

the shear strength decreases
It’s all about shear strength
Liquid Limit: Casagrade Apparatus
•Soil is practically a liquid
•Shows minimal shear strength
•Defined as the moisture content required
to close a distance of 0.5 inch along
the bottom of a groove after 25 blows
of the liquid limit device.
C. Liquid Limit
•Soil is practically a liquid
•Shows minimal shear strength
•Defined as the moisture content required
to close a distance of 0.5 inch along
the bottom of a groove after 25 blows
of the liquid limit device.
Liquid Limit: Calculations
Liquid Limit: Cone Penetrometer Apparatus
 D. Plastic Limit
•Water content at which the soil is a plastic
•Less water content than liquid limit
•Wide range of shear strengths at plastic limit
•Defined as the moisture content % at which the
soil begins to crumble when rolled into 1/8”
diameter threads

animation
Shrinkage Limit
In general….

PI Degree of Plasticity
0 Nonplastic
1-5 Slightly plastic
5-10 Low plasticity
10-20 Medium plasticity
20-40 High plasticity
40+ Very high plasticity
(from Burmister, 1949)
Unconfined Compressive Strength Test