Soil Engineering

(CVL 3605)
By Dr. Dipali Doshi
 Soil two phase

Dry soil Saturated soil

Soil three phase
Void Ratio
Void ratio is the volume of voids to the volume of solids. It is denoted by ‘e’.
e=Vv/Vs . It is expressed as a decimal.

Porosity
It is defined as the ratio of volume of voids to the total volume. It is denoted by ‘n’.

n=Vv/V It is generally expressed as a percentage

Degree of saturation
The degree of saturation is the ratio of the volume of water to the volume of voids. It is denoted
by ‘S’.
S=Vw/Vv
The degree of saturation generally expressed as a percentage. It is equal to zero when the soil is
absolutely dry and 100% when the soil is fully saturated.
Percentage air voids
It is the ratio of volume of air to the total volume.
na= Va/V

It is also expressed as a percentage .

Air content
Air content is defined as the ratio of the volume of air to the volume of voids
ac= Va/Vv
Water content
The water content (w) is defined as the ratio of the weight of
water to the weight of solids
w= Ww/Ws
It is also known as the moisture content (m). It is expressed as
a percentage but used as a decimal in computation.
V l
Volume Mass
M Relationship
R l ti hi off Soils
S il
Bulk Mass Density of Soil
The bulk mass densityy (ρ) is defined as the total mass (M)
( )pper
unit volume (V)
ρ =M/V
Dry Mass Density
The dry mass density (ρ d) is defined as the mass of solids per unit total
volume
ρ d= Ms/V
Saturated d Mass Density
i
The saturated mass density (ρ sat) is the bulk density of the soil when it
is fully saturated
ρ sat= Msat/V
M t/V
Submerged Mass Density
When the soil exists below water, it is in a submerged condition. The
submerged mass density (ρ’)
(ρ ) of the soil is defined as the submerged
mass per unit total volume.
ρ’= Msub/V
• Mass Density of Solids
• The mass density of solids (ρ s) is equal to the ratio of
the mass of solids to the volume of solids
• ρ s=Ms/Vs
• Specific Gravity of Solids
• The specific
p gravity
g y of soil p
particles (G)
( ) is defined as the
ratio of the weight of a given volume of solids to the
weight of an equal volume of water at 4° C.
• G = γs/ γ w
• The mass density of water ρ w at 4°C is 1gm/cc, 1000
kg/m3 or 1 Mg
1.Specific
p Gravityy of Solids
The specific gravity of soil particles (G) is defined as the
ratio of the weight of a given volume of solids to the
weight
i ht off an equall volume
l off water
t att 4° C.
C G = γs/ γ w
• 2. Mass specific gravity (Gm) : Ratio of mass density of
soil to the mass density of water. Gm = ρ/ ρ w It is also
known as apparent or bulk specific gravity. It is very
small compare to specific gravity. (ratio of unit weight
of total soil mass to that of water.)
water )
3. Absolute specific gravity (Ga ): (ρ s )a/ ρ w
 Examples
1. The mass of a moist soil is 20 kg and its volume is 0.011ncu.m.After oven
drying the mass is reduced to 16.5 kg. Determine the water content , the
density of moist soil, the dry density, void ratio , porosity and degree of
saturation.
i Take
T k GG= 2.7
27
 Examples
2. A soil specimen has water content of 10 % and a wet unit weight of 20 kN/
cu m. If the sp. Gr. of solids is 2.7, determine the dry unit weight, void ratio
and degree of saturation. Take unit weight of water 10 kN/ cu m.
 Examples
3. A sample of dry soil weights 68 gm. Find the volume of voids if the total
volume of the sample is 41 ml and specific gravity of solids is 2.65. Also
determine the void ratio.
4 A moist soil sample is having a weight 3.52
4. 3 52 N .After
After oven drying its weight is
reduced to 2.9 N. The specific gravity of solids and mass specific gravity are 2.65
and 1.85. resp. Determine water content, void ratio, porosity and degree of
saturation. Unit weight of water is 10 kN/cu m.
• A soil has a porosity 40% the specific gravity of solids is 2.65 and Water content is
12%. Determine the mass of water required to be added to 100 cum of this soil for
full saturation.
• A sample of saturated soil has a water content 25% and bulk unit weight is 20
kN/cu m. Determine dry density, void ratio and Sp. Gra. Of solid particles. What
would be th bulk unit weight of the same soil at the same void ratio but degree of
saturation is 80%. Unit weight of eater is 10 kN/cum.