Civil Engineering Department

College of Engineering

Course: Soil and Rock Mechanics

(CE 260)

Lecturer: Dr. Frederick Owusu-Nimo

Soil Block Diagram
 Soil Block Diagram

Volume of Voids, Vv = Va + Vw W = Mg
 Weight / Mass relationship
• Water Content (w) is the ratio of weight of water
to weight of solids expressed as percentage
𝑊𝑤
𝑤= × 100% in terms of weight
𝑊𝑠
or
𝑀𝑤
𝑤= × 100% in terms of mass
𝑀𝑠

• Obtained by drying wet sample in oven

maintained at 105 - 110°C
 Unit Mass (Density) or Unit Weight
• Bulk Unit Mass ( Bulk Density)
𝑀𝑇
𝜌𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑘 =
𝑉𝑇

• Bulk Unit Weight is total weight over total volume

𝑊𝑇
𝛾𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑘 = 𝛾 = 𝜌𝑔
𝑉𝑇

• Usually, when we say unit weight, we imply the

bulk unit weight or wet unit weight
 Unit Mass (Density) or Unit Weight
• Dry Unit Mass ( Dry Density)
𝑀𝑠
𝜌𝑑𝑟𝑦 =
𝑉𝑇
• Dry Unit Weight is weight of solids divided by total
volume
𝑊𝑠
𝛾𝑑𝑟𝑦 =
𝑉𝑇
• Relationship between Dry and Wet Unit weight
𝑊𝑠 𝛾𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑘
𝛾𝑑𝑟𝑦 = =
𝑉𝑇 1+𝑤
 Determination of Density
• For Cohesive Soils : Bulk density is determined
using the core-cutter method.

• For Granular or Cohesion less Soil: The bulk

density is determined by the Sand replacement
method
 Weight / Mass relationship
• Specific Gravity (Gs) : of Soil particles or solids is
the ratio of unit weight of solids (weight of solids
divided by volume of solids) to unit weight of
water
𝛾𝑠 𝜌𝑠
𝐺𝑠 = or 𝐺𝑠 =
𝛾𝑤 𝜌𝑤

• Range of Gs for common minerals is 2.55 – 2.75

 Volume relationships
• Void Ratio (e) : is the ratio of volume of voids to volume of solids
expressed as a decimal fraction.
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑣𝑜𝑖𝑑𝑠 𝑉𝑣
𝑒= =
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑠 𝑉𝑠
• Porosity (n) : is the ratio of volume of voids to total volume
expressed as a percentage.
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑣𝑜𝑖𝑑𝑠 𝑉𝑣
𝑛= = × 100%
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑉𝑇

• Relationship between e and n

𝑛 𝑒
𝑒= 𝑛=
1−𝑛 1+𝑒
• Degree of Saturation (Sr)
𝑉𝑤
𝑆𝑟 = × 100%
𝑉𝑣
• Air void Content (Χ)
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑖𝑟
𝝌=
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑉𝑜𝑖𝑑𝑠
Relationship among Sr, e, w and Gs
 Example 1
• For a soil specimen; • Determine
Given that
o Void ratio
o The moist mass of soil
specimen is 20.7 kg o Degree of Saturation
o Specimen’s volume o Wet unit mass, dry unit
measured before drying is
mass
0.011m3
o Specimens dried mass is o Wet unit weight
16.3kg
o Dry unit weight
o Specific gravity of solids is
2.68
 Example 2
• For an undisturbed • Determine
sample; Given that
o Wet unit weight
o Void ratio = 0.78
o Dry unit weight
o Water content = 12%
o Degree of saturation
o Specific gravity of solids
= 2.68 o Porosity