INDEX PROPERTIES OF SOIL

SI and English Units

 SI Units
 Mass density, ρ =Mass/Volume
 Mass density of water, ρw =1 gm/cm3 = 1 Mg/m3
= 1000 kg/m3
 To get force density (weight density or unit weight)
multiply by g (i.e., 9.807 m/sec2)
γw = ρw g = 1000 kg/m3 x 9.807 m/sec2
γw = 9807 kg/ m2 Sec2 = 9807 N/m3 =(9807/1000)
KN/m3
γw = 9.807 KN/m3
γsoil = ρsoil g (ρsoil usually ranges from 1.5 to 2.5
gm/cm3).
SI and English Units
British Units
Always use weight density (unit weight) in English Unit
problems:

Weight Density or Unit Weight , γ = Weight/Volume

γw = 62.4 pcf
γs = Gs γw (Gs usually ranges from 2.60 to 2.75)
 Weight and Volume Relationships
Soil is a mixture of solids, water and air.
Engineers often need to determine the weights and/or
volume that quantities of soil will occupy; and how
much water must be added or removed from a soil
mass to achieve the desired results.
Solving weight-volume relationship is easier if
certain things are kept in mind:
Weight density = weight/volume
Mass density = mass/volume
Solid, water and air have different densities
 Weight and Volume Relationships
Mass density of water (SI) 1.0 gm/cm3 = 1.0
Mg/m3
Weight density of water in English unit n is 62.4
pcf.
Air is assumed weightless
Volume of solids, water and Air add up the total
volume
Mass or weight of solids and water add up the total
mass or weight
Density of solids varies with material, but varies
over a narrow range. It is almost 2.7 time the
density of water (2.60 to 2.75)
Weight and Volume Relationships
Although the solids, water and air are mixed, it is convenient to
draw a sketch where they are separated. This sketch is called
Phase diagram.

Va Air

Vv

Vt Water
Vw Ww Mw
ρw or γw
Wt Mt

Vs Vs
Solids Ws Ms
ρs or γs

Volume Weight Mass

(British) (SI)
Weight and Volume Relationships
If we know some of these quantities, we can solve the rest by

Adding and subtracting vertically

Multiplying or dividing by the appropriate density to go from
one side to the other.
Ww = Vw γw Va Air
Ws = Vs γs = Vs (Gs γw )
Water
Vw γw Ww
Mw = Vw ρw
Ms = Vs ρw = Vs (Gs ρw ) Solids Ws
Vs
γs
 Weight and Volume Relationships
Volume Definitions
Void Ratio e = Vv / Vs , e = n/(1-n)
Expressed in decimal. Range for sand is 0.4 to 1.0, for
clays, it is normally between 0.3 to 1.5

Porosity n = Vv / Vt n = e/(1+e)
Expressed in percentage . Ranges from 0 to 100%

Degree of SaturationS = (Vw / Vv )100

Range 0 to 100 %. S=0 % means dry soil, S= 100 % means
saturated soil
Specific Gravity Gs = γs / γw = (Ws/Vs ) / (Ww/Vw )
Weight and Volume Relationships
Weight Definitions


 Water Content
The ratio of mass/weight of water to the mass/weight of solids im the given soil mass and
expressed as percentage:
w = Mw/Ms
w = Ww/Ws or Ww = wWs

 Total, Moist or Wet Density & Unit Weight

ρ = Mt/Vt = (Ms+Mw)/Vt kg/m3, g/cm3
γ = Wt/Vt = (Ws+Ww)/Vt kN/m3, lb/ft3

 Dry Density & Unit Weight

ρd = Ms/Vt
γd = Ws/Vt

 Mass & Unit Weight of Solids

ρs = Ms/Vs
γs = Ws/Vs
Weight and Volume Relationships
 Saturated Density/ Unit Weight
When water is added to replace the air without changing the
total volume, then S = 100 % and Va is zero
ρsat = (Ms+Mw)/Vt
γsat = (Ws+Ww)/Vt

 Submerged or Buoyant Density/Weight (Effective

Density/Unit Weight)
Soil below water table have a lower weight due to upward
buoyancy force of displaced water. Therefore:-
ρ’ = ρsat - ρw
γ’ = γsat - γw
Soil Texture
The texture of a soil is its appearance or “feel” and it
depends on the relative sizes and shapes of the particles
as well as the range or distribution of those sizes.

Coarse-grained soils: Fine-grained soils:

Gravel Sand Silt Clay

0.075 mm (USCS)

Sieve analysis Hydrometer analysis

11
Characteristics

12
(Holtz and Kovacs, 1981)