1.

1 COMPONENTS OF SOILS

• In natural occurrence, soils are three-phase systems consisting of soil solids,

water and air.
• It is important to know the void volume in a given soil and its moisture content
to determine its unit weight in the field.
 1.1 COMPONENTS OF SOILS
• A soil mass, consists of solid soil particles, containing void
spaces between them. These voids may be filled either with
air or water, or both.
• The soil will behave as a two phase system, when its void
space is filled with either water or air alone.
• In other words, the soil mass will consists of only two phases,
i.e. solid and water (liquid), or solid and air (gas), respectively.
• Such a condition is possible when either the soil is fully
saturated (the voids are totally filled with water, and there is no
air); or when the soil is fully dry (the voids are totally filled with
air, and no water).
• But, as and when the soil mass is partially saturated ; its void
space will be filled up by water as well as air, and hence it will
behave as a three phase system.
1.1 COMPONENTS OF SOILS
1.1 COMPONENTS OF SOILS
1.2 Weight-Volume Relationships
 1.2 Weight-Volume Relationships

VOLUME
V = Vs + Vv = Vs + (Vw + Va)
Where Vs = volume of soil solids
Vv = volume of voids
Vw = volume of water in the voids
Va = volume of air in the voids

WEIGHT
W = Ws + Ww (Assume Wa = 0)
where Ws = weight of soil solids
Ww = weight of water
VV
Void ratio, e =
VS
Porosity, n = VV
VT
Degree of saturation, Sr =
VW x 100%
VV
 1.2 Weight-Volume Relationships

The relationship between void ratio (e) and porosity (n)

e
n=
1 e

Ww
Moisture content, w
Ws
W WS 
Unit weight  Dry Unit weight d  or d 
V V 1 w
 1.2 Weight-Volume Relationships

In English units MEMORISE THIS

Unit weight,  in pounds per cubic foot (lb/ft3). NOTE

In SI units Gravity Acceleration =

Unit weight,  in kilo Newtons per cubic meter (kN/m3). 9.81 m/sec2.

M Ms Unit weight of water, w

Density  Dry Density d 
V V 9.81 kN/m3 or
62.4 lb/ft3
where  = density of soil (kg/m3)
 - dry density of soil (kg/m3)
d
Density of water, w
M = total mass of the soil sample (kg) 1000 kg/m3.
Ms = mass of soil solids in the sample (kg) 1g/cm3
V = Total volume (m3)

The unit weight in kN/m3 can be obtained from densities in kg/m3 as

 Relationships among Unit Weight, Void Ratio, Moisture
Content, and Specific Gravity
e = Vv/Vs
e= Vv

Gs = s/w
Gs = (Ws/Vs)/w
w =Ww/Vw
Gs = Ws/(w x Vs)
Vw = Ww/w
If Vs =1,
= wGsw/w
Ws = Gsw
= wGs
Ww = wWs = wGsw

where
Gs = specific gravity
of soil solids
w = moisture
content
w = unit weight of
water

Assume Vs = 1
Relationships among Unit Weight, Void Ratio, Moisture
Content, and Specific Gravity

The unit weight and dry unit weight can be calculated as below:

W Ws  Ww Gs w  wGs w 1  w Gs w

    
V V 1 e 1 e

W G Gs w
d  s  s w e 1
V 1 e d

Ws wGs w
Vw    wGs
w w

Vw wGs
S  Sre = wGs
Vs e
 Relationships among Unit Weight, Void Ratio, Moisture
Content, and Specific Gravity

If the soil sample is saturated

w = Ww/Vw
w = Ww/e
So, Ww = e w

W Ws  Ww Gs w  e w Gs  e  w
 sat    
V V 1 e 1 e

Sr = 1 when
e = wGs
saturated
 Relationships among Unit Weight, Void Ratio, Moisture
Content, and Specific Gravity

Sometimes, the density of the soil have to determine, so these equation is

similar to the unit weight relationship except w need to be changed to w.

w = density of water = 1000 kg/m3.

 Relationships among Unit Weight, Porosity, and Moisture Content

Vv
n If V is equal to 1, then Vv is equal to n, so Vs = 1 - n
V
Relationships among Unit Weight, Porosity, and Moisture Content
 Worked example 1

A specimen of clay was tested in the laboratory and the following data were
collected:
Mass of wet specimen M1 = 148.8 g
Mass of dry specimen M2 = 106.2 g
Volume of wet specimen V = 86.2 cm3
Specific gravity of particles Gs = 2.70
Determine: (a) the water content, (b) the bulk and dry densities, (c) the void ratio
and porosity, and (d) the degree of saturation.

Solution :
Worked example 1
 Worked Example 2

Given :
1. The weight of a moist soil sample is 45.6 Ib.
2. The volume of the soil measured before drying is 0.40 ft3.
3. After the sample is dried out in an oven, its weight is 37.8 Ib.
4. The specific gravity of solids is 2.65.
Required
(a) Water content. (b) Unit weight of moist soil. (c) Void ratio.
(d) Porosity (e) Degree of saturation.

Solution:
 Worked Example 2

Unit weight of moist soil ()

Void ratio (e)

Porosity (n)

Degree of saturation (s)

 Worked Example 3
Given:
1. The moist mass of a soil specimen is 20.7 kg.
2. The specimen's volume measured before drying is 0.011 m3.
3. The specimen's dried mass is 16.3 kg.
4. The specific gravity of solids is 2.68.
Required (a) Void ratio (b)Degree of saturation (c) Wet unit mass (d) Dry unit
mass (e) Wet unit weight (f) Dry unit weight
Solution:
 Worked Example 3

Void ratio (e)

Degree of saturation (s)

Wet unit mass ()

 Worked Example 3

Dry unit mass (d)

Wet unit weight ()

Dry unit weight (d)

 Worked Example 4
Given:
An undisturbed soil sample has the following data:
1. Void ratio = 0.78.
2. Water content = 12%.
3. Specific gravity of solids = 2.68.
Required
(a) Wet unit weight (b) Dry unit weight (c) Degree of saturation.
(d) Porosity.

Solution:

Assume
 Worked Example 4

void ratio (e) =

 Worked Example 4

Wet unit weight ()

Dry unit weight (d)

Degree of saturation (s)

Porosity (n)
 Worked Example 5

Given:
1. A 100% saturated soil has a wet unit weight of 120 lb/ft3.
2. The water content of this saturated soil was determined to be 36%.
Required
(a) Void ratio (b) Specific gravity of solids.

Solution:
 Worked Example 5

Void ratio (e)

Specific gravity of solids (Gs)

 Worked Example 6

Given:
A soil sample has the following data:
1. Void ratio = 0.94.
2. Degree of saturation = 35%.
3. Specific gravity of solids = 2.71.
Required
1. Water content.
2. Unit weight.

Solution :
 Worked Example 6

From the given void ratio, Water content.

Substitute Eq. (A) into Eq. (B)

Unit weight

From the given degree of saturation,

S = VW/VV = 0.35
Exercise

1. A moist soil has these values: V = 7.08 x 10 -3 m3, m = 13.95 kg, w = 9.8%, and Gs =
2.66.
Determine the bulk density, dry density, void ratio, porosity, degree of saturation and
volume occupied by water.
(Answer: 1970.3 kg/m3, 1794.4 kg/m3, ,0.48, 0.324, 54.3%, 0.00125 m3)

2. In the natural state, a moist soil has a volume of 0.3m 3 and weight 5500N. The oven
dry of the soil is 4911N. If Gs = 2.74, calculate the moisture content, moist unit
weight, dry unit weight, void ratio, porosity and degree of saturation.
(Answer: 12%, 18.33 kN/m3, 16.37 kN/m3, 0.64, 0.39, 51.2%)

3. A representative soil specimen collected from the field weight 1.8 kN and has a
volume of 0.1 m3. The moisture content as determine in the laboratory is 12.6%.
Given Gs = 2.71, determine the moist unit weight, dry unit weight, void ratio, porosity
and degree of saturation.
(Answer: 18 kN/m3, 15.99 kN/m3, 0.66, 0.398, 51.7%)

4 A saturated soil has a dry unit weight of 16.2 kN/m 3. Its moisture content is 20%.
Determine the sat, Gs , and e.
(Answer: 19.44 kN/m3, 2.46, 0.49)
Exercise

5. The following data are given for a soil; porosity = 0.45, G s = 2.68, and w = 10%.
Determine the mass of water to be added to 10m3 of soil for full saturation.
(Answer: 3026 kg)
 Determination of specific gravity

Testing Equipment
To derive the Specific Gravity of a soil,
the following equipment is needed:

1. Pyknometer
2. Balance sensitive to 0.001g
3. Vacuum pump
4. Distilled water
5. Funnel
6. Spatula
7. Drying oven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=_3gAuLIdFww
 Determination of specific gravity
Testing procedure

Specific gravity is defined as the ratio of the density of the solid part of a material to the
density of water at 20°C. Typically, the specific gravity of soils is in the range 2.60 to about
2.80. The procedure that is followed towards that goal is the following:

1. Weigh the empty and clean pycnometer (W1).

2. Fill the flask with distilled water up to the graduation mark.
3. Clean and dry the inside (above the water level) and the outer part of the flask and weigh it
(W2). Empty and dry the Flask.
4. Weigh around 50 grams of soil material.
5. Use the funnel to carefully place the soil into the flask and weigh it (W3).
6. Fill around 2/3 of the flask with distilled water.
7. Use a vacuum pump to gradually apply vacuum and remove the entrapped air while
spinning the flask to remove the air bubbles. The procedure should last for about 2-3
minutes for sands and 10-15 minutes for clays.

8. Remove the vacuum, clean and dry the flask and add distilled water up to the mark.
Weigh the pyknometer (W4).
 Determination of specific gravity

s 
 W3  W1    w  w  1000 kg/m3
 W2  W1    W4  W3   w  1 g/cm3
1m3  1000
s 1cm3  1m
Gs 
w
 Determination of specific gravity

s 
 W3  W1   w
 W2  W1    W4  W3 
(W1) 37.67  25.54  1
(W3) s 
(W4)  75.98  25.54   83.55  37.67 
(W2)

12.13 1  12.13  2.66
50.44    45.88 4.56
s 2.66
Gs    2.66
w 1
 Determination of specific gravity

Typical values of soil type