GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

1
(Soil Mechanics)
Lesson: Physical
Properties
By: ENGR. EMILY FAITH
BELCENA
Lesson: Physical Properties

Water Content Degree of Saturation

Void Ratio Specific Gravity

Porosity Unit Weight and

their determination
Three-
Phase
Diagram of
the Soil
Also known as
Block
Diagram

Total weight of soil, W = Ww + Ws
Volume of voids, Vv = Va + Vw
Total volume, V = Vv + Vs
Where:
Va= Volume of air
Vw = Volume of water
Vs = Volume of Solid
Vv = Volume of voids
V = Total volume of Soil mass
Wa = Weight of air = 0
Ww = Weight of water
Ws = Weight of soil solid
W = Total weight of soil mass
Water content (w)
• Water content or moisture content of a soil is defined as the ratio of
weight of water to weight of solids (dry weight) of the soil mass.

w
• It is denoted by the letter symbol w and is commonly expressed as
percentage i.e. 20%, 50% etc.
• The minimum value of water content is 0.
• Generally fine grained soil have higher water content as compared
to coarse grained soil.
Lesson: Physical Properties

Water Content Degree of Saturation

Void Ratio Specific Gravity

Porosity Unit Weight and

their determination
Void ratio (e)
• The void ratio (e) is the ratio of the volume of voids (Vv) (empty
spaces) to the volume of solids (Vs) in the soil.

𝑉𝑣
e=
𝑉s
• Void ratio can be greater than 1, meaning the voids can be
larger than the solids.
• Size of void in coarse grained soil are generally larger than that
in fine grained soil.
Lesson: Physical Properties

Water Content Degree of Saturation

Void Ratio Specific Gravity

Porosity Unit Weight and

their determination
Porosity (n)
• It measures the ratio of the volume of voids (Vv) to the total
volume of the soil (V), including both voids and solids.

𝑉𝑣
𝑛=
𝑉
• V= Vv + Vs , Vv = Vw + Va
• Porosity is usually expressed as a percentage and ranges from 0 to
100%, or as a decimal fraction from 0 to 1. It cannot exceed 100%.
Relationship of Void Ratio (e) and Porosity (n)
𝑣𝑣
; 𝑣 𝑠=1 ; 𝑣 =𝑣 𝑠 + 𝑣 𝑣
e=
𝑣s
𝑣𝑣
𝑣𝑣 𝑛=
e= 𝑣 𝑆+ 𝑣 𝑣
1
e
𝑛=
1+ e
1 1+ e
=1 =
𝑛 e
𝑛
; ; ; e=
1 −𝑛
Lesson: Physical Properties

Water Content Degree of Saturation

Void Ratio Specific Gravity

Porosity Unit Weight and

their determination
Degree of saturation (S)
• Degree of saturation of soil mass is defined as the ratio of volume of
water (Vw) in the voids to volume of voids (Vv).

• For a fully saturated soil mass Vv = Vw, hence for the saturated soil
mass S = 100% = 1.
• For fully dry soil Vw = 0 , hence for a fully dry soil mass S = 0% = 0.
• For partially saturated soil mass degree of saturation of soil mass
varies between 0 – 100%, which is most common condition in nature.
Lesson: Physical Properties

Water Content Degree of Saturation

Void Ratio Specific Gravity

Porosity Unit Weight and

their determination
Specific Gravity of solids (G/Gs)
• It is defined as the ratio of the unit weight of solids (absolute unit
weight of soil ) to unit weight of water.

• It is a unit less quantity.

• This is also known as Absolute specific gravity or Grain specific
gravity.
Relationship between G, w, S, and e
The relationship between specific gravity of solid particles G, water
content or moisture content w, degree of saturation S, and void ratio
e, is given by the following:

𝛾 Gw = Se
𝑉𝑣
G w S e=
𝑉s
From the definition of water content (w), we have:
𝑤 𝑤 𝛾 𝑤 𝑉 𝑤 𝛾𝑤 𝑉 𝑤 𝑉𝑤 𝑆𝑉𝑣 𝑆ⅇ
𝑤= = = = = =
𝑤 𝑆 𝛾 𝑠 𝑉 𝑠 𝐺 𝛾 𝑤 𝑉 𝑆 𝐺𝑉 𝑆 𝐺 𝑉 𝑆 𝐺
Lesson: Physical Properties

Water Content Degree of Saturation

Void Ratio Specific Gravity

Porosity Unit Weight and

their determination
Unit Weight and their determination

Bulk unit weight/Moist unit weight (𝛾):

• Bulk unit weight of a
soil mass is defined
as the weight per
𝛾
unit volume.

• It is generally expressed as KN/m3,

N/m3.
Unit Weight and their determination

Saturated unit weight (γsat):

• It is defined as the bulk unit weight of soil
mass in saturated conditions.
Unit Weight and their determination
Dry unit weight (γd):
• It is defined as
weight of soil solid
(or weight of dry
soil) per total
volume of soil.

• Dry unit weight is used as a measure of denseness of soil. A high

value of dry unit weight indicates that more solids are packed in
unit volume of soil hence a more compact soil.
Relationship Among Unit Weight (γ), Void Ratio (e), Water Content
(w) and Specific Gravity (G)
G S
𝑤 𝑤𝑤 + 𝑤𝑠 𝛾 𝑤 𝑣 𝑤 +𝛾 𝑠 𝑣 𝑠
𝛾= = =
𝑣 𝑣 𝑣 +𝜈 𝑠 𝑣 𝑣 +𝑣 𝑠 𝑉𝑣
e=
𝑉s
=

; ( 𝐺+ 𝑆 ⅇ ) 𝛾 𝑤
𝛾=
1+ ⅇ
 ( 𝑮 + ⅇ) 𝜸 𝒘
𝜸 𝒔𝒂𝒕 =
𝟏+ ⅇ

Gw = Se 𝑮 𝜸𝒘
𝜸𝒅=
𝟏+ ⅇ
Lesson: Physical Properties

Water Content Degree of Saturation

Void Ratio Specific Gravity

Porosity Unit Weight and

their determination
Formulas:
1) Water Content 4) Degree Saturation
w S

2) Void Ratio 5) Specific Gravity of solids

𝑉𝑣 𝑛
e= e= G
𝑉s 1 −𝑛
3) Porosity 6) Relationship between G, w, S,
𝑉𝑣 e and e
𝑛= 𝑛= Gw = Se
𝑉 1+ e
Formulas: (continuation)
7) Moist unit weight 8) Saturated unit weight
𝛾
( 𝐺+ 𝑆 ⅇ ) 𝛾 𝑤 ( 𝐺 +ⅇ ) 𝛾 𝑤
𝛾= 𝛾 𝑠𝑎𝑡 =
1+ ⅇ 1+ ⅇ

3) Dry unit weight

𝐺𝛾 𝑤
𝛾 𝑑=
1+ ⅇ
PROBLEM
SOLVING
Problem:

In its natural state, the soil has a volume of 0.33m³ and weighs
7.4 kN. The oven-dry weight of the soil is 6.8 kN. If the specific
gravity of the solid soil is 2.69, calculate the following:

a) Water Content e) Porosity

b) Moist Unit Weight f) Volume of Voids
c) Dry Unit Weight g) Volume of Soil Solids
d) Void Ratio h) Degree of Saturation
Given: b) Moist Unit Weight
V = 0.33m³ Wd = 6.8kN 𝛾=
W = 7.4kN G = 2.69
c) Dry Unit Weight
Solution: =
a) Water Content
w= e) Porosity
d) Void Ratio
w= n=
=
w=
20.61 = (9.81) n=

e = 0.28 n = 0.22
w = 8.8%
f) Volume of Voids f) Degree of Saturation
n= Gw = Se
= nV S=
= (0.22)(0.33) S=
= 0.073 S = 84.54%
g) Volume of Soil Solids
e=
=
=
= 0.26
 END
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