SOIL COMPOSITION

 WT=WA+WW+WS ; WA≈0

WT=WW+WS

 VT=VA+VW+VS ; VV=VA+VW

VT=VV+VS

 γMOIST=γDRY(1+w)

 γSAT=γDRY(1+ wSAT)

W =
SOIL PROPERTIES

 Wet Unit Weight(γT)

γ = =

 Dry Unit Weight(γD)

γ =

 Moisture Content(w)
W
w= × 100%
W

 Void Ratio (e)

 Degree of Saturation (s)

= × 100%

 Porosity(u)

Example 1:

A sample of soil obtained from a test pit 0.0283m3 in volume has a mass of 63.56kg. The entire sample is
dried in an oven and found to have a dried mass of 56.75kg. Calculate the water content, wet density
and dry density.

Example 2:

Determine the wet density, dry unit weight, void ratio, water content and degree of saturation for a
sample of moist soil which has a mass of 18.18kg and occupies a total volume of 0.009m3 when dried in
an oven, the dry mass is 16.13kg. The specific gravity of the soil solids is 2.70

Example 3:

A sample soil obtained from a borrow pit has a net weight of 42lbs. The total volume occupied by the
sample when in the ground was 0.34ft3. If small portion of the sample is used to determine the water
content then wet sample mass is 150g and after drying 125g. Determine 1.) Water content 2.) Wet unit
weight 3.) Dry unit weight
Example 4:

Given the ff:

Gs=2.69
e=0.65
w=10%
Determine the dry unit weight and wet unit weight

Example 5/Seatwork:

Given the ff:

VT =150cm3
WT= 250g
S=100%
WS=162g
Determine the dry density, water content, void ratio and specific gravity of soil solids
NON SATURATED AND SATURATED SOILS

=
1+
(1 + )
=
1+

= (1 + )

( + )
=
1+

=
1+

=
1−
SUBMERGED SOILS

= −

= ( − ); =1 ℎ ,

= ( − 1)

( − 1)
=
+

( − 1)
=
+1

OR

= −

OR

1
= ( )
2

= =
1+
Example 1:

The moist mass of 2.8x10-3m3 of soil is 5.53kg. If the moisture content is 10% and specific gravity of soil
solids is 2.72. Determine the following: γT, γD, e, n, s

Example 2:

For a given soil, the following are known GS=2.74, moist unit weight (γT) 19.8kg/m3 and moisture content
(w) 16.6%. Determine: γD, e, n, s

Example 3:

The dry density of a soil is 1750kg/m3. Given GS=2.66. What is the moisture of soil when it is saturated?

Example 4:

In an unsaturated soil formation it is known that the dry unit weight is 18.06KN/m3. The specific gravity
of soil particle is 2.75
a.) What is the saturated unit weight of the sample?
b.) What is the submerged unit weight of the sample?
INDEX PROPERTIES OF SOIL

Index Properties refers to those properties of soil that indicate the type and condition of soil and
provide relationship to structural properties such as the strength, compressibility, tendency for swelling
and permeability.

A. Consistency in the remolded state and plasticity

At higher water content the soil-water mixtures possesses the properties of a liquid;
At lesser water contents the volume of the mixture is decreased and the materials exhibits the
properties of a plastic;
At still lesser water content, the mixtures behave as a semi-solid and finally solid

ATTENBERG SCALE/LIMITS

Liquid Limit (LL)

The water content indicating the division between the liquid and plastic state.

Plastic Limit (PL)

The water content at the division between plastic and semi-solid state.

Shrinkage Limit (SL)

The water content at the division between solid and semi-solid state.

Plasticity Index (PI)

-indicates the range of water content through which the soil remains plastic.
-use PI as basis for classification of fine grained soils

= %− %
Liquidity Index (LI)
-provides indication of soils consistency and/or sensitivity potential.
-value less than 1 indicates the natural water content is less than liquid limit
-a very low value or near zero indicates that the water content is near plastic limit
-negative values indicates a desiccated or dried soil, hard soil.

%− % %− %
= =
%− %

Example 1:

A fine grained soil is found to have a liquid limit of 70% and plastic limit of 38%. What is the plasticity
index?

Example 2:

A silt soil has a plastic limit of 25 and plasticity index of 30. If the natural water content of the soil is 35%.
What is the liquidity index?