Symbols and Notations

ee = void ratio
nn = porosity
ww = moisture content, water content
ss = specific gravity of any substance
GG = specific gravity of solids
SS = degree of saturation
VV = volume of soil mass
VaVa = volume of air
VwVw = volume of water
VsVs = volume of solids
VvVv = volume of voids
WW = total weight of soil
WwWw = weight of water
WsWs = weight of solids
DrDr = relative density
γmγm = unit weight of soil mass, moist unit weight, bulk unit weight
γsγs = unit weight of soil solids
γwγw = unit weight of water
γbγb = γ′γ′ = buoyant unit weight, submerged unit weight
γdγd = γdryγdry = dry unit weight
γsatγsat = saturated unit weight
LLLL = liquid limit
PLPL = plastic limit
LILI = liquidity index
PIPI = plasticity index
GIGI = group index

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Physical Properties of Soil

Phase Diagram of Soil
Soil is composed of solids, liquids, and gases. Liquids and gases are mostly water and air, respectively.
These two (water and air) are called voids which occupy between soil particles. The figure shown
below is an idealized soil drawn into phases of solids, water, and air.
Weight-Volume Relationship from the Phase Diagram of Soil
total volume = volume of soilds + volume of voids
V=Vs+VvV=Vs+Vv
volume of voids = volume of water + volume of air
Vv=Vw+VaVv=Vw+Va
total weight = weight of solids + weight of water
W=Ws+WwW=Ws+Ww

Soil Properties
Void Ratio, e
Void ratio is the ratio of volume of voids to the volume of solids.
e=VvVse=VvVs

Porosity, n
Porosity is the ratio of volume of voids to the total volume of soil.
n=VvVn=VvV

Degree of Saturation, S
Degree of saturation is the ratio of volume of water to the volume of voids.
S=VwVvS=VwVv

Water Content or Moisture Content, w

Moisture content, usually expressed in terms of percentage, is the ratio of the weight of water to the
weight of solids.
w=WwWs×100%w=WwWs×100%

Unit Weight, γ
Unit weight is the weight of soil per unit volume. Also called bulk unit weight (γ), and moist unit
weight (γm).
γ=WVγ=WV

Dry Unit Weight, γd

Dry unit weight is the weight of dry soil per unit volume.
γd=WsVdryγd=WsVdry
Saturated Unit Weight, γsat
Saturated unit weight is the weight of saturated soil per unit volume.
γsat=WsatVsatγsat=WsatVsat

Effective Unit Weight, γ'

Effective unit weight is the weight of solids in a submerged soil per unit volume. Also called buoyant
density or buoyant unit weight (γb).
γ′=γsat−γwγ′=γsat−γw

Specific Gravity of Solid Particles, G

Specific gravity of solid particles of soil is the ratio of the unit weight of solids (γs) to the unit weight of
water (γw).
G=γsγwG=γsγw

Formulas for Properties of Soil

Basic Formulas
Unit weight, γ=sγwγ=sγw
Weight, W=γV=sγVW=γV=sγV
Specific gravity, s=γγws=γγw

Physical Properties
Total weight, W=Ww+WsW=Ww+Ws
Total volume, V=Vs+VvV=Vs+Vv
Volume of voids, Vv=Vw+VaVv=Vw+Va
Void ratio, e=VvVse=VvVs, Note: 0<e<∞0<e<∞
Porosity, n=VvVn=VvV, Note: 0<n<10<n<1
Relationship between e and n, n=e1+en=e1+e and e=n1−ne=n1−n
Water content or moisture content, w=WwWs×100%w=WwWs×100%, Note: 0<w<∞0<w<∞
Degree of saturation, S=VwVvS=VwVv, Note: 0≤S≤10≤S≤1
Relationship between G, w, S, and e, Gw=SeGw=Se
Moist unit weight or bulk unit
weight, γm=WV=(G+Se)γw1+e=G(1+w)γw1+eγm=WV=(G+Se)γw1+e=G(1+w)γw1+e
Dry unit weight, γd=WsV=Gγw1+eγd=WsV=Gγw1+e
Saturated unit weight, γsat=(G+e)γw1+eγsat=(G+e)γw1+e
Submerged or buoyant unit weight, γb=γsat−γw=(G−1)γw1+eγb=γsat−γw=(G−1)γw1+e
Critical hydraulic gradient, icr=γbγw=G−11+eicr=γbγw=G−11+e
Relative
Density, Dr=emax−eemax−emin=1(γd)min−1γd1(γd)min−1(γd)maxDr=emax−eemax−emin=1(γd)min−1γd1(
γd)min−1(γd)max

Atterberg Limits
Plasticity index, PI=LL−PLPI=LL−PL
Liquidity index, LI=MC−PLPILI=MC−PLPI
Shrinkage index, SI=PL−SLSI=PL−SL
Activity of clay, Ac=PIμAc=PIμ, where μμ = soil finer than 0.002 mm in percent

Other Formulas
Volume of voids, Vv=eV1+eVv=eV1+e
Volume of solids, Vs=V1+eVs=V1+e
Volume of water, Vw=SeV1+eVw=SeV1+e
Weight of water, Ww=SeVγw1+eWw=SeVγw1+e
Weight of soil, W=V(G+Se)γw1+eW=V(G+Se)γw1+e
Dry unit weight, γd=γm1+wγd=γm1+w

Relationship between G, w, S, and e

The relationship between specific gravity of solid particles G, water content or moisture content w,
degree o saturation S, and void ratio e, is given by the following:
Gw=SeGw=Se

The formula above can be derived as follows:

γs=Gγwγs=Gγw
WsVs=GγwWsVs=Gγw
WsVs⋅WwWw=GγwWsVs⋅WwWw=Gγw
WwVs⋅WsWw=GγwWwVs⋅WsWw=Gγw
WwVs⋅1Ww/Ws=GγwWwVs⋅1Ww/Ws=Gγw
γwVwVs⋅1w=GγwγwVwVs⋅1w=Gγw
VwVs⋅1w=GVwVs⋅1w=G
VwVs=GwVwVs=Gw
VwVs⋅VvVv=GwVwVs⋅VvVv=Gw
VwVv⋅VvVs=GwVwVv⋅VvVs=Gw
Se=GwSe=Gw

Thus, Gw=SeGw=Se as stated above.

Relationship e and n
The relationship between the the void ratio e, and the porosity n is given by:
e=n1−ne=n1−n and n=e1+en=e1+e

Derivation is as follows
e=VvVse=VvVs → void ratio
e=VvV−Vve=VvV−Vv
e=VvV−Vv⋅1/V1/Ve=VvV−Vv⋅1/V1/V
e=Vv/V1−Vv/Ve=Vv/V1−Vv/V → n = Vv / V
e=n1−ne=n1−n (okay!)

n=VvVn=VvV → porosity
n=VvVs+Vvn=VvVs+Vv
n=VvVs+Vv⋅1/Vs1/Vsn=VvVs+Vv⋅1/Vs1/Vs
n=Vv/Vs1+Vv/Vsn=Vv/Vs1+Vv/Vs → e = Vv / Vs
n=e1+en=e1+e (okay!)

Tags:
Unit Weight
Degree of Saturation of Soil
moisture content
porosity
specific gravity
Void Ratio

Consistency of Soil (Atterberg Limits)


 Unit Weights and Densities of Soil
‹ Geotechnical EngineeringupConsistency of Soil (Atterberg Limits) ›


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