Assignment 2

3rd April 2015

KA21603 Geotechnical Eng 1

Submission Date:

1. In a laboratory test, a mass of moist soil was compacted into a mould

having a volume of 964 cm3. Upon weighing, the mass of soil was
found to be 1956 g. The moisture content was found to be 13 % and
the grain specific gravity was 2.70. Calculate i) the bulk and dry
density, ii) the void ratio, iii) the porosity, iv) the degree of saturation,
and v) the air-void ratio of the soil.
2. A soil sample with mass of 32.0 kg and volume of 0.0192 m 3 is ovendried . After 24 hours, the weight of the sample decreases to 28.5 kg. If
the specific gravity of soil , GS = 2.65, find :
e) Air ratio, Ar
a) Bulk unit weight,
f) Void ratio, e
b) Dry unit weight, d
g) Porosity, n
c) Water content, w
h) Degree of saturation,
d) Saturated unit weight,
Sr
s
(Given g = 9.8 m/s2 and water unit weight, w = 9.8 kN/m3)
3. By assuming that the volume of solid, Vs of a sample is 1, derive the
formulas of weight and volume of water in w, Gs and/or w. Prove also
that the solid-water weight ratio is equal to 1/w.
4. In its natural condition, a soil sample has a mass of 2290 g and a
volume of 1.15 x 10-3 m3. After being completely dried in an oven, the
mass of the sample is 2035 g. The value of G S for the soil is 2.68.
Determine the bulk density, unit weight, water content, void ratio,
porosity, degree of saturation and air content.
(Given g = 9.8 m/s2)
5. A corecutter cylinder of internal diameter 100 mm and length 125 mm
was used to obtain damp sand from a trial hole. After trimming the
ends, the total mass of the cylinder and soil was 3508 g; the mass of
the empty cylinder was 1525 g. After oven-drying, the soil on its own
weighed 1633 g. If the specific gravity was also found to be 2.71,
determine the bulk and dry densities, the moisture content, the void
ratio and the air ratio of the sample.
6. An undisturbed soil sample, with specific gravity of solids 2.67 has a
void ratio of 0.75. If the water content of the sample is 13%, find the a)
wet unit weight, b) dry unit weight, c) degree of saturation and d)
Porosity [assuming that V=1 m3]
7. What would be the water content and unit weight of a sample having
40% degree of saturation and void ratio of 0.95? Given the specific
gravity of the solids is 2.68. [assuming that V=1 m 3]
8. Determine the bulk density, dry unit weight, void ratio, water content,
and degree of saturation for a sample of moist soil, which has a mass
of 18.18 kg and occupies a total volume of 0.009m3. When dried in the
oven, the dry mass is 16.13 kg. The specific gravity of the soil solids is
2.70. Given g = 9.81 m/s2 .