Soil Phase

Relationship
updated March 11, 2008

Haryo Dwito Armono, ST, M.Eng, PhD

Phase of Soil

S lid
Solid
particles
Water

Air

Volumetric Ratios
z Vv = Volume of void
Va = Volume of Air
Vw = Volume of water

z Vs = Volume of solid
e=

Volume
V
l
off voids
id
V
= v
Volume of solids V s

z Void ratio (e)

0,65

z Porosity (n)

65%

n=

z Degree
g
of saturation (S)

65%

S=

Volume of voids V v
=
Total volume
V

Volume of water V w
=
Vl
Volume
off void
id Vv

Void ratio Porosity Relationship

Vv
V

Vv
Vv
n
=
=
=
Vs V Vv V Vv 1 n
V V
Vv
V
Vv
Vs
e
n= v =
=
=
V Vs + Vv Vs + Vv 1 + e
Vs Vs
e=

Typical Values

n
1 n
e
n=
1+ e

e=

(Lambe and Whitman, 1979)

Engineering Applications (e)

Si l cubic
Simple
bi (SC),
(SC) e = 0.91,
0 91

C
Contract

Cubic-tetrahedral (CT), e = 0.65,

Dilate

Volume change tendency

} Strength change
}

Link: the strength of

rock joint
i

Shear strength = n tan( + i)

Engineering Applications (e)

z

Hydraulic conductivity
Which packing (SC or CT) has
higher
g
hydraulic
y
conductivity?
y

SC
e = 0.91

The fluid (water) can flow more easily through the

soil with higher hydraulic conductivity

CT
e = 0.65

Engineering Applications (e)

Filter
SC
e = 0.91
0 91

Clogging
The finer particle cannot pass
through the void

CT
e = 0.65

Critical state soil mechanics

Engineering Applications (e)

z Completely dry soil S = 0 %
z Completely saturated soil S = 100%
z Unsaturated soil (partially saturated soil)

S=

0% < S < 100%

Total volume of voids contains water (Vw )

100%
Total volume of voids (Vv )

Effects of capillary forces. Capillary action is responsible for

moving groundwater from wet areas of the soil to dry areas.
z Engineering applications:
} Slope stability
} Underground excavation

Engineering Applications (e)

Most of landslides are due to erosion

and loss in suction

The slope stability is significantly

affected
ff t d by
b the
th surface
f
water.
t

(Au, 2001)

Density and Unit Weight

Mass is a measure of a body's
body s
inertia, or its "quantity of
matter". Mass is not changed at
different places
places.
Weight is force, the force of
gravity acting on a body. The
value is different at various
places
(Newton's second law F = ma)
The unit weight is frequently
used than the density is (e.g. in
g the overburden
calculating
pressure).

Density,
Unit weight ,

Mass
Volume
Weight Mass g
=
=
Volume Volume

for example :
Density of water ,

w =1000 kg

Unit weight of Water ,

w = w g
= 1000 kg
= 9.8
9 8 kN

m3

m3
m3

9.8 m

sec 2

Weight Relationship
z Water Content w (100%)
w=

z
z

Mass of water ( M w )
100%
Mass of soil solids ( M s )

for some organic soils w>100%, up to 500 %

or quick clays
clays, w>100%

z Density of water
(slightly varied with temperatures)

w = 1 g / cm3
= 1000 kg / m
= 1 Mg / m

Temperature

Density (at 1 atm)

kg/m

0.0

999.84

4.0

999.98

15.0

999.10

20.0

998.20

25.0

997.05

37.0

993.33

50.0

988.04

100.0

958.37

Density of Soil
M
Mass of soil solids
= s
Total volume of soil sample
V

a. Dry density

d =

b. Total, Wet, or Moist density

(0%<S<100%, Unsaturated) =

M + Mw
Mass of soil sample
= s
Total volume of soil sample
V

c. Saturated density
(S=100%, Va =0)

M + Mw
Mass of soil solids + water
= s
T t l volume
Total
l
off soil
il sample
l
V

sat =

d. Submerged
g density
y ((Buoyant
y
density)
y)

' = sat w

Weight Relationship
' = sat w

Submerged
g unit weight:
g
Consider the buoyant
y
force
acting on the soil solids:

Ws Vs w Ws (V Vw ) w
=
V
V
W V w + Ww
= s
V
W + Ww V w
= s
V
= sat w

( S = 100%)

Archimedes principle:
Archimedes
The buoyant force on a body immersed
in a fluid is equal to the weight of the
fluid displaced by that object.

Cartoon by Ken Otter, 1997

Engineering Applications
For fine-grained
g
soils,, water
plays a critical role to their
engineering
properties
(discussed in the next topic).
topic)
For example,
The quick clay usually has a
water content w greater than
100 % and a card house
structure. It will behave like a
viscous fluid after it is fully
disturbed.
disturbed
Clay
particle

Water

(Mitchell, 1993)

Other Relationship
zProof:
(1) Specific gravity

Gs =

s s
=
w w

S e = w Gs
S e =

Vw Vv Vw
=
Vv Vs Vs
Ms

(2)

w S e = w s
S e = w Gs

w Gs =

M w s M w
Vs Vw

=
M s w M s M w
Vs
Vw

Gs typical values

(Lambe and Whitman, 1979)

(Goodman, 1989)

Remember the following

g simple
p rules
1. Remember the basic definitions of w,
1
w e,
e s, S,
S etc.
etc
2. Draw a phase diagram.
3 Assume
3.
A
either
ith Vs=1
1 or V = 1,
1 if nott given.
i
4. Often use wSe=ws, Se = wGs
(Holtz and Kovacs, 1981):

Example

1. A saturated clayy has a water content of 35% and a dry

y unit weight
g
3
of 13.6 kN/m . Find the void ratio, the specific gravity and total unit
weight
You have three ratios, S = 100%, w = 35% and d = 13.6 kN/m3.
Assume a value
value, say V = 1.00.
1 00
Then Ws = 13.6 kN.
Ww = (0.35)(13.6
(
)(
kN)) = 4.76 kN
Vw = 4.76 kN/9.81 kN/m3 = 0.4852 m3
Vv = 1.0 Vw = 0.4852 m3
Vs = V - Vv=1 - 0.4852 = 0.5148 m3.
e = 0.4852/0.5148 = 0.945,
Gs = 13.6/((0.5148)(9.81))
13 6/((0 5148)(9 81)) = 2
2.69,
69

= (13.6 + 4.76)/1.0 = 18.36/1.0 = 18.36 kN/m3