Civil Engineering November 2020 Review Innovations Geotechnical Engineering 1

Properties of Soil 9. Air content = n(1 – S) Dr = 1/γd min – 1/γd x 100%

1/γd min – 1/γd max
1. Void ratio (e) = Volume of void 10. Air void ratio = 1 - S
Volume of solid 14. Relative/Percent compaction (R)
e = Vv 11. Bulk specific gravity (Gm)
Vs Gm = γm / γw R = _γd_ x 100%
γd max
2. Porosity (n) = = Volume of void 12. Critical hydraulic gradient (i)
Volume of soil 15. Effective grain size (D10)
n = Vv i = γ’ / γw = G - 1
V 1+e 16. Coefficient of uniformity (Cu)

3. Water content (w) = Weight of water Relationship: Cu = D60

or Moisture content Weight of solid D10
a. n= e___
w = Ww = Wm – Wd 1+e 17. Coefficient of gyration / curvature (Cc)
Ws Wd
b. Gsw = eS Cc = __D302___
4. Degree of saturation(S) = Volume of water D10 x D60
Volume of void c. γm = Gs + Gsw (γw)
S = Vw 1+e 18. Average grain size (D50)
Vv
d. γm = Gs + eS (γw) 19. Sorting coefficient (So)
5. Moist/Bulk unit weight (γm) . 1+e D
S0 = √D75
γm = Wm 25
V e. γsat = Gs + e (γw)
1+e 20. Suitability number (Sn)
6. Saturated unit weight (γsat)
f. γ' = Gs - 1 (γw) 3 1 1
Sn = 1.7 √D +D +D
γsat = Wsat 1+e 50
2
20
2
10
2

V
g. γd = __Gs__ (γw) = _γm_ 21. Group index (GI)
7. Submerged/Buoyant unit weight (γ’) 1+e 1+w
GI = (F200-35)(0.005LL)+0.01(F200-15)(PI -10)
γ’ = γsat - γw 13. Relative density or Density index (Dr)
22. Liquid limit (LL) – water content correspond
8. Dry unit weight (γd) Dr = _emax – e x 100% to 25 blows or 20 mm penetration of cone.
emax – emin
γd = Wd
V

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Civil Engineering November 2020 Review Innovations Geotechnical Engineering 1
23. Plastic limit (PL) – water content wherein a Suitability number:
soil starts to crumble when rolled into 1/8 in. Ф
thread. Sn Rating
0-10 Excellent
24. Shrinkage limit (SL) 10-20 Good
20-30 Fair
𝑚1 −𝑚2 𝑉1 −𝑉2
𝑆𝐿 = [ 𝑚2
− 𝑚2
] 𝑥100% 30-50 Poor

SL = 100e Liquidity index:

Gs
LI Rating
25. Shrinkage ratio (SR) LI<0 Brittle solid
0<LI<1 Plastic
SR = _ m2__ LI>1 Liquid
V2ρw

26. Specific gravity of solid (Gs)

G = ______1_____
1/SR – SL/100

27. Plasticity index (PI) = LL – PL

28. Liquidity index (LI) = _w - PL_

LL - PL

39. Consistency index (CI) = _LL – w_

LL - PL

40. Activity of clay or Activity classification (A c)

Ac = __PI__
% Clay

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Civil Engineering November 2020
Properties of Soil:
Situation 1
The sample of soil weighing 30.6 kg had a volume
of 0.0183m3. The sample is allowed to dry in an
oven and the weight was reduced to 27.2 kg. The
specific gravity of the solids was found to be 2.65.
Determine the following:
1. Moist unit weight of soil in kN/m3
2. Dry unit weight of soil in kN/m3
3. Moisture content
4. Void ratio
5. Porosity
6. Degree of saturation
Situation 2
The soil sample in natural state having a volume
of 0.0012 m3 weighs 1.73 kg. The degree of
saturation being 61.6%. After drying in an oven
the final weight of sample was 1.44 kg. Determine
the following:
1. Specific gravity of solid
2. Void ratio
3. Critical hydraulic gradient
Situation 3
The moist soil having a volume of 0.0154m3 has a
unit weight of 16.5KN/m3 and a moisture
content of 15%. If the specific gravity of solid is
2.7. Determine the following:
1. Degree of Saturation
2. Volume of air in the original sample
3. Weight of water to be added to reach full
saturation
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Review Innovations Geotechnical Engineering 1
Situation 4
The moist unit weight of sample of soil is 17.43
kN/m3. It has a specific gravity of solid of 2.65
and water content of 16%. The sample has a void
ratio of 0.88 in the loosest condition and 0.36 in
the densest condition.
1. Compute the density index
2. If the dry unit weight at optimum water
content was 19.12 kN/m3, what is the minimum
dry unit
Problems for Practice:
Situation 5
A saturated soil has a unit weight of 18.85 KN/m3
and water content of 32%. Determine the
following:
1. Specific gravity of solid (2.725)
2. Porosity (0.872)
3. Submerged unit weight (9.04)
Situation 6
The relative compaction of sand in the field is
94%. The maximum and minimum dry unit
weights of the sand are 16.2 kN/m3 and 14.9
kN/m3 respectively. For the field condition
determine the following:
1. Dry unit weight (15.23)
2. Relative density of compaction (27%)
3. Moist unit weight at moisture content of 8%
(16.45)
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