Soil Mechanics (ECIV 3451)

Discussion of Chapter 3: Unit Volume Relation ships.

Important relations:
VT  VV  VS  Va  Vw  VS
WT  WW  WS
Phase Diagram of soil element:

Va
Air

Vv
Water
Ww

Vw

VT
WT

Solid
Vs
Ws

Vv n
 Void ratio, e = . e
Vs 1 n

Vv e
 Porosity, n = . n
VT 1 e

Vw
 Degree of saturation, S = x100, At saturation S=1.
Vv
Ww
 Moisture content, w = .
Ws
 solid 
 Specific gravity, Gs =  solid .
 water  water
WS Gs  w
  dry   .
VT 1 e
W G  1  w
  moist  T  s w .
VT 1 e
W G  e w .
  sat  T @ Saturation  s
VT 1 e
emax  e    d min 
 Relative density, Dr = = d  d max .
emax  emin  d max   d min d
 Se  GS w .
Problem 1: (3.5 Text book)
For moist soil given that:
Volume = 0.25 ft3.
Weight = 30 Ib.
Weight of dry soil = 26.1 Ib.
Gs = 2.63
Find:
w -  -  dry - e – n – S .
Solution
Ww WT  WS 30  26.1
w    100  14.94%.
Ws WS 26.1
WT 30
    120 Ib / ft 3 ( pcf ).
VT 0.25
 120
  dry    104 .4 pcf .
1  w 1  0.1494
G 2.63  62.4
 e  ??   dry  s w  104 .4   e  0.57
1 e 1 e
e 0.57
n    0.36
1  e 1  0.57
 S  ??  Se  G s w  S  0.57  2.63  0.1494  S  0.69  69%.

9.81kN / m 3

w  
62 .4 pcf

Note:
1000 kg / m 3

w  
1.94 slug / ft 3

Problem2: 3.9 Text book
For a sample of soil, given that Gs  2.67 ,  moist  17.6kN / m 3 , w = 10.8%.
Find:
 dry - e – n – S – the required weight of water to be added per cubic meter of soil so that S=80%.
Solution
 17.6
  dry    15.88kN / m 3 .
1  w 1  0.108
G 2.67  9.81
 e  ??   dry  s w  15.88   e  0.648
1 e 1 e
e 0.648
n    0.393
1  e 1  0.648
 S  ??  Se  G s w  S  0.648  2.67  0.108  S  0.444  44.4%

 We can find the required weight of water to be added to reach S=80% per cubic meter of
soil as follow:
At first case:
w  10.8%,  dry  15.88kN / m 3
Ws
15.88  ,VT  1m 3  Ws  15.88kN
VT
‫حجم الحبيبات الصلبة أو وزن الحبيبات الصلبة يبقً دائما ثابث في الحربة مما جعرضث لحغيرات‬
. ‫سىاء دمكث أو جم جغيير المححىي المائي لها أو غير ذلك‬
Ww 1 Ww 1
w  0.108   Ww 1  1.715 kN .
Ws 15.88
At second case:
S  80%  Se  Gs w  0.8  0.648  2.67 w2  w2  0.194  19.4%

Ww 2 Ww 2
w2   0.194   Ww 2  3.08kN .
Ws 15.88

The amount of water required to be added = W2 – W1 = 3.08 – 1.715 = 1.365 kN.

Problem3: 3.17 Text book
A soil sample has the following properties:
@S=50%  moist  1690 kg / m 3
@S=75%  moist  1808 kg / m 3
Find Gs and e.
Solution
At first case:
Se  G s w  0.5e  G s w
0.5e
w
Gs
 0.5e 
G s  1000 1  
G s  w 1  w  G s 
 moist   1690   1190 e  1000 G s  1690 ......1
1 e 1 e
At second case:
Se  G s w  0.75e  G s w
0.75e
w
Gs
 0.75e 
G s  1000 1  
G s  w 1  w  G s 
 moist   1808   1058 e  1000 G s  1808 ......2 
1 e 1 e

Solving equations 1 and 2:

Gs = 2.75

e = 0.893
 Problem 4: 3.22 Text book
For loose uncompacted sand
 Dr = 40%, emin = 0.46, emax = 0.90, Gs = 2.65
 The height of soil sample (H) = 2m.
Find:
a-  dry .
b- If the soil is compacted so that Dr = 75% what is the decrease in thickness of the soil
sample.

Solution
At first case:
e e 0.9  e1
Dr  max 1  0.4   e1  0.724
emax  emin 0.9  0.46
Gs  w 2.65  9.81
d  d    d  15.08kN / m 3 .
1 e 1  0.724
 At second case:
e  e2 0.9  e2
Dr  max  0.75   e2  0.57
emax  emin 0.9  0.46
Vv1 V  Vs HA  H s A 2  Hs
e1   0.724  T 1  0.724   0.724   H s  1.16 m
Vs Vs Hs A Hs
Vv 2 V  Vs H' A  Hs A H '1.16
e2   0.57  T 2  0.57   0.57   H '  1.8212 m
Vs Vs Hs A 1.16
h  H  H '  2  1.8212  0.178 m

A
h
2m

H’
Problem 5
A soil specimen has a dry unit weight, d = 16 kN/m3. Determine the moisture content if the
voids contain 60% water and 40% air, and the specific gravity, Gs = 2.7.
Solution
Gs  w 2.7  9.81
d   16   e  0.655
1 e 1 e
V 0.6Vv
Se  Gs w  w  0.655  2.7 w   0.655  2.7 w  w  0.145  14.5%
Vv Vv

Problem 6
A soil has dry unit weight d = 12 kN/m3 and saturated unit weight sat = 17.5 kN/m3.
Determine the void ratio and specific gravity of the soil particles.
Solution
 sat   d 1  w  17.5  121  w  w  0.458  45.8%
Se  Gs w  S  1 For saturation  e  0.458Gs
Gs  w Gs  9.81
d   12   Gs  2.78, e  1.275
1 e 1  0.458Gs
Problem 7: A moist clayey soil sample has an initial void ratio, e = 1.5. The dry mass of
the soil is 80 gms, and the specific gravity, Gs = 2.5. The sample is left exposed to the
atmosphere so that its moisture content reduces, and the sample volume decreases. When the
volume is one half of the initial volume, determine
i) the void ratio
ii) the mass of water in the voids if the degree of saturation is 25%

Given: e1=1.5 , md=80g , Gs=2.5

After reduction of water content: V2 T  V1 T

1
2
Solution
s 
Gs   2.5  s   s  2500 kg / m 3
w 1000
md 80  10 3
s   2500   Vs  32  10 6 m 3  32cm 3 .
Vs Vs
Vv1 V
e1   1.5  v1  Vv1  48cm 3
Vs 32
V1 T  48  32  80cm 3

V2 T 
1
V1 T  40cm 3  Vv 2  Vs  40  Vv 2  32  Vv 2  8cm 3 .
2
8
e2   0.25
32

At S=25%:

Se  Gs w  0.25  0.25  2.5w  w  0.025

mw m
w  0.025  w  mw  2 g.
md 80