CE 3A03 – Geotechnical Engineering I

Assignment 3 Peijun Guo

Date Assigned: Oct.9/2019
Date Due: Oct. 25/2019 5:00 p.m.

1. The following results are obtained from particle size distribution analysis of three soils
(A, B and C), with the particle size distribution curves are shown in Figure 1. The
Atterberg limits of finer fraction in the three soils are also provided. Classify the soils
according to the USCS.

Percent passing
Sieve # Diameter (mm)
Soil A Soil B Soil C
1/2 in 12.5 100
3/8 in 9.5 96 100
#4 4.75 89 98
#10 2 82 82
#40 0.425 67 33 100
#100 0.15 57 12 99
#200 0.075 47 5 97
0.02 28 85
0.003 8 55
0.001 3 43
wL (or LL, liquid limit) 25 - 51
wp (or PL, plastic limit) 16 - 19
w (natural water content) 11 5 26.5

Figure 1: Particle size distributuion curves

Hints: You may need the index properties such as d10, d30, d50, d60, Cu, Cz, PI and the
plasticity chart (for example, one the charts on the following page).
 Intermediate plasticity
Low High
plasticity plasticity
60
)
-8
Line (LL
50 U- 0.
9
I =
P e )
Lin L-
20
H A- (L
40 O
or .73
=0
Plasticity Index

CH PI
30
CI
20
OL MH or OH
L or
10 C
7 CL - ML
4
MI or OI
ML or OL
0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Liquid Limit %

60
U–line
PI = 0.9 (LL – 8)
50

40
CH or OH
Plasticity index

A–line
30
PI = 0.73 (LL – 20)

20
CL or OL OH
MH
10 CL – ML
7 ML & OL
4
0 ML
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Liquid limit (%)
2. A Proctor compaction test in the laboratory on a borrow pit soil gives a maximum dry unit
weight of 19.5 kN/m3 and optimum water content of 11.5%. The bulk unit weight and
water content of the soil in the borrow pit are 17.2 kN/m3 and 8.2%, respectively. A
highway fill is to be constructed using this soil. The sepcification requires the fill to be
compacted to 95% relative compaction. The specific gravity of soil is given as 2.72.

(1) How many cublic maters of borrow pit material (in its in-situ unit weight and water
content) are needed for 1 m3 of highway fill (compacted)?
(2) The water content at 95% of relative compation is 11% on the dry side and 12% on
the wet side of the optimum. What is the minimum additional weight of water for 1
m3 of highway fill (compacted) to achieve 95% of relative compaction?

Use three-phase daigrams to help your calculations.

3. The following data were obtained from a Proctor compaction test on a granular soil for a
highway project:

Water content Mass of wet sample

(%) (compacted) (g)
4.1 2000
5.34 2139
6.65 2265
8.05 2235
10.02 2195

The volume of the mold is 9.44×10-4 m3 and the specific gravity of the soil is 2.71.

(1) Determine the optimum water content and maximum dry desnity;
(2) Plot the zero air voids curve (Show your example calculation).
(3) Determine the degree of saturation at the maximum dry density.
(4) If the specification requires the relative compaction of the granular soil being 95%,
determine the allowable range of water content of the soil at compaction. (show your
work)