CAIRO UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering Division
SOIL MECHANICS (PBW N302)
EXERCISE (2)
CEM, STE, WEE, CIE Spring 2021
SOIL CLASSIFICATION

1) a- Explain the difference between the basic ideas of how the grain size distribution
(GSD) is determined for:
i. Granular soil. ii. Fine grained soil.

b- Explain briefly why it is preferable, in plotting GSD curves, to plot the grain
diameter on a logarithmic rather than arithmetic scale.

c- On a five-cycle semi-logarithmic paper, plot the grain size distribution curves

for the presented four soils A through D. Determine the effective grain size,
coefficient of uniformity, and coefficient of curvature for each soil. Determine
also the percentages of gravel, sand, silt and clay according to the MIT method
of classification.

U.S. Standard Sieve No. Percent Passing by Weight

or Particle Size Soil A Soil B Soil C Soil D
75 mm (3 in) 100
38 mm (1½ in) 80
19 mm (¾ in) 50
9.5 mm (⅜ in) 30
No. 4 (4.75 mm) 20 100
No. 10 (2.00 mm) 15 100 83
No. 20 (0.85 mm) 10 97 76
No. 40 (0.425 mm) 8 91 63
No. 60 (0.25 mm) 7 37 60
No. 100 (0.15 mm) 5 9 60

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 U.S. Standard Sieve No. Percent Passing by Weight
or Particle Size Soil A Soil B Soil C Soil D
No. 140 (0.106 mm) 4 4 60
No. 200 (0.075 mm) 3 3 55 100
40 µm 2 - 40 97
20 µm 2 - 33 93
10 µm 1 - 15 85
5 µm 0.5 - 9 66
2 µm 0.4 - 4 49
1 µm 0.3 - 3 30

Note: Missing data is indicated by a dash in the column.

2) a- Define the plasticity index and the consistency index. Explain their significance
in geotechnical engineering.

b- The soils in problem (1-c) have the following Atterberg limits and natural water
contents. Determine the PI and CI for each soil and classify soils A through D
using the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS).

Property Soil A Soil B Soil C Soil D

wc % 25 - 20 37
LL 20 NA 45 70
PL 10 NP 25 32

3) a- Define the liquid and the plastic limits. Describe how they can be determined in
the laboratory.

b- Plastic limit and liquid limit tests were carried out on three fine grained soil
samples. Test data are given below:
Liquid limit determination
Test No. 1 2 3 4
No. of blows 30 27 20 14
Wt. of wet sample + tare (g) 39.00 38.00 36.00 35.00
Wt. of dry sample + tare (g) 30.00 28.00 28.00 26.70
Wt. of tare (g) 20.00 21.00 21.50 21.25

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 Plastic limit determination
Test No. 1 2 3
Wt. of wet sample + dish (g) 20.6 22.8 22.5
Wt. of dry sample + dish (g) 20.1 22.1 21.8
Wt. of dish (g) 15.4 15.8 14.9
Determine the plasticity index and classify the soil.

4) a- Define the shrinkage limit and describe its method of determination in the lab.

b- A soil specimen was tested to determine its shrinkage limit, the following data
were obtained during the test:

Weight of dish (gm) 15.4

Weight of dish + oven-dried soil specimen (gm) 27.5
Weight of mercury displaced by the oven-dried specimen (gm) 77.6
Determine the shrinkage limit of the soil (Gs = 2.65).

5) A sample of dry cohesive soil required a weight of water equal to 13.0 g to reach
its liquid limit. When the sample was left to dry until it reached its plastic limit, its
weight was found to be 20.0 g and its void ratio equalled 1.1. The sample
continued drying, and at its shrinkage limit the sample volume was 9.0 cm3. Find
the liquid limit, plastic limit, and shrinkage limit. Classify this soil using the USCS
(Gs = 2.65).

6) a- Define relative density and explain its significance in geotechnical engineering.

b- A one litter container was filled with 1520 gm sand in its loosest state and then,
it was filled with 1930 gm in its densest state. The in-situ sand has a void ratio
of 0.60. If the specific gravity of the sand particles is 2.70, determine both
maximum and minimum voids ratio and the in-situ relative density. Find the
percentage decrease in the natural sample volume if it is densified to reach a
relative density of 0.95.