CIE 047

Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics

Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

L E S S O N T I T L E : W E I G H T - V O L U M E Materials:
R E L AT I O N S H I P S P R O B L E M S , R E L AT I V E Textbook, Notebook, Pen, Calculator
DENSITY, AND CONSISTENCY OF SOIL
References:
Lesson Objectives: Principles of Geotechnical Engineering by Braja M. Das
(Please copy the following link if you wish to have the book
At the end of this module, you should be able to: in a PDF format) https://drive.google.com/file/d/
1. Know where to use weight-volume relationships 1 s y T l r a p p Q 4 n - J a c O C 0 J U J p 2 T n 3 D D 6 g Q g / v i e w ?
usp=sharing
formulas
2. Understand relative density and consistency of
soil including the four states.

Productivity Tip:

FOCUS ON THE PROCESS, NOT THE

RESULT. - Unknown
If you think of the results, you’ll have a tendency of
getting lost in the process. What I suggest is you focus
on the process, on the procedure because this is what’s
going to give you the best result possible. Do not stress
yourself about not having a perfect score in an exam.
Be critical of how you can make it happen. 😀

A. LESSON PREVIEW
Introduction
Last time, I presented to you the concept of weight-volume relationships. There were a lot of formulas that
were derived and I hope you already memorized all of them. Now, it will be easier for you to solve problems
with the knowledge of these formulas. Also, after that, I am going to open another topic about relative density
and consistency of soil. You will learn how relative density and consistency directly affects the performance of
a soil.
When clay minerals are present in fine-grained soil, the soil can be remolded in the presence of some moisture
without crumbling. This cohesive nature is caused by the adsorbed water surrounding the clay particles. At a
very low moisture content, soil behaves more like a solid. When the moisture content is very high, the soil and
water may flow like a liquid. Hence, on an arbitrary basis, depending on the moisture content, the behavior of
soil can be divided into four basic states which you’ll be learning in a few. Turn to the next page! 😊

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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

ACTIVITY 1 What I Know Chart (PART 1)

Instruction: Before proceeding to the main lesson, write three things you know or have learned from the
previous lesson in the first column “What I Know”. The third column “What I Learned” will be filled out at the
end of the module.

WHAT I KNOW QUESTIONS WHAT I LEARNED (Activity 4)

Two batches of 4 m3 of soil are

in a dumpsite; one of which
1 1
weights 80 kN and the other 75
kN. Which is denser?

A soil with Dr of 0.72 is

2 2
considered?

3 3 What are the four states of soil?

B. MAIN LESSON
ACTIVITY 2 Content Notes
In this next activity, you will be presented with presentation slides and a detailed explanation of the content of
each slide. You are to write down the key points of the lecture that are critical to your evaluation. Make sure
that your pen and paper are beside you so you can go with the flow of the lesson. Enjoy reading and have fun
learning 😍

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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 1

The moist weight of 2.83x103 m3 if soil is 55.5x︎103 kN/m3. If the moisture content is 14% and the specific
gravity of soil solids is 2.71, determine the: a) moist unit weight, b) dry unit weight, c) void ratio, d) porosity, e)
degree of saturation.

STEPS: Write the given first, the required, and then the solution.
First, let’s write the given values. So we have the volume, which is the moist volume, that means this is the
total volume. It has a total weight given as well.
Given: V = 2.83x103 m3, W = 55.5x︎103 kN/m3, w = 14%, Gs = 2.71
Required: g, gd, e, n, S
Solution:

Notes:
C. The equation used in C came from the 21st equation.
Additional: We can either express the void ratio and porosity in percent.

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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 2

The moist unit weight of a soil is 19.2 kN/m3. Given that Gs =︎ 2.69 and w =︎ 9.8%, determine: a) void ratio, b)
dry unit weight, c) degree of saturation.

Given: g = 19.2 kN/m3, Gs = 2.69, w = 9.8%

Required: e, gd, S
Solution:

Note:
A. The equation used in A came from the combination of the 21st and the 18th equation.

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 3

Refer to the previous problem. Determine the weight of water, in kN, to be added per cubic meter (m3) of soil
for: a) 90% Degree of Saturation, b) 100% Degree of Saturation.

So let’s analyze the problem first. From the previous problem, we knew that S = 51.7%. Let’s go back to
the definition of the Degree of Saturation. It is the amount of water in the voids. Now, the question is how
much more water is needed to achieve 90% and 100% Degree of Saturation respectively.
The trick here is, whenever we are asked problems like this: we first have to get the saturated unit weight
FOR THE SPECIFIED DEGREE OF SATURATION. And then we simply subtract it with the MOIST UNIT
WEIGHT to get the weight of water to be added per cubic meter of soil.


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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 4

Undisturbed soil sample was collected from the field in steel Shelby tubes for laboratory evaluation. The tube
sample has a diameter of 71 mm, length of 558 mm, and a moist weight of 42.5 x 103 kN. If the oven-dried
weight was 37.85 x︎ 103 kN, and Gs= 2.69, calculate the following: a) moist unit weight, b) field moisture
content, c) dry unit weight, d) void ratio, e) degree of saturation.

So to begin, just some simple definition: field moisture content refers to the in-situ moisture content. In situ
means the exact condition/ moisture content of the soil upon collection. There was no oven drying made
and there were no any disturbances. The oven-dried weight is the dry weight of the sample. This means
dry weight contains NO WATER.
Given: Tube sample: Diameter = 78 mm, Length = 558 mm, Soil Sample: W = 42.5 x 103 kN, Ws = 37.85 x︎
103 kN, Gs = 2.69
Required: g, w, gd, e, S
Solution:


Notes:
A. For the first item, the Shelby Tube obviously is cylindrical in shape so we get the volume of a cylinder and
then we use this volume to calculate the moist unit weight by using the 17th equation.
B. The moisture content is defned as the weight of water per weight of solids. So to get the weight of water,
we subtract the weight of solids to the total weight and then dividing this by the weight of solids. We can
either express it in percentage or in decimal places.
C. We now obtain the dry unit weight by using the 16th equation.
D. Again, this is from the 21st equation. We can express this in percent or in decimal places.
E. We use the 23rd equation. We can express this in percent or in decimal places.

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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 5

For a moist soil, given the following: V ︎= 7.08 ︎x 103 m3, W ︎= 136.8 ︎x 103 kN; w =︎ 9.8%; Gs︎ = 2.66. Determine:
a) dry unit weight, b) void ratio, c) volume occupied by water.

So rewriting the given values: V ︎= 7.08 ︎x 103 m3, W ︎= 136.8 ︎x 103 kN; w =︎ 9.8%; Gs︎ = 2.66
Required: gd, e, Vw
Solution:

NOTES:
C. The equation used in C is actually pretty easy. We know that gw = Ww/ Vw and so Vw = Ww/ gw. Then, the
weight of water is equal to the weight of solids subtracted from the total weight. So, Ww = W - Ws. Then, we
know that g = W/V, and gd = Ws/ V. So, W = gV, and Ws = gdV respectively. So Ww = gV - gdV or Ww = (g-
gd)V. So in short, Vw = (g-gd)V/ gw. You can memorize this equation or just use the existing 25 equations
to derive this.
Additional: You can look for books of Gillesania and Besavilla entitled Geotechnical Engineering for more
problems. Practice solving more problems so you can get used to it!

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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

Now, we talk about relative density. It talks about the denseness or looseness of the soil. The left image
shows a loose soil while the right image is a dense soil. The difference is the left image having the same
volume as the right image, contains less soil particles. This means that it is loose.

The equation for relative density depends on the void ratios. The equations above are both equations of
relative densities. They can be expressed in terms of void ratios or in terms of unit weights.
Maximum void ratio occurs at the loosest condition of the soil because there are too many voids while the
minimum void ratio occurs at the densest because it is mostly packed with soil particles.

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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

Minimum dry unit weight occurs at the loosest condition because less particles are present resulting to a
less unit weight while the maximum dry unit weight occurs at the densest condition becase more particles
are present resulting to a heavier unit weight.
Values of Relative Density indicate how loose or how dense a certain soil mass is.

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 6

For a given sandy soil, emax ︎= 0.75 and emin ︎= 0.52. If Gs ︎= 2.67 and Dr ︎= 65%, determine: a) void ratio, b) gd


Given: emax ︎= 0.75 and emin ︎= 0.52, Gs ︎ ︎= 2.67, Dr ︎= 65%

Required: e, gd
Solution:

SAMPLE PROBLEM NO. 7

In a construction project, the field moist unit weight was 18.08 kN/m3 at a moisture content of 8%. If maximum
and minimum dry unit weight determined in the laboratory were 16.93 kN/m3 and 14.46 kN/m3, respectively,
what was the field relative density? 


Given: g = 18.08 kN/m3, w = 8%, (gd)min = 14.46 kN/m3, (gd)max = 16.93 kN/m3
Required: Dr
Solution: (see next page)

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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

Notes:
A. The first step is to of course get the field dry unit weight by using the 18th equation.

Maximum and minimum void ratios may also depend on several factors:

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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

There are some empirical equations (equations made from several tests) by some experts. You’re not
going to memorize this but for example, I asked you to get emax from one of those, you are going to use
them to compute for the relative density.

Next, we move to consistency.

Consistency talks about how soft or how hard a soil is.

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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

Albert Mauritz Atterberg is the pioneer of the Consistency Limits which is shown below. He said that four
states exist in a soil depending on the value of its moisture content. They can either be solid, semisolid,
plastic or liquid.

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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

At the junction of these states, we have three limits. The Shrinkage Limit occurs right before the Semisolid
State and right after the Solid State meaning a soil at its Shrinkage Limit is just about to become semisolid.
The Plastic Limit occurs right before the Plastic State and right after the Semisolid State meaning a soil at
its Plastic Limit is just about to become plastic.
The Plastic Limit occurs right before the Liquid State and right after the Plastic State meaning a soil at its
Plastic Limit is just about to become liquid.
These three values are moisture contents. And so, in the lab, the first experiment that we do is called the
Moisture Content Test. And these are the things we need to perform a Moisture Content Test successfully.

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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

So the process is pretty easy.

FIRST, we get the soil to be tested.
SECOND, we get to the lab and weigh our moisture cans. Moisture cans will be the one holding our soil
sample.
THIRD, we weigh the cans and record them.
FOURTH, we weigh the cans with the moist soil and record them.
FIFTH, we put the cans with the moist soil in the oven and wait for a few minutes to dry (they should be
oven-dried for at least 24 hours).
SIXTH, we go back and then weigh the moisture cans with the oven-dried soil and we record them again
resulting into a data sheet like what is shown below.

It’s better we have three batches of our soil so we can get its average moisture content.
Solution: We know that w = Ww/ Ws
And Ww = weight of moist - weight of dried
Weight of moist = weight of moist soil + can - weight of can
Weight of dried = weight of dried soil - weight of can

1 2 3

Weight of Moist 135-28 = 107 122-27 = 95 120-27 = 93

Weight of Dried 120-28 = 92 107-27 = 80 106-27 = 79

Ww 107-92 = 15 95-80 = 15 93-79 = 14

w (15/92)x100 = 16.304% (15/80)x100 = 18.75% (14/79)x100 = 17.722%

Average (16.304+18.75+17.722)/3 = 17.592%

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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

ACTIVITY 3 Skill-Building Activities

Now, you will be presented with a brief activity that contains both objective and problem solving type questions.
You can check your answers against the Key to Corrections found at the end of this module. But as much as
possible, don’t peek if you still haven’t tried answering the questions 😅 Write your score on the space
provided. Good Luck! Have fun answering!

WHAT’S
Activity 3 Questions YOUR
SCORE?

The degree of saturation of a soil is 55% and the moist unit weight is 16.66 kN/m3. When the moist unit weight
1 increased to 17.92 kN/m3, the degree of saturation increased to 82.2%. Determine: a) Gs (10 points), b) void ratio
(10 points).

ACTIVITY 4 What I Know Chart (PART 2)

Now, go back to Activity 1 and answer the questions filling out the “What I Know Column” after going through
the main lesson and answering the questions from Activity 3.

ACTIVITY 5 Check For Understanding

Now, I’m sure that you have learned enough and are ready to take a short quiz. Of course, the questions that
will be given are more challenging than Activity 3. The schedule will be announced in class. Instructions:
You will write your solutions and answers in a short coupon bond. You may use more than one paper. But only
a limited number will be submitted. (Note: For problem solving type: for values less than one, round off to up to
four significant figures {e.g. 0.1234, 0.5780, 0.0069 are values with four significant figures}, and for values
greater than one, round off to three decimal places {e.g. 3.178, 222.900, 93.232 are values with three decimal
places}).

B. LESSON WRAP-UP
ACTIVITY 6 Thinking About Learning

You are done with the session! Let’s track your progress!
Period 1 Period 2 Period 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

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 CIE 047
Geotechnical Engineering 1: Soil Mechanics
Student’s Activity Sheet Module # 3
180 minutes
!
Name: __________________________________
Section:_________________________________ Class Number: _______________
Schedule: _______________________________ Date: _______________

ACTIVITY 6.1 Unanswered Questions

In this activity, I’m asking you to write your questions that are still unanswered at this time of reading. If there’s
any thing that still confuses you, don’t hesitate to write them down below. Make sure though that these
questions are not included in the FAQs section written below/ on the next page. So I suggest you to read the
FAQs first before proceeding to this activity 😊
________________________________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

QUESTION Are we going to perform Moisture Content Test in the lab?

ANSWER Yes, we will! We are just looking for the perfect time.

QUESTION How many trials are usually aimed for Moisture Content Test?

ANSWER Trials between three to five will give you accurate results.

KEY TO CORRECTIONS
See Answer Key from ACTIVITY 3 Skill-Building Activities
1. Gs = 2.73 (10 points), e = 0.9 (10 points).

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