CE-G4 – Pre-Board 2

Module No. 1 – Geotechnical Engineering (Soil Properties)

SOIL PARTICLE SIZE CLASSIFICATIONS Problem 2: (May 2015 CE Board Exam)

Grain Size (mm) Soil Sample
Organization Sieve
Gravel Sand Silt Clay Diameter A B C
No.
2.00 to 0.06 to Percent Passing
MIT > 2.00 < 0.002
0.06 0.002 4 4.760 90 100 100
2.00 to 0.05 to 6 2.380 64 90 100
USDA > 2.00 < 0.002
0.05 0.002 10 2.000 54 77 98
0.075 20 0.840 34 59 92
76.2 to 2.00 to
AASHTO to < 0.002
2.00 0.075 40 0.420 22 51 84
0.002
76.2 to 4.75 to Fines silts and 60 0.250 17 42 79
USCS / ASTM 100 0.149 9 35 70
4.75 0.075 clays < 0.075
200 0.074 5 33 63
MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology Find:
USDA - U.S. Department of Agriculture 1. Cc
AASHTO - American Association of State Highway 2. Cu
and Transportation Officials
USCS - Unified Soil Classification System Problem 3:
ASTM - American Society of Testing and Materials Determine the percentages of gravel, sand, silt, and clay of soil
in Problem 1 using the following methods:
PARTICLE – SIZE DISTRIBUTION CURVE (SIEVE 1. USDA
ANALYSIS) can be used to determine the following four (4) 2. AASHTO
parameters: 3. USCS
4. MIT
1. Effective Size (D10) – is the diameter in the particle-size
distribution curve corresponding to 10% finer. Problem 4:
The particle size characteristics of soil are given in this table.
2. Uniformity Coefficient (Cu) Size (mm) Percent Finer
D60
Cu = 0.4250 100
D10
0.0330 90
3. Coefficient of Gradation or Coefficient of Curvature 0.0180 80
(Cc) 0.0100 70
(D30 )2
Cc = 0.0062 60
D60 × D10 0.0035 50
4. Sorting Coefficient (So)
0.0018 40
D75 0.0010 35
So = √
D25 Determine the percentages of gravel, sand, silt, and clay using
USDA, AASHTO, USCS, and MIT systems.
PROBLEM 1:
Problem 5:
Following are the results of a sieve analysis. Draw the particle-
The particle size characteristics of soil are given in the table.
size distribution curve.
Soil Particle-Size Distribution (%)
Mass
Sieve Opening CMR CMP % Particle Soil A Soil B Soil C Soil D
Retained
No. (mm) (g) (g) Finer Gravel 0 29 14 12
(g)
4 4.75 - Sand 28 11 16 21
10 2.00 90 Silt 42 32 22 40
20 0.850 160 Clay 30 28 48 27
40 0.425 98 Using USDA Method:
60 0.250 160 1. Compute the modified percentages of sand, silt, and clay
for each soil type.
80 0.180 125
2. Classify each soil using USDA Textural Classification
100 0.150 184 Chart.
200 0.075 50
Pan - 45

CMR - Cumulative Mass Retained

CMP - Cumulative Mass Passing
TM - Total Mass
CMP
% Finer or % Passing = × 100%
TM

Determine the:
1. D10, D30, D60, D75
2. Cu, Cc, So
 CE-G4 – Pre-Board 2

Module No. 1 – Geotechnical Engineering (Soil Properties)

WEIGHT – VOLUME RELATIONSHIPS RELATIONSHIPS AMONG UNIT WEIGHT, VOID

RATIO, MOISTURE CONTENT, AND SPECIFIC
GRAVITY
Gω = eS

(1 + ω)Gs γw
γ=
e+1

(Gs + Se)γw
γ=
e+1

(Gs + e)γw
γsat =
e+1
Gs γw
γd =
e+1
𝐕 = 𝐕𝐬 + 𝐕𝐯 = 𝐕𝐬 + 𝐕𝐰 + 𝐕𝐚
Gs γw
γzav =
V = total volume ωGs + 1

Vs = volume of soil solid Problem 6: (May 2015 CE Board Exam)

Vv = volume of voids Given the following properties:
specific gravity of soil solids, Gs = 2.67
Vw = volume of water void ratio, e = 0.45
Va = volume of air degree of saturation, S = 40%
Calculate the following:
𝐖 = 𝐖𝐬 + 𝐖𝐰 1. unit weight of soil
2. dry unit weight of soil
W = total weight
3. unit weight of the soil when fully saturated
Ws = weight of soil solid
Ww = weight of water Problem 7:
The net weight of soil sample before drying is 200g and its-oven
VOLUME RELATIONSHIPS dried weight is 145g. The volume of the soil before drying is
1. void ratio, e 120cm3. Specific gravity of soil is 2.69.
Vv 1. Comupte the moisture content of the soil.
e=
Vs 2. Compute the void ratio.
2. porosity, n 3. Compute the degree of saturation.
Vv e
n= n=
V e+1 Problem 8:
3. degree of saturation, S The moist unit weight of a soil is 16.45 kN/m3. Given that ω =
Vw 15% and Gs = 2.7. Determine the:
S= 1. dry unit weight
Vv
2. porosity
WEIGHT RELATIONSHIPS
3. degree of saturation
1. moisture or water content, ω
Ww
ω= Problem 9:
Ws The critical hydraulic gradient of soil sample is 1.08. If the
2. unit weight or moisture unit weight, γ specific gravity of soil sample is 2.69 and the water content is
W 15%.
γ= 1. Compute the void ratio of the soil sample.
V
3. dry unit weight, γd 2. Compute the zero air voids unit weight.
Ws
γd = 3. Compute the dry unit weight of soil.
V
𝐆𝐬 − 𝟏
𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 =
𝐞+𝟏
 CE-G4 – Pre-Board 2

Module No. 1 – Geotechnical Engineering (Soil Properties)

PARTICLE – SIZE DISTRIBUTION CURVE