CEC502: Geotechnical Engineering I

Module 1: Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering, Basic

Definitions & Relationships

Lecture 6: Module 1

Dr. Sushovan Dutta

(Email Id: sus.dmcecivil@gmail.com, Mobile: 8657425431)
Department of Civil Engineering

Datta Meghe College of Engineering

❑ Mass - Volume/ Weight – Volume relationships

Density (ρ)/ Unit weight (γ)

(a) Bulk density (ρbulk) / Bulk unit weight (γ bulk)

(b) Dry density (ρd) / Dry unit weight (γ d)

(c) Saturated density (ρsat) / Saturated unit weight (γ sat)

(d) Submerged density (ρsub) / Submerged unit weight (γ sub)

(e) Density of soil solids (ρs) / Unit weight of soil solids (γ s)

 Density (ρ) Unit Weight (γ = ρg)

System of
CGS MKS (SI) SI
units

Unit gm/cm3 kg/m3 kN/m3

9.81 kN/m3
Conversion 1 gm/cm3 1000 kg/m3
≈ 10 kN/m3
Above Water table: Bulk unit weight (If soil is dry, bulk unit weight = dry unit weight
(γd); If the soil is fully saturated, bulk unit weight = saturated unit weight (γsat))

Ground Surface

Vadose W
Partially Saturated Wet Soil  bulk =
Zone V
(3-phase Soil)
Water Table

Completely Saturated Soil

Wsat − U w
(2-phase Soil)  sub =
V
W sat = Saturated weight of soil acting downward
Uw = Buoyant/ uplift force by water acting upward
Below Water table: Submerged unit weight (γsub)

Bed Rock
 Va Gas (Air) Ma = 0 Va Gas (Air) Wa = 0
Vv Vv

Vw Liquid (Water) M w = ρwVw Vw Liquid (Water) Ww = γ wVw

Vs Solids M s = ρsVs Vs Solids Ws = γ sVs

3-phase diagram (Mass - volume) 3-phase diagram (Weight - volume)

(a) Bulk density (ρbulk) / Bulk unit weight (γbulk)

M Ms + M w W Ws + Ww
ρbulk = =  bulk = =
V V V V
- It can be defined as the total mass or weight of the soil per unit total
volume of the soil.
- Sometimes, it is also termed as wet density/ wet unit weight.
 ❑ Using Basic 3-phase Diagram and Definitions:
M Ms + M w M Ms + M w
ρbulk = = ρbulk = =
V V V V Va Gas (Air) Ma = 0
Vv
ρ s Vs + ρ w Vw M + wM s Liquid
 ρbulk =  ρbulk = s Vw M w = ρw V w
V (Water)
V
Gsρ w Vs + ρ w Vw
 ρbulk = ρ s Vs + wρ s Vs Vs Solids M s = ρs V s
V  ρbulk =
V
Vw
Gs + Gsρ w + wG sρ w
Vs  ρbulk =
 ρbulk = ρw V
Vs + Vv
Vs Vs

Gs +
Vv Vw

G ρ + eSr ρ w  Mw Vw ρ w Vv Vw ρ w eSr 
 ρbulk = s w  w = =
ρ
=  
ρ
= 
 ρbulk =
Vs Vv
ρw
Vs + Vv  M s Vs s Vs Vv s Gs 

Vv Vs
1+
Vs
Gs + eSr Gs + eSr Gs + eSr
 ρbulk = ρw  ρbulk = ρw  bulk =  w
1+ e 1+ e 1+ e
❑ Using Specific Volume Approach (Vs = 1):

e=
Vv
e=
Vv
 Vv = e V = Vs + Vv = 1 + e
Vs 1

Vw Va = Vv − Vw = e(1 − Sr )
Sr =  Vw = Vv Sr = eSr
Vv

M Ms + M w e(1-Sr) Gas (Air) Ma = 0

ρbulk = =
V V e
eSr Liquid (Water) M w = ρweSr
Gsρ w + ρ w eSr
 ρbulk =
1+ e
1 Solids M s=ρs=Gsρw

Gs + eSr
 ρbulk = ρw Specific Volume approach (Vs = 1)
1+ e 3-phase Diagram
❑ Using Unit Volume Approach (V = 1):

V =1 n=
Vv
n=
Vv
 Vv = n Vs = V − Vv = 1 − n
V 1
Vw
Sr =  Vw = Vv Sr = nSr Va = Vv − Vw = n(1− Sr )
Vv

M Ms + M w n(1-Sr) Gas (Air) Ma = 0

ρbulk = =
V V n
nSr Liquid (Water) M w = ρwnSr
(1- n)Gsρ w + ρ wnSr
 ρbulk =
1
(1–n) Solids M s= Vsρs
= (1-n)Gsρw
 ρbulk = (1- n)Gs + nSr  ρ w
Unit Volume approach (V = 1)
3-phase Diagram
(b) Dry density (ρd) / Dry unit weight (γd)
- It can be defined as the mass or weight of the soil solids per unit
total volume of the soil.

Ms Ws
ρd = d =
V V Vv = Va Gas (Air) Ma = 0

❑ Using Basic 2-phase Diagram and

Definitions:
Ms ρ s Vs G sρ w Solids
ρd =  ρd =  ρd = Vs M s = ρsVs
V V V
Vs 2- phase diagram

 ρd =
G sρ w G sρ w Gs  w
Vs + Vv
 ρd =  d =
1+ e 1+ e
Vs Sr = 0
Gs + eSr
ρbulk = ρw
1+ e
❑ Using Specific Volume Approach (Vs = 1):

Vv Vv
e= e=  Vv = e = Va V = Vs + Vv = 1 + e
Vs 1

Ms
ρd =
V e Gas (Air) Ma = 0

G sρ w
 ρd =
1+ e 1 Solids M s=ρs=Gsρw

Specific Volume approach (Vs = 1)

2-phase Diagram
❑ Using Unit Volume Approach (V = 1):

V =1 n=
Vv
n=
Vv
 Vv = n = Va
V 1
Vs = V − Vv = 1 − n
Ms
ρd = n Gas (Air)
V Ma = 0

(1- n)Gsρ w
 ρd =
1
(1–n) Solids M s= Vsρs
= (1-n)Gsρw
 ρ d = (1- n)Gsρ w
Unit Volume approach (V = 1)
Sr = 0 2-phase Diagram
 ρbulk = (1- n)Gs + nSr  ρ w
❖ Relation between bulk density, dry density and water content

M Ms + M w
ρbulk = =
V V Va Gas (Air) Ma = 0
Vv
Ms + wM s
 ρbulk = Vw Liquid (Water) M w = ρwVw
V

Ms (1 + w) Solids
 ρbulk = Vs M s = ρsVs
V

 ρbulk = ρ d (1+ w)

ρbulk  bulk
 ρd =  d =
(1 + w) (1 + w)
(c) Saturated density (ρsat) / Saturated unit weight (γsat)
- It can be defined as the total mass or weight of the soil when it is
fully saturated per unit total volume of the soil.

Msat Ms + Mw
ρ sat = =
V V
❑ Using Basic 2-phase Diagram Vv = Vw Liquid (Water) M w = ρwVv
and Definitions:
ρ s Vs + ρ w Vv
 ρ sat =
V
Solids
Vv Vs M s = ρsVs
G sρ w + ρ w
Vs
 ρ sat = 2- phase diagram
Vs + Vv
Vs

Gs + e Sr = 1
=
Gs + eSr
ρw
 ρ sat = ρw ρbulk
1+ e 1+ e
❑ Using Specific Volume Approach (Vs = 1):

Vv Vv
e= e=  Vv = e = Vw V = Vs + Vv = 1 + e
Vs 1

Msat
ρ sat =
V
M w = eρw
Ms + M w e Liquid (Water)
 ρ sat =
V
Gsρ w + eρ w
 ρ sat = 1 Solids M s=ρs=Gsρw
1+ e
Gs + e Specific Volume approach (Vs = 1)
 ρ sat = ρw 2-phase Diagram
1+ e
❑ Using Unit Volume Approach (V = 1):

V =1 n=
Vv
n=
Vv
 Vv = n = Vw
V 1
Vs = V − Vv = 1 − n

Msat n Liquid (Water) M w = nρw

ρ sat =
V
Ms + M w
 ρ sat = (1–n) Solids M s= Vsρs
= (1-n)Gsρw
V
(1- n)Gsρ w + nρ w Unit Volume approach (V = 1)
 ρ sat = 2-phase Diagram
1

 ρ sat = (1- n)Gs + n ρ w Sr = 1 ρ  

bulk = (1- n)Gs + nSr  ρ w
(d) Submerged density (ρsub) / Submerged unit weight (γ sub)

Wsat − U w
 sub =
V

Wsat − V w
 sub =
V

Wsat
Wsat
Uw
 sub = − w
V

 sub =  sat −  w

sub = sat −  w
  sub =  sat −  w  sat =
Gs + e
 w
1+ e

Gs + e
  sub =  w − w
1+ e

Gs − 1 Gs − 1
  sub =  w   sub =  w
1+ e 1+ e
(e) Density of soil solids (ρs) / Unit weight of soil solids (γ s)

Ms
s = s = G s  w
Vs

Relationships obtained:

Gs + eSr G sρ w ρbulk
ρbulk = ρw ρd =  ρd =
1+ e 1+ e (1 + w)

Gs + e Gs − 1 ρ s = G sρ w
ρ sat = ρw ρ sub = ρw
1+ e 1+ e