Typical Values of the Coefficient of Volume Compressibility, m v (after Carter 1983)

mv
Type of clay Description (x10 m2/kN)
-3

Lower Limit Upper Limit Average

Heavy over-consolidated boulder clays, stiff Very low
0.05
weathered rocks and hard clays compressibility
Boulder clays, marls, very stiff tropical red Low
0.05 0.1 0.075
clays compressibility
Firm clays, glacial outwash clays, lake
deposits, weathered marls, firm boulder Medium
0.1 0.3 0.2
clays, normally consolidated clays at depth compressibility
and firm tropical red clays
Normally consolidated alluvial clays such as
High
estuarine and delta deposits, and sensitive 0.3 1.5 0.9
compressibility
clays
Very high
Highly organic alluvial clays and peats 1.5
compressibility

Carter, M and Bentley, S. P., Correlations of Soil Properties, Pentech Press, London, 1991.
Typical Values of Compressibility Index, C c (after Holtz and Kovacs 1981)

Cc
Soil
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Normally consolidated medium sensitive clays 0.2 0.5 0.35
Chicago silty clay (CL) 0.15 0.3 0.225
Boston blue clay (CL) 0.3 0.5 0.4
Vicksburg Buckshot clay (CH) 0.5 0.6 0.55
Swedish medium sensitive clays (CL-CH) 1 3 2
Canadian Leda clays (CL-CH) 1 4 2.5
Mexico City clay (MH) 7 10 8.5
Organic clays (OH) 4
Peats (Pt) 10 15 12.5
Organic silt and clayey silts (ML-MH) 1.5 4 2.75
San Francisco Bay Mud (CL) 0.4 1.1 0.75
San Francisco Old Bay clays (CH) 0.7 0.9 0.8
Bangkok clay (CH) 0.4

Carter, M and Bentley, S. P., Correlations of Soil Properties, Pentech Press, London, 1991.
Typical Values of the Coefficient of Consolidation, c v (after Carter and Bentley 1991)

cv
Soil 2
(m /yr) Re
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Boston blue clay (CL) 6 18 12 Ladd and Lusche
Organic silt (OH) 0.6 3 1.8 Lowe, Zaccheo,
Glacial lake clays (CL) 2 2.7 2.35 Wallace and Otto
Chicago silty clay (CL) 2.7 2.7 2.7 Terzaghi and Pec
Swedish medium sensitive clays
(CL-CH)
Holtz and Broms
1. laboratory 0.1 0.2 0.15
2. field 0.2 1 0.6
San Francisco Bay Mud (CL) 0.6 1.2 0.9
Mexico City clay (MH) 0.3 0.5 0.4 Leonards and Gi

Carter, M and Bentley, S. P., Correlations of Soil Properties, Pentech Press, London, 1991.

Comparison of cv Obtained From Various Methods (after Robinson and Allam, 1996)

Range of cv
Pressure σ' (m2/yr)
Soil
Logarithm-of- Square-root-of- Early stage log t
(kPa)
time method time method method
Red earth 25-50 1.46 1.72 1.93
50-100 2.03 2.52 2.84
100-200 2.31 3.15 3.60
200-400 2.57 3.44 3.96
400-800 2.55 3.78 4.04
Brown soil 25-50 1.20 1.40 1.71
50-100 0.95 1.19 1.20
100-200 0.90 1.07 1.11
200-400 0.66 0.70 0.86
400-800 0.41 0.46 0.43
Black cotton soil 25-50 1.60 2.07 3.07
50-100 0.97 1.16 1.51
100-200 0.63 0.79 1.09
200-400 0.36 0.50 0.64
400-800 0.18 0.20 0.25
Illite 25-50 0.52 0.71 0.79
50-100 0.42 1.00 1.05
100-200 0.69 1.00 1.15
200-400 0.99 1.45 1.62
400-800 1.31 1.84 2.03
Bentonite 25-50 0.02 0.04 0.05
 50-100 0.01 0.03 0.04
100-200 0.01 0.02 0.03
200-400 0.01 0.01 0.01
400-800 0.00 0.01 0.01
Chicago clay 12.5-50 7.92 14.35 14.51
25-50 6.34 7.54 9.93
50-100 4.32 5.49 6.37
100-200 1.00 1.49 1.57
200-400 1.44 1.39 1.55
400-800 1.91 2.03 2.34
800-1600 2.24 2.72 2.87

Das, Braja M., Principles of Geotechnical Engineering , Fifth Ed., Thomas Learning, United States, 2002.
eference

er, 1965
and Feldman, 1964
o, 1964
ck, 1967

s, 1972

irault, 1961

Reference
Taylor, 1948
Typical Values of Cα/Cc (after Carter and Bentley 1991)

Cα/Cc
Soil
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Organic silts 0.035 0.06 0.0475
Amorphous and fibrous peat 0.035 0.085 0.06
Canadian muskeg 0.09 0.1 0.095
Leda clay (Canada) 0.03 0.06 0.045
Post-glacial Swedish clay 0.05 0.07 0.06
Soft blue clay (Victoria, B.C.) 0.026 0.026 0.026
Organic clays and silts 0.04 0.06 0.05
Sensitive clay, Portland, ME 0.025 0.055 0.04
San Francisco Bay Mud 0.04 0.06 0.05
New Liskeard (Canada) varved clay 0.03 0.06 0.045
Mexico City clay 0.03 0.035 0.0325
Hudson River silt 0.03 0.06 0.045
New Haven organic clay silt 0.04 0.075 0.0575

Carter, M and Bentley, S. P., Correlations of Soil Properties , Pentech Press, London, 1991.
Typical Values of Unit Weights (γ sat and γdry) (after Carter and Bentley 1991)

γsat γdry
3
Soil (kN/m ) (kN/m3)
Lower Upper Lower Upper
Average Average
Limit Limit Limit Limit
Sands and gravels
very loose 16.67 17.65 17.16 12.75 13.73 13.24
loose 17.65 18.63 18.14 13.73 14.71 14.22
medium dense 18.63 20.59 19.61 14.71 17.65 16.18
dense 19.61 21.57 20.59 16.67 19.61 18.14
very dense 21.57 22.56 22.06 19.61 21.57 20.59
Poorly-graded sands 16.67 18.63 17.65 12.75 14.71 13.73
Well-graded sands 17.65 22.56 20.10 13.73 21.57 17.65
well-graded sand/gravel mixtures 18.63 22.56 20.59 14.71 21.57 18.14
Clays
unconsolidated muds 15.69 16.67 16.18 8.83 10.79 9.81
soft, open-structured 16.67 18.63 17.65 10.79 13.73 12.26
typical, normally consolidated 17.65 21.57 19.61 12.75 18.63 15.69
boulder clays (overconsolidated) 19.61 23.54 21.57 16.67 21.57 19.12
Red tropical soils 16.67 20.59 18.63 12.75 17.65 15.20

Carter, M and Bentley, S. P., Correlations of Soil Properties, Pentech Press, London, 1991.
Representative Values of Modulus of Elasticity of Soil, Es (Das, 2002)

Es
Soil (kPa)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Soft clay 1800 3500 2650
Hard clay 6000 14000 10000
Loose sand 10000 28000 19000
Dense sand 35000 70000 52500

Range of Values: Modulus of Elasticity, E (McCarthy, 1998)

Es
Soil (kPa)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Sand, loose 9000 25000 17000
Sand, dense 45000 80000 62500
Sand, silty 7000 21000 14000
Sand and gravel, loose 45000 145000 95000
Sand and gravel, dense 90000 180000 135000
Silt 2400 20000 11200
Loess 15000 50000 32500
Clay, soft 500 5000 2750
Clay, medium 4000 10000 7000
Clay, firm 7000 20000 13500
Clay, sandy 25000 40000 32500
Representative Values of Poisson's Ration, ν (Das, 2002)

ν
Soil
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Loose sand 0.2 0.4 0.3
MediumSand 0.25 0.4 0.325
Dense sand 0.3 0.45 0.375
Silty sand 0.2 0.4 0.3
Soft clay 0.15 0.25 0.2
Medium clay 0.2 0.5 0.35

Range of Values: Poisson's Ratio, ν (McCarthy, 1998)

ν
Soil
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Sand, loose 0.1 0.3 0.2
Sand, dense 0.3 0.4 0.35
Silt 0.3 0.4 0.35
Loess 0.2 0.4 0.3
Clay, saturated 0.4 0.5 0.45
Clay, partially saturated 0.3 0.4 0.35
Clay, with sand and silt 0.2 0.4 0.3
Typical Values of Undrained Shear Strength, cu (after Day, 2006)

cu
Clay (kPa)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Very soft 12
Soft 12 25 18.5
Medium 25 50 37.5
Stiff 50 100 75
Very stiff 100 200 150
Hard 200

Day, Robert W., Foundation Engineering Handbook , McGraw-Hill, New York, 2006.
Typical Values of Void Ratio, e (after Lambe and Whitman, 1969)

e
Soil
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Compacted caliche 0.227 0.667 0.447
Silty sand 0.242 0.333 0.2875
Sandy clay 0.379 1.303 0.841
Beach sand 0.636 0.833 0.7345
Compacted Boston blue clay 0.485 0.652 0.5685
Vicksburg buckshot clay 0.576 0.985 0.7805
Ottawa sand 0.591 0.636 0.6135
Sand-Franklin Falls 0.75 0.848 0.799
Sand-Scituate 0.485 0.621 0.553
Sand-Plum Island 0.652 0.697 0.6745
Sand-Fort Peck 0.561 0.606 0.5835
Silt-Boston 0.742 3.97 2.356
Loess 0.652 0.764 0.708
Lean clay 0.394 0.53 0.462
Sand-Union Falls 0.439 0.645 0.542
Silt-North Carolina 0.636 0.879 0.7575
Sand from dike 0.652 1.152 0.902
Sodium-Boston blue clay 0.47 2.697 1.5835
Calcium kaolinite 1.212 1.682 1.447
Sodium montmorillonite 2.333 3.97 3.1515
Sand (dam filter) 0.455 0.773 0.614

Day, Robert W., Foundation Engineering Handbook , McGraw-Hill, New York, 2006.
Typical Values of Permeability, k (after Lambe and Whitman, 1969)

k
Soil (cm/s)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Compacted caliche 5.0E-09 1.0E-07 5.3E-08
Silty sand 7.0E-09 3.0E-08 1.9E-08
Sandy clay 2.5E-10 2.8E-04 1.4E-04
Beach sand 8.0E-02 2.0E-01 1.4E-01
Compacted Boston blue clay 3.5E-09 3.2E-08 1.8E-08
Vicksburg buckshot clay 3.0E-10 1.2E-09 7.5E-10
Ottawa sand 6.0E-10 7.0E-10 6.5E-10
Sand-Franklin Falls 9.0E-04 1.2E-03 1.1E-03
Sand-Scituate 4.0E-03 9.5E-03 6.8E-03
Sand-Plum Island 1.8E-02 2.8E-02 2.3E-02
Sand-Fort Peck 1.8E-03 2.8E-03 2.3E-03
Silt-Boston 1.0E-08 2.0E-06 1.0E-06
Loess 4.0E-09 5.2E-09 4.6E-09
Lean clay 2.0E-09 2.8E-08 1.5E-08
Sand-Union Falls 4.3E-02 1.0E-01 7.2E-02
Silt-North Carolina 5.7E-07 8.0E-05 4.0E-05
Sand from dike 1.4E-04 1.7E-03 9.2E-04
Sodium-Boston blue clay 1.7E-10 1.0E-07 5.0E-08
Calcium kaolinite 2.1E-06 1.2E-05 7.1E-06
Sodium montmorillonite 1.8E-08 1.8E-08 1.8E-08
Sand (dam filter) 1.6E-03 1.0E-01 5.1E-02

Day, Robert W., Foundation Engineering Handbook , McGraw-Hill, New York, 2006.

Typical Values of Permeability, k

k
Soil (cm/s)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Clean gravel 1.0E+00 1.0E+00
Gravel, clean coarse sand 1.0E-01 1.0E+00 5.5E-01
Graded sand, fine sand 1.0E-03 1.0E-01 5.1E-02
Silty sand, silt 1.0E-05 1.0E-03 5.1E-04
Dense silt, clayey silt 1.0E-07 1.0E-05 5.1E-06
Clay, silty clay 1.0E-07 1.0E-07 3.2E‐02

Spangler, Merlin G. and R.L. Handy, Soil Engineering , Fourth Edition, Harper & Row Publishers, New Y

Typical Values of Permeability, k

 k
Soil (cm/s)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
River deposits
Rhone at Genissiat 4.00E-01
Small streams, eastern Alps 2.00E-02 1.60E-01 9.00E-02
Missouri 2.00E-02 2.00E-01 1.10E-01
Mississippi 2.00E-02 1.20E-01 7.00E-02
Glacial deposits
Outwash plains 5.00E-02 2.00E+00 1.03E+00
Esker, Westfiels, Mass. 1.00E-02 1.30E-01 7.00E-02
Delta, Chicopee, Mass. 1.00E-04 1.50E-02 7.55E-03
Till 1.00E-04
Wind deposits
Dune sand 1.00E-01 3.00E-01 2.00E-01
Loess 1.00E-03
Loess loam 1.00E-04
Lacustrine and marine offshore
deposits
Very fine uniform sand 1.00E-04 6.40E-03 3.25E-03
Bull's liver, Sixth Ave. N.Y. 1.00E-04 5.00E-03 2.55E-03
Bull's liver, Brooklyn 1.00E-05 1.00E-04 5.50E-05
Clay 1.00E-07

Lambe, T. William, and Whitman, Robert V., Soil Mechanics, SI version , Wiley, New York, 1969.

Typical Values of Permeability, k

k
Soil (cm/s)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Clean gravel 1.0E+00 1.0E+01 5.5E+00
Clean sand, sand and gravel
1.0E-03 1.0E+00 5.0E-01
mixtures
Fine sands, silts 1.0E-05 1.0E-03 5.1E-04
Sand-silt-clay mistures, glacial tills 1.0E-07 1.0E-04 5.0E-05
Homogeneous clays 1.0E-07

McCarthy, David F., Essentials of Soil Mechanics and Foundations: Basic Geotechnics , Fifth Edition, Prentice H
York, 1982.
Hall, 1998.