Civil Engineering November 2020 Review Innovations Geotechnical Engineering 1

Properties of Soil 9.Air content = n(1 – S) Dr = 1/γd min – 1/γd x 100%

1/γd min – 1/γd max
1. Void ratio (e) = Volume of void 10. Air void ratio = 1 - S
Volume of solid 14.Relative/Percent compaction
e = Vv 11. Bulk specific gravity (Gm)
Vs Gm = γm / γw (R) R = _γd_ x 100%
γd max
2.Porosity (n) = = Volume of void 12.Critical hydraulic gradient (i)
Volume of soil 15. Effective grain size (D10)
n = Vv i = γ’ / γw = G - 1
V 1+e 16. Coefficient of uniformity (Cu)

3.Water content (w) = Weight of water Relationship: Cu = D60

or Moisture content Weight of solid D10
a. n= e
w = Ww = Wm – Wd 1+e 17. Coefficient of gyration / curvature (Cc)
Ws Wd
b. Gsw = eS Cc = D302
4.Degree of saturation(S) = Volume of water D10 x D60
Volume of void c. γm = Gs + Gsw (γw)
S = Vw 1+e 18. Average grain size (D50)
Vv
d. γm = Gs + eS (γw) 19.
Sorting coefficient (So)
1+e D75
5. Moist/Bulk unit weight (γm) . S =√
γm = Wm 0 D25

V e. γsat = Gs + e (γw)
1+e 20. Suitability number (Sn)
6. Saturated unit weight (γsat)
3
f. γ' = Gs - 1 (γw) Sn = 1.7 1 1
γsat = Wsat 1+e √D502 + D202 + D102
V
V g. γd = Gs (γw) = _γm_ 1 + e 1
7. Submerged/Buoyant unit weight +w

(γ’) γ’ = γsat - γw 13. Relative density or Density index (Dr) Dr =

8.Dry unit weight (γd) _emax – e x 100%

emax – emin
γd = Wd

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Civil Engineering November 2020 Review Innovations Geotechnical Engineering 1
21.Group index (GI)

GI = (F200-35)(0.005LL)+0.01(F200-
15)(PI -10)

22. Liquid limit (LL) – water

content correspond to 25 blows or 20
mm penetration of cone.

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Civil Engineering November 2020 Review Innovations Geotechnical Engineering 1
23. Plastic limit (PL) – water content Suitability number:
wherein a soil starts to crumble when rolled
into 1/8 in. Ф thread. Sn Rating
0-10 Excellent
24. Shrinkage limit (SL)
10-20 Good
𝑚1−𝑚2 𝑉1−𝑉2 20-30 Fair
𝑆𝐿 = [ − ] 𝑥100%
𝑚2 𝑚2 30-50 Poor

SL = 100e Liquidity index:

Gs

25. Shrinkage ratio

(SR)

SR = _ m2
V2ρw

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Civil Engineering November 2020 Review Innovations Geotechnical Engineering 1
LI Rating
LI<0 Brittle solid
0<LI<1 Plastic
LI>1 Liquid

26. Specific gravity of solid (Gs)

G= 1
1/SR – SL/100

27.Plasticity index (PI) = LL – PL

28. Liquidity index (LI) = _w - PL_

LL - PL

39. Consistency index (CI) = _LL – w_

LL - PL

40. Activity of clay or Activity classification (Ac)

Ac =
PI
% Clay

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Civil Engineering November 2020 Review Innovations Geotechnical Engineering 1
Properties of Soil: Situation 4
The moist unit weight of sample of soil is 17.43
Situation 1
kN/m3. It has a specific gravity of solid of 2.65
The sample of soil weighing 30.6 kg had a
and water content of 16%. The sample has a void
volume of 0.0183m3. The sample is allowed to
ratio of 0.88 in the loosest condition and 0.36 in
dry in an oven and the weight was reduced to
the densest condition.
27.2 kg. The specific gravity of the solids was
1. Compute the density index
found to be 2.65. Determine the following:
2. If the dry unit weight at optimum water
1. Moist unit weight of soil in kN/m3
content was 19.12 kN/m3, what is the minimum
2. Dry unit weight of soil in kN/m3
dry unit
3. Moisture content
4. Void ratio
5. Porosity
Problems for Practice:
6. Degree of saturation
Situation 5
Situation 2 A saturated soil has a unit weight of 18.85
The soil sample in natural state having a volume KN/m3 and water content of 32%. Determine the
of 0.0012 m3 weighs 1.73 kg. The degree of following:
saturation being 61.6%. After drying in an oven 1. Specific gravity of solid (2.725)
the final weight of sample was 1.44 kg. 2. Porosity (0.872)
Determine the following: 3. Submerged unit weight (9.04)
1. Specific gravity of solid
2. Void ratio Situation 6
3. Critical hydraulic gradient The relative compaction of sand in the field is
94%. The maximum and minimum dry unit
Situation 3 weights of the sand are 16.2 kN/m 3 and 14.9
The moist soil having a volume of 0.0154m 3 has
kN/m3 respectively. For the field condition
a unit weight of 16.5KN/m3 and a moisture
determine the following:
content of 15%. If the specific gravity of solid is
1. Dry unit weight (15.23)
2.7. Determine the following:
2. Relative density of compaction (27%)
1. Degree of Saturation
3. Moist unit weight at moisture content of 8%
2. Volume of air in the original sample
(16.45)
3. Weight of water to be added to reach full
saturation

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