Section 1.

6
Supplementary Notes on
Solid-Water-Air
Phase Relationships Calculations

1.6-1
1.1-1
 The Three Phases of Soil
• Soil is generally a three-phase material
• Contains solid particles and voids
• Voids can contain liquid and gas phases
actual idealized

air
Va
Solid
Vw
water
Water

solid
Air Vs

Notation:
Phase Volume Mass Weight

Air Va 0 0
Water Vw Mw Ww
Solid Vs Ms Ws
1.6-2
 The Idealized Phase Representations
The idealized phase diagram representations for a partially
saturated, fully saturated and dry soil are shown below.

1.6-3
 Introduction to Phase Relationships
Phase relationships are used to compute the masses
(or weights) and volumes of the three different phases.
The common notations for phase calculations are given
below:

Notation
Va air Ma=0
M = mass or weight Vv
V = volume Vw water Mw
s = soil grains
w = water Vt Mt
a = air
v = voids soil
t = total Vs Ms

Phase Diagram
1.6-4
 Phase Relationships : Water Content
Water content (w) is a measure of the water present
in the soil. It is defined as the ratio of the mass of
water (Mw) to the mass of solids (Ms).

Va air Ma=0
Vv
MW
w= x 100% Vw water Mw
MS Vt Mt

Vs soil Ms

Phase Diagram
1.6-5
 Phase Relationships : Void Ratio

Void ratio (e) is a measure of the void volume.

Va air Ma=0
Vv
VV
e= Vw water Mw
VS Vt Mt

Vs soil Ms

Phase Diagram
1.6-6
 Phase Relationships : Porosity
Porosity (n) is also a measure of the void volume,
expressed as a percentage.

Va air Ma=0
Vv
Vw water Mw
Vv
n = x 100% Vt Mt
Vt
Vs soil Ms

Phase Diagram
1.6-7
 Phase Relationships : Degree of Saturation
Degree of saturation (S) is the percentage of
the void volume filled by water.

Va air Ma=0
Vw Vv
S= x 100 % Vw
Vv water Mw
Vt Mt

0 – 100%
Range = _________
Vs soil Ms
Dry
Saturated
Phase Diagram
1.6-8
 Class Practice 1 on Phase Relationships
Given the phase diagram shown below, what is
the (a) void ratio e, (b) porosity n and (c) degree
of saturation S?

Va air
e = __
Vw = Va water
n = _____

S = _____ Vs = Vw + Va soil

Phase Diagram
1.6-9
 Class Practice 1 on Phase Relationships
Given the phase diagram shown below, what is
the (a) void ratio e, (b) porosity n and (c) degree
of saturation S?

Va air
e = __
1
Vw = Va water
n = _____
0.5

S = _____
0.5 Vs = Vw + Va soil

Phase Diagram
1.6-10
 Phase Relationships : Bulk Density
Bulk density (bulk) is the density of the soil in the
current state. (Can be dry, saturated or partially
saturated.)
Va air Ma=0
Mt
bulk = Vv
Vt Vw water Mw
Vt Mt
Ms + M w
=
Vs + Vw + Va Vs soil Ms

Units: t/m3, g/ml, kg/m3

Phase Diagram
1.6-11
 Phase Relationships : Saturated Density
Saturated density (sat) is the density of the soil
when the voids are fully filled with water. (Va= Ma= 0)

Mt
 sat =
Vt Vv Vw water Mw

Mt
Ms + M w Vt
=
Vs + Vw Vs soil Ms

Units: t/m3, g/ml, kg/m3

Phase Diagram
1.6-12
Phase Relationships : Saturated and Submerged Density

Saturated density (sat) is the density of the

soil when the voids are filled with water.

Submerged density (’) or effective density (eff)

is the effective density of the soil when it is
submerged.
w
’ = eff = sat - __

w is the _______________
where ___ density of water.

1.6-13
 Phase Relationships : Dry Density

Dry density (d) is the density of the soil in

dry state. (Vw = Mw = 0)

Mt
d = Vv Va air Ma=0
Vt
Vt Mt
MS
=
Vs + Va Vs soil Ms

Units: t/m3, g/ml, kg/m3

Phase Diagram
1.6-14
Phase Relationships : Bulk, Saturated, Dry and
Submerged Unit Weights
Bulk, saturated, dry and submerged unit weights
() are defined in a similar manner.

Here, use weight (kN) instead of mass (kg).

 = g

N/m3 kg/m3 m/s2

Specific gravity of the soil grains (Gs) typically

2.6 and ____.
varies between ____ 2.8
1.6-15
 Phase Relationships for Unit Volume of Solids Vs = 1

Consider a fraction of the soil where Vs = 1.

The other volumes

can be obtained from air
the previous e
definitions. Se water Sew

The masses can be

obtained from: 1 soil G s w
Mass = Density x Volume

volumes masses
Phase Diagram
1.6-16
 Phase Relationships for Unit Volume of Solids Vs = 1

From the previous definitions,

water content
MW Se air
w= = e
MS GS Se water Sew

porosity
1 soil G s w
VV e
n= =
Vt 1+ e
volumes masses
Phase Diagram
1.6-17
 Phase Relationships for Unit Volume of Solids Vs = 1

Bulk Density (most general formula)

Mt GS + Se
bulk = = W
Vt 1+ e
air
Saturated Density e
Mt GS + e Se water Sew
 sat = = W
Vt 1+ e

Dry Density 1 soil G s w

MS GS
d = = W
Vt 1+ e
volumes masses
Phase Diagram
1.6-18
Phase Relationships for Unit Volume of Solids Vs = 1

➢ You do not have to memorise the equations.

➢ Understand the definitions, and develop the

relations from the phase diagram with VS = 1;

➢ Assume GS (2.6 - 2.8) when not given;

➢ Do not mix densities and unit weights;

➢ Soil grains are incompressible. Their mass

and volume remain the same at any void ratio.

1.6-19
Phase Relationships for Unit Volume of Solids Vs = 1

If there is one figure/chart that you

should remember, it is

air
e
Se water Sew

1 soil G s w

volumes masses
Phase Diagram
1.6-20
 Class Practice 2 on Phase Relationships
Given total volume (Vt), total weight (Wt) and water content (w)
Find (a) the weight of the solids (Ws) and
(b) the dry unit weight (d)
in terms of Vt , Wt and w.

1.6-21
 Class Practice 2 on Phase Relationships
Given total volume (Vt), total weight (Wt) and water content (w)
Find (a) the weight of the solids (Ws) and
(b) the dry unit weight (d)
in terms of Vt , Wt and w.

Ww Wt − Ws
(a) w= =
air Ws Ws
e
Se water Sew  Ws (1 + w ) = Wt

Wt
 Ws =
1 soil Gsw
(1 + w )

Ws Wt
(b) d = =
volumes masses Vt (1 + w )Vt
Phase Diagram 1.6-22
 Class Practice 3 on Phase Relationships
Working in the lab, you start off with 10 kg of soil. You determine
the initial water content to be 3%. You need to get it to 8%. How
much water should you add?

1.6-23
 Class Practice 3 on Phase Relationships
Working in the lab, you start off with 10 kg of soil. You determine
the initial water content to be 3%. You need to get it to 8%. How
much water should you add?
Mt = 10 kg
Mw Mw
w= =
air Ms Mt − Mw
e
 (Mt − Mw )w = Mw
Se water Sew
w 0.03
 Mw = Mt = 10 = 0.291 kg
(1 + w ) (1 + 0.03)
1 soil Gsw
Ms = Mt − Mw = 10 − 0.291 = 9.709 kg
volumes masses For w = 8% = 0.08
Phase Diagram M
w = w Note: Ms remains unchanged
Ms
Mw = w Ms = 0.08 * 9.709 = 0.777 kg

Amount of water to add = 0.777 kg – 0.291 kg = 0.486 kg 1.6-24

 Class Practice 4 on Phase Relationships
A saturated clay has a porosity of 30% and a Gs of 2.70. The volume of
the solids is 1 m3. Find (a) the void ratio e, (b) the water content w, (c)
the weight of solids Ws, (d) the weight of water Ww, (e) the total weight
Wt , (f) the bulk unit weight bulk and (g) the dry unit weight dry .

1.6-25
 Class Practice 4 on Phase Relationships
A saturated clay has a porosity of 30% and a Gs of 2.70. The volume of
the solids is 1 m3. Find (a) the void ratio e, (b) the water content w, (c)
the weight of solids Ws, (d) the weight of water Ww, (e) the total weight
Wt , (f) the bulk unit weight bulk and (g) the dry unit weight dry .
e n 0.3
(a) n =  e = = = 0.43
n = 0.3 Gs = 2.70 1+ e 1 − n 1 − 0.3
Vs = 1 m3 Se 1 x 0.43
(b) w = = = 0.16 = 16%
Gs 2.7
air (c) Ws =  s Vs g = Gs w Vs g = Gs  w Vs
e
Se water Sew = 2.7 x 9.8 kN/m3 x 1 m3 = 26.5 kN
(d) Ww = wWs = 0.16 x 26.5 kN = 4.24 kN
1 soil Gsw (e) Wt = Ws + Ww = ( 1 + w ) Ws = 30.7 kN
Wt Wt 30.7
volumes masses (f)  bulk = Vt
= =
(1 + e)Vs (1 + 0.43)x1
= 21.5 kN
Phase Diagram
Wd Gs  w 2.7 x 9.8
(g)  dry = V
=
(1 + e)V
=
1.43
= 18.5 kN/m3
1.6-26