NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY HAMIRPUR

B..TECH. (2 YEAR, IV SEM.), Session: 2021-2022 (Even Semester)

CE- 223 Soil Mechanics Course Coordinator- Dr. Manendra Singh

HOME ASSIGNMENT: 01
NUMERICALS SOLUTION

1) The porosity of a soil sample is 35% and the specific gravity of its particles is 2.7.
Calculate its void ratio, dry density, saturated density and submerged density. (Ans: e =
0.54; γsat =
20.64 kN/m3; γsub = 10.83 kN/m3)

2) A sample of wet silty clay soil has a mass of 126 kg. The following data were obtained
from laboratory tests on the sample: Wet density = 2.1 g/cm 3, G = 2.7, water content, w =
15%. Determine (i) dry density, (ii) porosity, (iii) void ratio, and (iv) degree of saturation.
(Ans: Dry Density: 1826.2 kg/m3; Porosity: 32.37%; Void Ratio: 0.4786 and Degree
of Saturation: 84.6%)
3) The following data are given for a specimen of soil: M = 221gm; Ms = 128 gm, Gs = 2.7
and Sr = 75%. Determine the total volume and the porosity of the specimen. (Ans: V =
171.4 m3; n = 72.3%)
4) Dry soil with Gs = 2.71 is mixed with 16% by weight of water and compacted to produce
a cylindrical sample of 38 mm diamter and 76 mm long with 6% air content. Calculate
the mass of the mixed soil that will be required and the void ratio of the sample. (Ans: Vs
= 56.49 cm3; Vv = 29.7 cm3; V = 86.19 cm3; Ms = 153.1 gm; Mw = 24.5 gm; M =
177.6 gm).

5) Earth is required to be excavated from borrow pits for building an embankment. The wet
unit weight of undisturbed soil is 18 kN/m3 and its water content is 8%. In order to build
a 4 m high embankment with top width 2 m and side slopes 1:1, estimate the quantity of
earth required to be excavated per meter length of embankment. The dry unit weight
required in the embankment is 15 kN/m3 with a moisture content of 10%. Assume the
specific gravity of solids as 2.67. Also determine the void ratios and the degree of
saturation
of the soil in both the undisturbed and remolded states. (Ans: Volume of earth required
to be excavated per meter: 21.55 m3; Undistubed state: e = 0.56 and S = 36.9%;
Remolded state: e = 0.75 and S = 35.6%)
6) (i) A dry soil has a void ratio of 0.65 and its grain specific gravity is = 2.80. What is its
unit weight? (ii) Water is added to the sample so that its degree of saturation is 60%
without any change in void ratio. Determine the water content and unit weight. (iii) The
sample is next placed below water. Determine the true unit weight (not considering
buoyancy) if the degree of saturation is 95% and 100% respectively. (Ans: (i) Dry Soil;
γd = 16.65 kN/m3;
(ii) Partial Saturation of the Soil; γ = 18.97 kN/m3; iii) Sample below Water; γ =
20.32 kN/m3 (S= 95%) and γ = 20.51 kN/m3 (S= 100%))

7) A sample of clay taken from a natural stratum was found to be partially saturated and
when tested in the laboratory gave the following results. Compute the degree of
saturation. Specific gravity of soil particles = 2.6; wet weight of sample = 2.50 N; dry
weight of sample
= 210 N; and volume of sample = 150 cm3. (Ans: Degree of saturation = 57.8%)
8) A partially saturated soil sample from an earth fill has a natural moisture content of 20%
and bulk unit weight of 1.8 gm/cm3. The specific gravity of solids is 2.7. Determine the
degree of saturation and void ratio. If the sample gets saturated subsequently, determine
its unit weight. (Ans: e = 0.8 and S = 67.5%; γsat = 1.94 gm/cc)
9) A mass of soil coated with a thin layer of paraffin weights 485 gms when immersed in
water it dissipates 320 cc of water. The paraffin is pealed off and is found to weight 18
gms. The specific gravity of soil grain is 2.7 and that of paraffin is 0.9. Find out the void
ratio of the soil if it has got the water content of 10%. (Ans: e = 0.901).