Degree of Saturation

The amount of water that fills the pore spaces in the soil is referred to as the degree of saturation.
The ground typically contains three phases: solid soil, water, and air. The earth is entirely saturated,
and the degree of saturation is 100% if every pore or void in the soil is filled with water. It is referred
to as partially saturated if the soil’s voids are partially filled with water.

Table of Contents

 Degree of Saturation

 Significance of calculating Degree of Saturation

 Facts about Degree of Saturation

 Degree of Saturation and soil

 Conclusion

 FAQs

Significance of calculating Degree of Saturation

It’s essential to calculate the degree of saturation for the reasons listed below:

 It is important to take into account the soil’s moisture content.

 It is helpful to determine the soil’s dry density.

 It helps to determine the soil’s needed compaction rate to build roads, etc…

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Facts about Degree of Saturation

 The degree of saturation ranges from zero to one hundred per cent. The degree of saturation
is equal to 0% if the soil is entirely dry. The relationship to determine the saturation level is
provided below:

S=Vw / Vv X 100%

Here, S stands for saturation level, Vw for water volume, and Vv for voids.

 Instead of being directly calculated by laboratory testing of the soil, the soil saturation level is
determined from the field. Water content, specific gravity, and void ratio are used to
calculate it indirectly.

As expressed below, there is a relationship between saturation, moisture content, and void ratio: Sr =
wGs / e

When there is no saturation, dry unit weight is utilised to calculate the total stress. Bulk unit weight
is utilised when it is between 0 and 100%. The calculation uses saturated unit weight when the value
reaches 100%.
Degree of Saturation and soil

A soil mass, in general, is composed of three kinds of matter: Solids, liquids, and gaseous.

 Solids can be made of organic materials, minerals, or both. These solids, which can come in a
variety of sizes and shapes, can fill in voids. These open areas are known as pores or voids.

 The ratios of solids, water, and air in a soil mass affect the physical characteristics of the
mass. And we should properly examine the earth, particularly its physical characteristics,
before erecting any construction on it.

 A few basic phrases that are widely used in soil engineering must be learned in order to
determine these physical characteristics of soil.

 The amount of space filled with water in the soil sample can be used to calculate the degree
of saturation. The term “totally saturated soil” refers to a soil that has all of its pores or voids
filled with water. Soil is referred to as dry if there is no water in the area. And if some of this
vacant space is filled, the soil sample is referred to as a partially saturated soil sample.

The soil samples in the illustration are all examples of soils that are just slightly saturated. Different
amounts of water are present in each of these soils.

 We can see that a definition of the phrase “Degree of Saturation” is necessary to distinguish
between various soil conditions and to determine how much partially saturated soil is
saturated.

 We can picture the various components as having their own spaces. Volumes of the water,
air, and solids in the soil mass are denoted by the letters Vs, Vw, and Va, respectively.

Phase diagrams illustrate the different phases of a soil mass that have been separated. The volume of
water to the importance of voids in the soil sample determines the degree of saturation. The degree
of saturation is occasionally expressed as a percentage and occasionally not.

Since the Degree of Saturation measures the volume of voids filled with water, it is 0 when there is
no water in the soil because the value of Vw in the equation is zero.

Similarly, when all pores are filled with water, the volume of voids equals the volume of water
existing in the soil, therefore in the equation, this ratio’s value becomes 1, and the degree of
saturation equals 100% or just one if it isn’t expressed as a percentage.

 The permeability of the soil mass is also impacted by its saturation. The soil may have some
voids with trapped air if it is only partially moist. These trapped air pockets could obstruct
the flow channel, lowering the soil’s permeability. However, there won’t be such obstruction
if the soil is thoroughly wet.

As a result, it can be said that partially saturated soil has a lower permeability than thoroughly
waterlogged soil.

Conclusion

The degree of saturation, which determines the actual relationship between the weight of moisture
present in a space and the weight that would exist if the space were saturated, is the most significant
factor in the design of houses.
There are a lot of dynamic compressors for air. The air’s density, which fluctuates with water
capacity, affects how well they work. The practical use of partial forces in contraction crises primarily
depends on determining the blended volumes or poundages to be controlled at the input of each
compression stage, as well as the molecular weightage of the mixture, exact gravity, and the
proportional or exact weight of ingredients.