Objectives

To compute the masses (or weights) and volumes of the three

different phases.

Va air Ma=0
Notation Vv
M = mass or weight
Vw water Mw
V = volume
s = soil grains Vt Mt

w = water
a = air Vs soil
Ms
v = voids
t = total
Phase Diagram 2
 Definitions
Water content (w) is a measure of the water present in the soil.

Va Ma=0
MW air

w  X 100% Vv

M S Vw water Mw

Vt Mt
Expressed as percentage.

Range = 0 – 100+%. Vs soil

Ms

Phase Diagram 3
Definitions
Void ratio (e) is a measure of the void volume.

Va Ma=0
VV air

e  Vv

VS Vw water Mw

Vt Mt

Vs soil
Ms

Phase Diagram 4
 Definitions
Porosity (n) is also a measure of the void volume, expressed as a
percentage.

Va Ma=0
VV air

n  X 100% Vv

VT Vw water Mw

Vt Mt

Theoretical range: 0 – 100% soil

Vs Ms

Phase Diagram 5
 Definitions
Degree of saturation (S) is the percentage of the void
volume filled by water.
Va Ma=0
VW air

S  X 100% Vv

VV Vw water Mw

Vt Mt

Range: 0 – 100%
Vs soil
Ms
Dry
Saturated

Phase Diagram 6
A Simple Example
In this illustration,

e=1 air

n = 50% water

S = 50% soil

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 Definitions
Bulk density (m) is the density of the soil in the
current state.
MT
m  Va air Ma=0

VT Vv
Vw water Mw
Units: t/m3, g/ml, kg/m3 Vt Mt

Vs soil
Ms

Phase Diagram 8
Definitions
Saturated density (sat) is the density of the soil when
the voids are filled with water.

Submerged density (’) is the effective density

of the soil when it is submerged.
’ = sat - w

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 Definitions
Dry density (d) is the density of the soil in dry state.

M S
d  Va air Ma=0

VT Vv
Vw water Mw
Units: t/m3, g/ml, kg/m3 Vt Mt

Vs soil
Ms

Phase Diagram 10
 Definitions
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

varies between 2.6 and 2.8.

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 Phase Relations
Consider a fraction of the soil where Vs = 1.

The other volumes can

be obtained from the air

previous definitions. e
Se water Sew
The masses can be
obtained from:
Mass = Density x Volume
1 soil
Gsw

volumes masses
Phase Diagram
 Phase Relations
From the previous definitions,

MW Se
w  
M S GS
air

VV e e
n   Se
1 e
water Sew
VT

1 soil
Gsw

Phase Diagram
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 Phase Relations

MT G S  Se
m   W
VT 1 e
air

MT GS  e e
 sat   W Se water Sew
VT 1 e

M S GS
d W
soil
  1 Gsw

VT 1 e
Phase Diagram
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• Try not 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.
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A Suggestion..

If you can remember one thing in phase relations, that should be ..

air
e
Se water Sew

1 soil Gsw

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 Testing Times…
State whether the following are true or false?
(a) Dry density is greater than submerged density True
(b) In unsaturated soils, water content is always less False
than 100%.
(c) Larger the void ratio, larger the porosity. True

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