1. A dry soil is placed in a container having a volume of 0.0089 cm3.

The dry weight of the

sample is 0.014 grams. Water is carefully added to the container so as not to disturbed the
condition of the soil. When the container is filled, the combined weight of soil plus water is 0.0174
grams. Find the following: (+10 pts)

a) void ratio
b) porosity
c) water content
d) specific gravity
e) saturated unit weight in kN/m3
f) effective unit weight in kN/m3
g) dry unit weight in kN/m3
a) void ratio (e)
M w  = 0.0174 g  − 0.014 g b) porosity (n)
e= = n=

= = n=

= n = 0.38
=
n = 38%
= m 3 m3
c) water content (ω)
e= ω = × 100
=
= e= ω = × 100
=
= e = 0.62 ω = 24.28%
d) specific gravity () f) effective unit wt. in kN/m3
= = () other way

=
=
= () =
= =
=
=
g) dry unit wt. in kN/m3
= () other way

e) saturated unit wt. in kN/m3 = ()

= () = ()
= ()
= () =
=
=
2. Determine the weight of water in kN that must be added to a cubic meter of soil to attain a
95% degree of saturation, if the dry unit wt. is 17.5 kN/m3, its moisture content is 5%, the specific
gravity is 2.65. (+10 pts)

Given: = () =
S = 95%
=
= 17.5 kN/m3 = ()
ω = 5% =
= ()
= 2.65
= = 18.38 kN

ω= =
18.38 =
0.05 =
= 18.38
= 18.38
= 0.88
weight of water initially = 17.7 kN
 = ω= ω=

ω= =
=
weight of water
ω= = at 95% degree
=
of saturation

= So, weight of water needed to be added is

= 2.98 kN – 0.88 kN = 2.1 kN

= degree of saturation initially
3. Show that at saturation = () substitute for
the water content is:
= ()
= =
= ()

Starting from = = ()
=
= ()
=
= () () substitute n for
the degree of saturation for saturated
sample is S = 1
= n ()
=
= n ()

n n
 ϒ sat   =  1 + ω
n ω ( - n) = n
ϒ sat   = 1 
+ 1 ( - n) = n
n ω
-n -n
=
(n) × + 1 × (n)
=
n ω
+(nωϒ w)
n ω
= n+ n

- n= n