CE 150: Geotechnical

Engineering 1 (Soil Mechanics)

ENGR. ALJON G. LANGUING

INSTRUCTOR
LESSON 2:
THE WEIGHT-VOLUME
RELATIONSHIP IN SOILS
(CONCEPT)
CONTENT:
A. BASIC SOIL PROPERTIES
B. VOLUME RELATIONSHIPS
C. WEIGHT RELATIONSHIPS
D. RELATIONSHIPS AMONG UNIT WEIGHT, VOID RATIO, MOISTURE CONTENT,
AND SPECIFIC GRAVITY
E. RELATIONSHIPS AMONG UNIT WEIGHT, POROSITY AND MOISTURE CONTENT,
 The total volume of a given soil sample can be
expressed as:
V = Vs + Vv
V = Vs + Vw + Va (eq.1)
where, Vs = Volume of Soil Solids
Vv = Volume of Voids
Vw = Volume of Water in the Voids
Va = Volume of Air in the Voids
Assuming that the weight of the air is
negligible, we can express the total weight of the
sample as:
W = Ws + Ww (eq.2)
where, Ws = weight of Soil Solids
Ww = Weight of Water
 VOLUME RELATIONSHIPS
The Volume relationships commonly used for the three phases in a soil element
are:
a. Void Ratio (e) – is defined as the ratio of the volume of voids to the volume of solids.
Thus,
e= (eq.3)
b. Porosity (n) – is defined as the ratio of the volume of voids to the total volume, or
n= (eq.4)
c. Degree of Saturation (S) – is defined as the ratio of the volume of water to the volume
of voids, or:
S= (eq.5)
It is commonly expressed as a percentage.
 VOID RATIO - POROSITY RELATIONSHIPS
The relationship between void ratio and porosity can be derived from equations 1, 3
and 4 as follows:
V = Vs + Vv (eq.1)
e= (eq.3) (eq.6)
n= (eq.4)

Also from equation 6.

 WEIGHT RELATIONSHIPS
The common terms used for weight relationships are:
a. Moisture Content () - is also referred to as water content and is defined as the ratio of
the weight of water to the weight of solids in a given volume of soil:
= (eq.8)
b. Unit Weight () – is the weight of soil per unit volume . Thus : = (eq.9)
 UNIT WEIGHT IN TERMS OF Ws, V and
The unit weight can also be expressed in terms of the weight of soil solids, the
moisture content, and the total volume. From equations 2, 8, and 9,
 UNIT WEIGHT IN TERMS OF Ws, V and
W = Ws + Ww (eq.2)
= (eq.8) (eq.10)
= (eq.9)
Soil engineers sometimes refer to the unit weight defined by eq.9 as the moist unit
weight.
a. Dry Unit Weight – often, to solve earthwork problems, one must know the weight
per unit volume of soil, excluding water. This weight is referred to as the dry unit weight
Thus,
(eq.11)
From equations 10 and 11, the relationship of unit weight, dry unit weight, and moisture
content can be given as:
= (eq.10) = (1 + ) = (eq.12)
 Density and Dry Density  Unit Weight in terms of Density
= (eq.13)
The unit weight in kN/m3 can be
And, = (eq.14)
obtained from densities in kg/m3 as :
Where ; (kN/m3) =
And
(kN/m3) =
M = Total Mass of the soil sample (kg) Where; g = acceleration due to gravity
Ms = Mass of soil solids in the sample (kg) = 9.81 m/s2
The unit of total volume, V is m3 . Note: Unit Weight and density of water:
 Relationships Among Unit Weight, Void Ratio,
Moisture Content and Specific Gravity
Specific Gravity is defined as the ratio of the
unit weight of a given material (i.e. soil) to the unit
weight of water.
(eq.15a)
Specific gravity of soil solids () can be
expressed as:
(eq.15b)

 Unit Weight in Terms of e, and

To obtain a relationship among unit weight (or density), void ratio, and moisture
content, from e = , let = 1 so that e = .
 Unit Weight in Terms of e, and
The weights of soil solids and water can be given
as:
(eq.15b)
=
=
Where;
 Now, using the definitions of unit weight and dry unit weight [eqs. 9 and 11]
we can write:
= (eq.9) =
(eq.11) =
= = (eq.16)
And
(eq.17)
Or
(eq.18)
 Derivation of Se =
Because the weight of water for the soil element under consideration is , the
volume occupied by water is:

Hence, from the definition of degree of saturation (eq.5):

Or (eq.19)
This equation is useful for solving problems involving three-phase relationships.
 Saturated Unit Weight in Terms of e, and
If the soil sample is saturated that is the void
spaces are completely filled with water (Figure 3.3) –
the relationship for saturated unit weight () can be
derived in a similar manner:
=
=
=
= (eq.20)

Also, from equation 18 with S = 1.

e= (eq.21)
 As mentioned before, due to the convenience of working with densities in the SI
system, the following equations, similar to unit-weight relationships given in equations 16,
17, and 20, will be useful:
= (eq.22)
(eq.23)
(eq.24)

Where;
 Density in terms of e, and
= =
Where;

Since the mass of soil in the element is

equal to , the mass of water:

From equation 13, density: =

Equations 23 and 24 can be derived similarly.

 Relationships Among Unit Weight, Porosity
and Moisture Content
The relationship among unit weight, porosity,
and moisture content can be developed in a manner
similar to that presented in the preceding section.
Consider a soil that has a total volume equal to ne,
as shown in Figure 3.5. From equation 4,
n=
If V is equal to 1, then is equal to n. so = 1 –
n. The weight of soil solids () and the weight of water
() can be expressed as follows:

= (1- n ) (eq.25)
= = (1- n ) (eq.26)
 Dry Unit Weight in Terms of n and
So, the dry unit weight equals

(eq.27)

 Unit Weight in Terms of n, and

The moist unit weight equals
=
=
= (eq.28)
 Saturated Unit Weight in Terms of n and
Figure 3.6 shows a soil sample that is
saturated and has V = 1. According to this figure:

(eq.29)

The moisture content of a saturated soil

sample can be expressed as:
=
=
= (eq.30)
 Effective Unit weight/Submerged
Unit Weight/Buoyant Unit Weight
The effective weight per unit
volume when the soil is submerged below
standing water or below ground water
table.
 Dry Unit Weight at Zero Air Voids
The weight of soil solids per unit
volume of a saturated soil mass.
=
For zero air void, only the weight of
soil solids will be considered.
=
For saturated soil mass, S = 1:
e=
=
 Effective Unit weight/Submerged
Unit Weight/Buoyant Unit Weight
The effective weight per unit
volume when the soil is submerged below
standing water or below ground water
table.
 Dry Unit Weight at Zero Air Voids
The weight of soil solids per unit
volume of a saturated soil mass.
=
For zero air void, only the weight of
soil solids will be considered.
=
For saturated soil mass, S = 1:
e=
=
SUMMARY OF
FORMULAS:
 SAMPLE PROBLEMS
1. For a saturated soil, show that:
2. For a given soil, show that :
 SAMPLE PROBLEMS
3. The saturated unit weight and the water content in the field are found to be 18.55 kN/m 3
and 33% respectively. Determine the specific gravity of the soil solids and the field void ratio.
4. A cylindrical soil sample prepared for laboratory testing has a diameter of 71 mm, a height
of 142 mm, and weighs 10.675 x 10-3 kN. If the degree of saturation is 93% and the specific
gravity of soil solids is 2.71, determine:
a. Void Ratio
b. Water Content
c. Water Content Under Fully Saturated Condition
5. In its natural state, a moist soil has a volume of 9.34 x 10 -3 m3 and weighs 177.6 x 10-3 kN.
The oven dried weight of the soil is 153.6 x 10 -3 kN. If Gs = 2.67, calculate:
a. Moisture Content (%) d. Void Ratio
b. Moist Unit Weight(kN/m3) e. Porosity
c. Dry Unit Weight (kN/m3) f. Degree of Saturation (%)
 SAMPLE PROBLEMS
6. The mass of a moist soil sample collected from the field is 465 grams, and its oven-dry
mass is 405.76 grams. The specific gravity of the soil solids was determined in the
laboratory to be 2.68. if the void ratio of the soil in the natural state is 0.83, find the
following:
a. The moist density of the soil in the field (kg/m 3)
b. The dry density of the soil in the field (kg/m 3)
c. The mass of water, in kilograms to be added per cubic meter of soil in the field
for saturation.
7. The moist weight of 2.83 x10-3 m3 of soil is 55N. If the moisture content is 14% and
the specific gravity of soil solids is 2.71, determine the following:
a. Moist Unit Weight e. Degree of Saturation
b. Dry Unit Weight f. Volume Occupied by Water
c. Void Ratio
d. Porosity
 SAMPLE PROBLEMS
8. A soil sample has a dry unit weight of 17.1 kN/m3, a void ratio of 0.52 and water content
of 12.5%. Determine the following:
a. Specific Gravity of Soil
b. Submerged Unit Weight of Soil
c. Dry Unit Weight at Zero Air Voids