3.

1 Three Phases in Soils

S : Solid

Soil particle

W: Liquid
A: Air

Water (electrolytes)
Air

3.2 Three Volumetric Ratios

(1) Void ratio e (given in decimal, 0.65)
Volume of voids (Vv )
e
Volume of solids (Vs )

(2) Porosity n (given in percent 100%, 65%)

Volume of voids (Vv )
Vse
e
n
n

Total volume of soil sample (Vt )

Vs (1 e) 1 e
(3) Degree of Saturation S (given in percent 100%, 65%)
Total volume of voids contains water (Vw )
S
100%
Total volume of voids (Vv )
2

3.2.1 Engineering Applications (e)

Typical values

Engineering applications:
Simple cubic (SC), e = 0.91,

Cubic-tetrahedral (CT), e = 0.65,

Contract

Dilate

Volume change tendency

Strength
i
(Lambe and Whitman, 1979)

Link: the strength of

rock joint
Shear strength n tan( i)
3

3.2.1 Engineering Implications (e)(Cont.)

Hydraulic

conductivity

Which packing (SC or

CT) has higher hydraulic
conductivity?

SC
e = 0.91

CT
e = 0.65

The fluid (water) can flow more easily through the

soil with higher hydraulic conductivity
4

3.2.1 Engineering Applications (e)(Cont.)

Filter
SC
e = 0.91

Clogging

The finer particle cannot pass

through the void

CT
e = 0.65

Critical

state soil mechanics

5

3.3 Density and Unit Weight

Mass is a measure of a body's
inertia, or its "quantity of
matter". Mass is not changed
at different places.
Weight is force, the force of
gravity acting on a body. The
value is different at various
places (Newton's second law F
= ma) (Giancoli, 1998)
The unit weight is frequently
used than the density is (e.g. in
calculating the overburden
pressure).

Mass
Volume
Weight Mass g
Unit weight ,

Volume Volume

Density,

g : acceleration due to gravity

g 9.8 m 2
sec
Water , 9.8 kN 3
m
Gs

s s g s

w w g w

3.4 Weight Relationships

(3) Density of soil

(1)Water Content w (100%)

a. Dry density

Mass of water ( M w )
w
100%
Mass of soil solids ( M s )

Mass of soil solids(M s )

Total volume of soil sample (Vt )

b. Total, Wet, or Moist density (0%<S<100%,

Unsaturated)

For some organic soils w>100%, up to

Mass of soil sample(M s M w )
500 %

Total volume
of soil sample
c. Saturated
density (S=100%,
Va =0) ( Vt )
For quick clays, w>100%

(2)Density of water (slightly varied

with temperatures)

Mass of soil solids water (M s M w )

d.satSubmerged
(Buoyant
Totaldensity
volume
of soildensity)
sample (Vt )

w 1g / cm3 1000 kg / m3 1Mg / m3

' sat w
7

3.4 Weight Relationships (Cont.)

Submerged unit weight:
Consider the buoyant force
acting on the soil solids:

Archimedes principle:

' sat w
Ws Vs w Ws (Vt Vw ) w

(S 100%)
Vt
Vt

Ws Vt w Ww
Vt

Ws Ww Vt w
Vt

sat w

The buoyant force on a body immersed

in a fluid is equal to the weight of the
fluid displaced by that object.

3.5 Other Relationships

(1) Specific gravity

s s
Gs

w w
(2)

Proof:
S e w Gs
Vw Vv Vw
S e

Vv Vs Vs
Ms

w S e w s
S e w Gs

M w s M w
Vs Vw
w Gs

M s w M s M w
Vs
Vw