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Part 1: Geotechnical Properties and Exploration of Soil

This document provides an overview of key geotechnical properties and concepts covered in a foundation engineering course, including: 1) Grain size distribution, plasticity, soil classification systems, hydraulic conductivity, effective stress, consolidation, and shear strength parameters that influence soil behavior. 2) Methods for determining grain size distribution including sieve analysis for coarse-grained soils and hydrometer analysis for fine-grained soils. 3) Concepts of void ratio, porosity, degree of saturation, moisture content, unit weights, density, and relative density that are used to characterize soils.

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Aadolf Elÿas
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140 views

Part 1: Geotechnical Properties and Exploration of Soil

This document provides an overview of key geotechnical properties and concepts covered in a foundation engineering course, including: 1) Grain size distribution, plasticity, soil classification systems, hydraulic conductivity, effective stress, consolidation, and shear strength parameters that influence soil behavior. 2) Methods for determining grain size distribution including sieve analysis for coarse-grained soils and hydrometer analysis for fine-grained soils. 3) Concepts of void ratio, porosity, degree of saturation, moisture content, unit weights, density, and relative density that are used to characterize soils.

Uploaded by

Aadolf Elÿas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Civil Engineering Department: Foundation Engineering (ECIV 4052)

Part 1: Geotechnical Properties and Exploration of Soil

Chapter 2: Geotechnical Properties of Soil

Introduction
This chapter reviews the basic geotechnical properties of soils. It includes
topics such as:
 grain-size distribution,
 plasticity,
 soil classification,
 hydraulic conductivity,
 effective stress,
 consolidation, and
 shear strength parameters.

Grain-Size Distribution
The grain-size distribution is required to properly classify a soil. There
are two types of soil grains which are:
(1) coarse-grained soil: sieve analysis.
(2) fine-grained soil: hydrometer analysis.

Sieve Analysis
Two parameters can be determined from the grain-size distribution curves
of coarse-grained soils. These coefficients are:
(1) the uniformity coefficient, 𝐶𝑢 , and
𝐷60
𝐶𝑢 =
𝐷10
(2) the coefficient of gradation, 𝐶𝑧 , or coefficient of curvature, 𝐶𝑐 ,
(𝐷30 )2
𝐶𝑧 = 𝐶𝑐 =
(𝐷60 )(𝐷10 )

Engr. Yasser M. Almadhoun Page 1


Civil Engineering Department: Foundation Engineering (ECIV 4052)

Hydrometer Analysis
This test is based on the principle of sedimentation of soil particles in
water. The largest diameter of the soil particles still in suspension at time,
t, can be determined by Stokes’ law:

18𝜂 𝐿
𝐷=√ √
(𝐺𝑠 − 1)𝛾𝑤 𝑡

NB: The sieve and hydrometer techniques


may be combined for a soil having both
coarse-grained and fine-grained soil
constituents.

Engr. Yasser M. Almadhoun Page 2


Civil Engineering Department: Foundation Engineering (ECIV 4052)

Size Limits for Soils


The following organizations have attempted to develop the size limits for
gravel, sand, silt, and clay on the basis of the grain sizes present in soils.

Classification system Grain size (mm)


Gravel: 75 mm to 4.75 mm
Unified Sand: 4.75 mm to 0.075 mm
Silt and clay (fines): < 0.075mm
Gravel: 75 mm to 2 mm
Sand: 2 mm to 0.05 mm
AASHTO
Silt: 0.05 mm to 0.002 mm
Clay: < 0.002mm

Weight–Volume Relationships
As mentioned earlier, soils are three-phase systems consisting of solid
soil particles, water, and air (or gas).
Based on the separation of the three phases, the volume relationships can
then be defined.

Void ratio, e
𝑉𝑣
𝑒=
𝑉𝑠
Porosity, n
𝑉𝑣
𝑛=
𝑉
𝑒
𝑛=
1+𝑒

Engr. Yasser M. Almadhoun Page 3


Civil Engineering Department: Foundation Engineering (ECIV 4052)

Degree of saturation, S
𝑉𝑤
𝑆(%) = ×100
𝑉𝑣
Moisture content, w
𝑊𝑤
𝑤(%) = ×100
𝑊𝑠
Moist unit weight, 𝜸
𝑊 𝑊𝑠 + 𝑊𝑤 𝐺𝑠 𝛾𝑤 (1 + 𝑤)
𝛾= = =
𝑉 𝑉 1+𝑒
Dry unit weight, 𝜸𝒅
𝑊𝑠 𝐺𝑠 𝛾𝑤 𝐺𝑠 𝛾𝑤 𝛾
𝛾𝑑 = = = =
𝑉 𝑉 1+𝑒 1+𝑤
Saturated unit weight, 𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕
𝑊𝑠 + 𝑊𝑤 𝐺𝑠 𝛾𝑤 + 𝑒𝛾𝑤
𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 = =
𝑉𝑠 + 𝑉𝑣 1+𝑒
Moist density,𝝆
𝐺𝑠 𝜌𝑤 (1 + 𝑤)
𝜌=
1+𝑒
Dry density,𝝆𝒅
𝐺𝑠 𝜌𝑤
𝛾𝑑 =
1+𝑒
Saturated density,𝝆𝒔𝒂𝒕
𝜌𝑤 (𝐺𝑠 + 𝑒)
𝜌𝑠𝑎𝑡 =
1+𝑒

Relative Density
In granular soils, the degree of compaction in the field can be measured
according to the relative density which defined as:
𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 𝑒
𝐷𝑟 (%) = ×100
𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑥 − 𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑛
𝛾𝑑 − 𝛾𝑑(𝑚𝑖𝑛) 𝛾𝑑 (𝑚𝑎𝑥)
𝐷𝑟 (%) = { } ×100
𝛾𝑑(𝑚𝑎𝑥) − 𝛾𝑑 (𝑚𝑖𝑛) 𝛾𝑑

Engr. Yasser M. Almadhoun Page 4


Civil Engineering Department: Foundation Engineering (ECIV 4052)

Atterberg Limits
If the soil is gradually dried, it will behave like a plastic, semisolid,or
solid material, depending on its moisture content. The limits that separate
these states are known as Atterberg limits which refer to the following
three limits:
Liquid limit (LL): the percent moisture content at which the soil changes
from a semiliquid to a plastic state.
Plastic limit (PL): the percent moisture content at which the soil changes
from a plastic to a semisolid state.
Shrinkage limit (SL): the percent moisture content at which the soil
changes from a semisolid to a solid state.

Plasticity index (PI): The difference between the liquid limit and the
plastic limit of a soil.
𝑃𝐼 = 𝐿𝐿 − 𝑃𝐿

Soil Classification Systems


These systems are used to divide soils into groups and subgroups based
on common engineering properties, such as the grain-size distribution,
liquid limit, and plastic limit.
The two major classification systems presently in use are:
(1) AASHTO System, and
(2) ASTM System.
Engr. Yasser M. Almadhoun Page 5
Civil Engineering Department: Foundation Engineering (ECIV 4052)

Hydraulic Conductivity of Soil


This test aims at determining how much water is flowing through a soil
per unit time.
𝑣 = 𝑘𝑖
∆ℎ
𝑖=
𝐿

Effective Stress
The total stress at a given point in a soil mass can be expressed as:
𝜎 = 𝜎′ + 𝑢
𝜎: total stress,
𝜎′: effective stress, and
𝑢: pore water pressure.

Critical hydraulic gradient


Under such a situation, soil stability is lost. This situation generally is
referred to as boiling, or a quick condition (for zero effective stress).
𝛾′ 𝐺𝑠 − 1
𝑖 = 𝑖𝑐𝑟 = =
𝛾𝑤 1+𝑒
𝑖𝑐𝑟 : critical hydraulic gradient (varies from 0.9 to 1.1, with an average of
1.0 for most soils, particularly sandy soils), and
𝛾′: effective or submerged unit weight of soil.
Engr. Yasser M. Almadhoun Page 6
Civil Engineering Department: Foundation Engineering (ECIV 4052)

Consolidation
Refer to your Textbook and refresh your knowledge about.
Shear Strength
Refer to your Textbook and refresh your knowledge about.
Unconfined Compression Test
Refer to your Textbook and refresh your knowledge about.

Engr. Yasser M. Almadhoun Page 7

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