GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING volume of voids = volume of water + volume of air

e = void ratio
Vv=Vw+Va
n = porosity
w = moisture content, water content total weight = weight of solids + weight of water

s = specific gravity of any substance W=Ws+Ww

G = specific gravity of solids
S = degree of saturation PROPERTIES OF SOIL
V = volume of soil mass
; Note: 0 < e < ∞
��
Va = volume of air � =
��

Vw = volume of water
; Note: 0 < n < 1
��
Vs = volume of solids � =
�

Vv = volume of voids
; Note: 0 ≤ S ≤1
��
� =
W = total weight of soil ��

Ww = weight of water
; Note: 0 < w < ∞
��
�= � 100%
Ws = weight of solids ��

Dr = relative density �
� =
γm = unit weight of soil mass, moist unit weight, bulk �
unit weight ��
γs = unit weight of soil solids ���� =
����
γw = unit weight of water
����
γb = γ′ = buoyant unit weight, submerged unit weight ���� =
����
γd = γdry = dry unit weight
γsat = saturated unit weight γ′=γsat−γw

LL = liquid limit
��
PL = plastic limit � =
��
LI = liquidity index
PI = plasticity index
GI = group index Unit weight, γ = sγw

PHASE DIAGRAM OF SOIL Weight, W = γV = sγV

�
Specific gravity, s =
��
Weight-
Relationship between e and n,
Volume � �
�= and � =
1+� 1−�

Relationship between G, �, S, and e, G�=Se

Moist unit weight or bulk unit weight,

� ( � + ��) �� �( 1 + �) ��
�� = = =
� 1+� 1+�
�� ���
Dry unit weight, ���� = =
� 1+�
Relationship from the Phase Diagram of Soil ( � + �) ��
Saturated unit weight, ���� =
1+�
total volume = volume of soilds + volume of voids
Submerged or buoyant unit weight,
V=Vs+Vv
( � − 1) ��
�� = ���� − �� =
1+�
� �−1
Critical hydraulic gradient, ��� = � =
�� 1+�
 (�1 − �2 )
Relative Density, Shrinkage limit = (100)
1 1 �2
− (�1 − �2 )
���� − � (�� )��� ��
�� = = 1 1 − �� (100)
���� − ���� −
(�� )��� (�� )���
�2
M2
Shrinkage ratio, SR =
V2 ��
SOIL COMPACTION Specific gravity, �� =
1
1 ��
−
�� 100

Field Unit Weight [�� (�����)]

� CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL
� (�� − ����) =
�
Dry Unit Weight [�� (�����)] �60
������ Uniformity coefficient, �� =
�10
�� (�����) =
1 + � (�30)2
Coefficient of curvature, �� =
Relative Compaction [%R] �60 �10
�� (�����) �75
%� = � 100% Sorting coefficient, �� = �25
�� (���)

Note: Relative compaction should not be greater that 100%.

Dry Unit Weight for given moisture content and degree Sample Problem:

of saturation, PROPERTIES OF SOIL

�� ��
�� = � �
1. A large soil sample obtained from a borrow pit has a
1+ �
� wet mass of 26.50 kg. The in-place volume occupied
Zero Air Void Unit Weight, by the sample is 0.013 m3. A small portion of the
�� �� sample is used to determine the water content, the wet
���� =
1 + �� �
mass is 135g and after drying in the oven, the mass is
Relative Compaction, 117g.
��(�����)
�% = � 100 a) Determine the soil moisture content.
��(��� −���)

Relative Density, b) Determine the soil wet density for the conditions
��(�����) − ��(���) ��(���) at the borrow pit.
�� = ��(���) − ��(���) ��(�����)
c) Determine the soil dry density for the conditions
at the borrow pit.
ATTERBERG LIMIT
Plasticity index, PI = LL − PL 2. An in-place density determination is madefor the
� − �� sand in a borrow pit using a balloon type apparatus.
Liquidity index, �� =
�� The dump sample dug from a test hole is found to
Shrinkage index, SI = PL − SL weigh 37.9 N. The volume of the test holeis 0.00018
Consistency index, �� =
�� − � m3.
�� − ��
�1 − �2 a) Compute the wet unit weight in kN/m3
Flow index, �� = �2
log b) This soil is tohave a water content of 15%.
�1
�� Compute the dry unit weight of the soil.
����ℎ���� ����� =
��
c) Compute the specific gravity of the soil if it has
a void ratio of 0.423.
3. The in-place density is detrmined for a soil at a Data for Plastic Limit Test
proposed construction site to plan the foundation. The
Test # Moist Mass Dry Mass (g)
in-place density test is performed using rubber balloon
(g)
equipment with the following result.
Mass of soil sample from test hole: 1.45kg 1 200 175

Volume of soil sample from test hole: 0.0008m3 2 180 153

a) Compute the in-place unit weight in kN/m3 3 175 155
b) Compute the specific gravityof the soil if it has
4 195 170
a void ratio of 0.80 and a water content of 25%.
c) Compute the degree of saturation of soil
sample considering the computation data on on 5. A soil sample was determine in the laboratory to
previous questions. have a liquid limit of 41% and a plastic limit of 21.1%.
If the water content is 30%, detremine the following:

ATTERBERG LIMIT a) Plasticity Index

4. Given the following data gathered after conducting b) Liquidity Index

Liquid Limit and Plastic Limit test. Determine the c) What is he characteristics of soil?
following values. i. Liquid
a) Plastic Limit ii. Plastic
b) Liquid Limit iii. Dense
c) Plasticity Index iv. Brittle soil
d) Liquidity index if in-situ moisture content is 6. In a specific gravity test the following data were
20%. recorded.
e) Consistency index if in-situ moisture content is Mass of pycnometer jar = 530g
20%.
Mass of pycnometer jar when full of clean water
f) Flow Indexconsidering the values of Test 1 and =1560g
Test 3 of Liquid limit test.
Mass of pycnometer jar containing soil only = 980g
g) Toughness index.
Mass of pycnometer jar containing soil and topped
with water = 1840g
Data for Liquid Limit Test a) Compute the specific gravity of the soil
Test # Moisture No. of blows particles.
Content (%) b) Compute the dry unit weight if the void ratio is
0.40.
1 30 15
c) Compute the degree of saturation if the
2 28 20 moisture content is 12%.
3 25 35
SOIL COMPACTION Borrow Pit Void Ratio Cost (Php/m3)
7. In an on-going land development project, a
A 0.82 400.00
contractor requested for a concrete pouring request.
After conducting FDT in Road Lot 1 and Road Lot 2, B 1.1 250.00
the results of Sand Cone Method(�� (������ ����) =
C 0.9 450.00
16.353 ��/�3 ) are as follows, determine the
following: D 0.78 600.00

Location Total Retained Moisture Weight

weight mass of content of soil CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL
of sand sand sample
9. Using a 500 g of soil sample,determine the
(kg) (kg)
following using the AASHTO soil classification
Lot 1 7.40 6.2 20% 1.39 system:

Lot 2 7.40 6.3 19% 1.30 Liquid Limit : 35%

Plastic Limit : 23%
Properties of soil based on soil investigation result:
Specific gravity of Soil Particles: 2.75 Sieve No. Retained Mass (g)

Weight of Soil Sample: 1.6309 #4 -

Volume of Soil Sample: 0.0008 m3 #8 40.00
a) Maximum Dry Unit weight (kN/m ) 3
#10 20.00
of soil sample in field if the OMC is at 22%.
b) As Civil Engineer, will you allow th concrete #20 30.00
pouiring in Road Lot 1 based on it FDT resultand #40 20.00
if the allowed Relative compaction should be
equal or higher than 95%. #60 45.00

c) As Civil Engineer, will you allow th concrete #100 20.00

pouiring in Road Lot 2 based on it FDT resultand
#200 125.00
if the allowed Relative compaction should be
equal or higher than 95%. PAN 200.00

Total 500.00
8. A proposed embankment fill requires 8,000 m3 of
compacted soil. The void ratio of the compacted fill is
specified as 0.70. Four borrow pits are availableas a) Percent Passing # 200 sieve.
described in the tablewhich list the respective void b) Percent Passing # 10 sieve.
ratiosof the soil and cost per cubic meter for moving c) Percent Passing # 40 sieve.
the soil to the proposedconstruction site. Make
d) Classification of soil
necessary calculations to select pit from which the
e) Group index of soil sample.
soils should be bought to minimize the cost. Assume
Gs to be the same at all pits.
10. For the given data shows sieve analysis of soil
sample.

Sieve No. Diameter % Passing

4 4.760 100

8 2.380 97

10 2.000 94

20 0.840 77

40 0.420 58

60 0.250 44

100 0.149 24

200 0.074 8

a) What is the effective size ?

b) Determine the coeffiecient of curvature.
c) Classify soil C using AASHTO soil
classification.