University of Tennessee at

Chattanooga
ENCE 3610 Soil Mechanics
Soil Composition:
Size Gradation of Soil Particles
Phase States of Soil
Gradation of Particle Size
Sieve Analysis
Primarily applied to
granular (cohesionless)
soils
Passes soil sample
through a series of
sieves of varying mesh
fineness
Different portions of soil
with different grain size
pass through each mesh
Distribution of grain sizes
constructed and plotted
Sieve Analysis for
Cohesionless Soils
Results of
Sieve Analysis
Note semi-logarithmic scale
Grain Size and Sieve Opening
Comparisons
Particle Size Designation and
Coefficients
D
x
designates particle size
for which x percent of sample
has passed
D
10
effective size particle
size at which 10% of the
sample has passed
Useful to determine
permeability
Coefficient of Curvature C
c
Another quantity useful in
determining the gradation
of a soil
Uniformity Coefficient C
u
Well graded even
distribution of different
particle sizesC
u
> 10
Poorly graded most
particles in a narrow size
rangeC
u
< 5
Gap Graded some
particle size ranges are
missing

10
60
D
D
= C
u
60 10
2
30
D D
D
= C
c
Soil Gradation
53 . 18
13 . 0
41 . 2
10
60
D
D
= C
u 29 . 0
) 41 . 2 )( 13 . 0 (
30 . 0
2
60 10
2
30
D D
D
= C
c
Passing #4 and #200 Sieve
Portion Passing #200 (0.074 mm) Sieve
Measure of whether soil is cohesive or
cohesionless (50%)
In this case, portion is approximately 4% of
sample, so soil is definitely cohesionless
Portion Remaining on #4 Sieve
Measure of whether a soil is a gravel or a sand
(50%)
Usually taken as a percentage of soil not
passing #200 sieve
For this sample, percentage is (100 78)/0.96
= 23%, so soil is sand
Fine Grained Soils: Hydrometer Test
Soil grains ending up on the pan can also
be graded using the hydrometer test
Soil is placed in suspension in water, then the
progress of its sedimentation is used as an
indicator of the distribution of particle size
Not used very often in geotechnical analysis;
particle size distribution not as critical with
fine particles and clay minerals
Angularity
Angularity
Angularity
Angular Sharp Edges
Subangular Edges distinct but well rounded
Subrounded
Rounded
Very Round
Angular particled soils generally exhibit better
engineering properties; also can frequently
pass larger particles through a given sieve
size
Soil Composition
Weight-Volume
Relationships
Water or Moisture
Content
Unit Weight or Mass
Specific Gravity
Relative Density
Particle Size and Shape
Grain Size Tests
Sieve Tests (Coarse-
Grained Soils)
Hydrometer Tests (Fine-
Grained Soils)
Plasticity and the
Atterberg Tests
Basic Concepts
Soil is a collection of particles that do not form
an totally solid substance
Soil is a combination of:
Soil material in particles
Air
Water
The relationship between this combination
defines much of what any particular soil can
do to support foundations
Phase Diagram
Assumptions and
Definitions:
Weight of air = 0
Dry Soil: Water
weight and
volume = 0
Volume of voids
include all non-
soil volume, both
air and water
Saturated Soil
Saturated Soil: Air
volume = 0
Only water and
solids appear in
completely saturated
soil
Basic Formulas
solids water air total
V + V + V = V
solids water total
W + W = W
solids water total
M + M = M
Or
x x x
V = W
Or
x x x
V = M
Systems of Units Used in Phase
Calculations
U.S. Units
Most common within
the U.S., generally not
used elsewhere
Basic units of weight: 1
pound (lb.) or kip (1000
lbs.)
Basic unit of length:
feet
Will frequently write psf
and pcf instead of lb/ft
2

and lb/ft
3
SI Units
Technically the official
system everywhere
else
Basic units of weight: N
or kN
Basic unit of length: m
MKS Units
Commonly used in
metric countries
Basic unit of mass: kg
Basic unit of length: m
Weight and Volume Relationships
x w x x
V G = W
x w x x
V G = M
In most cases, calculations in soil mechanics are
done on a weight basis.
Exceptions include wave propagation problems
(earthquakes, pile dynamics, etc.)
Soil Composition
Constants
Void Ratio: e = V
v
/V
s
Porosity: n = V
v
/V 100%
Water or Moisture
Content: w = W
w
/W
s
100%
Unit Weight = W/V
kN/m
3
or lb/ft
3
Dry Unit Weight
d
= W
s
/V
kN/m
3
or lb/ft
3
Unit Weight of Solids,
s
=
W
s
/V
s
, kN/m
3
or lb/ft
3
Specific Gravity of Solid
G
s
=
s
/
w
Degree of Saturation S =
V
w
/V
v
100%
Specific Gravity and Density
Unit Weight of Water (
w
)
62.4 pcf

= 0.624 kcf
9.81 kN/m
3
Density of Water
1.95 slugs/ft
3
1000 kg/m
3
1 g/cm
3
= 1 Mg/m
3
= 1
Metric Ton/m
3
Typical Values for Soil
Particles
Quartz Sand: 2.64
2.66
Silt: 2.67 2.73
Clay: 2.70 2.9
Chalk: 2.60 2.75
Loess: 2.65 2.73
Peat: 1.30 1.9
Except for organic
soils, range is fairly
narrow
w w
x

M
=

W
= G
Example 1
Given:
Total Volume = 1 cu. ft.
Total Weight = 140 lb.
Dry Weight = 125 lb.
Find
Water Content
Wet Unit Weight
Dry Unit Weight
By Definition:
Dry Unit Weight = Dry
Weight = 125 lb/ft
3
Wet Unit Weight = Total
Weight = 140 lb/ft
3
Solve for Weight of Water
W
T
= W
s
+ W
w
140 = 125+W
w
W
w
= 15 lb/ft
3
Solve for Water Content
w = W
w
/W
s
= W
w
/125 =
15/125 = 0.12 = 12%
Example 2
Given:
Total Mass = 18.18 kg
Total Volume = 0.009 m
3
Dry Mass = 16.13 kg
Specific Gravity of Solids =
2.7
Find
Wet Density
Dry Unit Weight
Void Ratio
Water Content
Degree of Saturation
Convert masses to weights
W
t
= (18.18)(9.8) = 178.2 N
= 0.178 kN
W
s
= (16.13)(9.8) = 158.1 N
= 0.158 kN
Compute Weight of Water
W
t
= W
s
+W
w
.178 = .158 + W
w
W
w
= .02 N
Compute Water Content
w = W
w
/W
s
w = .02/.158 = .127 = 12.7%

solids water air total
V + V + V = V
solids water total
W + W = W
Example 2
Compute Volumes
Volume of Water
V
w
= W
w
/
w
V
w
= .02 kN/9.8 kN/m
3
=
0.00205 m
3
Volume of Solids
V
s
= W
s
/
s
= w
s
/(G
s

w
)
V
s
= 0.158/((9.8)(2.7)) =
0.00597 m
3
Volume of Air
V
a
= V
t
V
w
V
s
V
a
= 0.009-0.00205-
0.00597 = .00098 m
3
Compute Wet Unit Weight

wet
= W
T
/V
T
= 0.178/0.009 =
19.78 kN/m
3
Compute Dry Unit Weight

dry
= W
s
/V
T
= 0.158/0.009 =
17.58 kN/m
3
Void Ratio
e = V
v
/V
s
= (V
w
+V
a
)/V
s
=
(.00205+0.000976)/.00597 =
.507
Compute Degree of
Saturation
S = V
w
/(V
w
+V
a
)
S = .00205/(.000976+.00205) =
.677 = 67.7%

Example 3
Given
Saturated Soil
Void Ratio = 0.45
Specific Gravity of Solids = 2.65
Find
Wet Unit Weight
Water Content
Assumptions
V
a
= 0
V
t
= 1
V
s
+ V
w
= 1

water
= 62.4 lb/ft
3
Solve for Volumes
e = V
w
/V
s
= 0.45
V
w
= 0.31 ft
3
V
s
= 0.69 ft
3

Compute Wet Unit Weight
Weight of Soils =
w
V
s
G
s
=
(62.4)(0.69)(2.7) = 114 lb
Weight of Water =
w
V
w
=
(62.4)(0.31) = 19.4 lb
Total Weight = 114 + 19.4 =
133.4 lb
Since volume is unity, total
weight is also net unit weight =
133.4 pcf
Compute Water Content
w = W
w
/W
s
= 19.4/114 = 0.17 =
17%
Example 4
Given
Well Graded Sand
Specific Gravity of Solids = 2.65
Void Ratio = 0.57
Porosity = 36.5%
Saturated Soil
Find
Wet and Dry Unit Weight of Soil
Solution
Set sample volume = 1 ft
3
Total Volume = 1= V
w
+ V
a
+ V
s
Use porosity to compute volume
of voids
n = V
v
/V
t
V
v
= nV
t
= (.365)(1) = .365 ft
3


Compute volume of solids
V
s
= V
t
V
v
= 1 - ,365 = .635 ft
3
V
v
= V
w
+ V
a
Since soil is saturated, V
a
= 0
and V
w
= .365 ft
3
Dry Unit Weight
W
s
=
w
G
s
V
s
=
(62.4)(2.65)(.635) = 105 lb/ft
3
Weight of Water
W
w
=
w
V
w
= (62.4)(.362) =
22.6 lb/ft
3
Wet Unit Weight
W
t
= W
w
+ W
v
= 127.6 lb/ft
3

Phase Relationships
Questions?