DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

CEG133/ V77
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

ASSIGNMENT NO. : 3

Weight-Volume Relationship
TOPIC

PREPARED BY:

Reyes, Reycelyn D.
DATE SUBMITTED:

_____________

SUBMITTED TO:
__ ENGR. GERARDO DB. ABESTILLA____

3.1 For a given soil, the following are given: Gs = 2.67; moist unit weight, = 17.61 KN/m3, and
moisture content, w = 10.8%. Determine:
a.) Dry unit weight
b.) Void ratio
c.) Porosity
d.) Degree of saturation

Solution:

a) d =

1+

b) d =

17.61
1.108

= 15.89 kN/m3

1+
(2.67)(9.81)

15.89 =

1+

e = 0.65
c) n =

e
1+

0.65
1.65

= 0.39

d) Se = wGs
S =

(0.108)(2.67)
0.65

x 100%

= 44.50%
3.2 Refer to Problem 3.1. Determine the weight of water, in KN, to be added per cubic meter of soil
for:
a.) 80% DEGREE OF SATURATION
b.) 100% DEGREE OF SATURATION

Solution:
a. ) S =

S = 80 44.50
= 35.5%
n =

0.39

; VT = 1m3
v
1

Vv = 0.39
0.355 =

v
0.39

Vw = (0.355)(0.39)
Vw = 0.140 m3
Ww = 0.140 x 9.81
= 1.37 Kn

b. ) S = 100 - 44.5
= 55.5
S =

; 0.555 =

Vw = 0.218 m3
Ww = 0.138 x 9.81
= 2.14 kN

v
0.39

3.3 A 0.4-m3 moist of soil sample has the following:

Moist mass = 711.2 kg
Dry mass = 623.9 kg
Specific gravity of soil solids = 2.68
Estimate:
a. Moisture content
b. Moist density
c. Dry density
d. Void ratio
e. Porosity

Solution:
a. ) w =

711.2623.9
623.9

( 100)

w = 13.99%
711.2

b. ) =

0.4

c.) d =

= 1778 kg/m3

1+ w
1778

d =

1+ .1399

d = 1559.79 kg/m3
G

d. ) d =

1+e

e = 0.7182
e. ) n =

e
1+ e

n = 0.4180
3.4 For a given sand, the maximum and minimum void ratios are 0.78 and 0.43, respectively. Given
Gs = 2.67, determine the dry unit weight of the soil in kN/m3 when the relative density is 65%.

Solution:
Dr =

e e
e

; 0.65 =

0.78 e
0.780.43

e = 0.5525
d =

(2.67)(9.81)
1.5525

= 16.87 kN/m3

3.5 In its natural state, a moist soil has a volume of 9.35 x 10-3 m3 and weighs 177.6 x 10-3 kN.
The oven-dry weight of the soil is 153.6 x 10-3 kN. If Gs = 2.67, calculate the moisture content,
moist unit weight, dry unit weight, void ratio, porosity, and degree of saturation.

Solution:
177.6103

m =

9.35x103

m = 18.99 kN/m3
w =

(177.6x103)(153.6x103)
153.6x103

x 100

w = 15.625%
153.6x103

d =

9.35 103

= 16.423Kn/m3
G

d =

1+e

16.428 =

(2.67)(9.81)
1+e

e = 0.5944
e

n =n+ e = 0.3728
S =

G
e

S =

G
1+e
0.15625(2.17)
0.5944

x 100

S = 70.19 %
3.6 For a given sandy soil, emax = 0.75, emin = 0.46, and Gs = 2.68. What will be the moist unit
weight of compaction (kN/m3) in the field if Dr = 78% and w = 9%?

Solution:
Dr =

e e
e e

; 0.78 =

0.75
0.750.46

E = 0.5238
d =

G
1+

(2.68)(9.81)
1.5238

= 17.25 kN/m3
d =

1+

; 17.25 =

1+

moist = 18.81kN/m3

3.7
The moist weight of 5.66 x 10-3 of a soil is 102.3 x 10-3 kN. The moisture content and the
specific gravity of the soil solids are determined in the laboratory to be 11% and 2.7, respectively.
Calculate the following:
a. Moist unit weight (kN/m3)
b. Dry unit weight (kN/m3)
c. Void Ratio
d. Porosity
e. Degree of saturation (%)
f. Volume occupied by water (m3)

Solution:
V

a. ) moist =

102.3 x 103
5.66 103

moist = 18.07 kN/m3

b.) d =

1+

18.07
1.11

d = 16.28 kN/m3
G

c. ) d =

; 16.28 =

1+

(2.7)(9.81)
1+

e = 0.63
d. ) h =

1+

0.63

= 0.39

1.63

e. ) Se = wGs; S(0.63) = (0.11)(2.7)

S = 47.39%
f. ) s =

V
V

0.39 =

; n =

V
V

V
5.66x103
V

0.4739 =

; Vv = 2.180 x10-3

2.180 x 103
-3

Vw = 1.03 x 10

m3

3.8 For a given sandy soil, the maximum and minimum dry unit weights are 16.89 kN/m3 and 14.46
kN/m3, respectively. Given Gs = 2.65, determine the moist unit weight of this soil when the relative
density is 60% and the moisture content is 8%.

d max = 16.98 kN/m3

0.60 =

d(min) = 14.46 kN/m3

1
1

14.46
1
1

14.46 16.98

Gs = 2.65

= 15.87 kN/m3

Dr = 60%

m = d(1 + w)

w = 8%

m = 15.87 ( 1+0.08)
m = 17.14 kN/m3

3.9
The saturated unit weight of a soil is 19.8 kN/m3. The moisture content of the soil is 17.1%.
Determine the following:
a. Dry unit weight
b. Specific gravity of soil solids
c. Void ratio

Solution:
sat =19.8 kN/m3
w = 17.1%
wGs = Se
0.171Gs = e
(G +)( )

sat =

1+ e

; 19.8 =

(G +0.171G )(9.81)
1+ 0.171G

Gs = 2.44
(G )

d =

1+ e

sat = d (1 + w)
19.8 = d (1+0.171)
d = 16.91 kN/m3
e = 0.171 (2.44)
e = 0.4172
3.11 The unit weight of a soil is 14.94 kN/m3. The moisture content of this soil is 19.2% when the
degree of saturation is 60%. Determine:
a. Void ratio
b. Specific gravity of soil solids
c. Saturated unit weight

Solution:
a. )

Se

(G +)( )

( +Se)
w

1+ e

1+ e

; 14.94 =

14.94 =

(0.6)
+0.6)(9.81)
0.192

1+ e

e = 0.69
b. ) Se = wGs; (0.6)(0.69) = (0.192)Gs
Gs = 2.16
c. ) sat =

(G +)( )
1+ e

(2.16+0.69)(9.81)
1.69

sat = 16.54 kN/m3

3.12 A saturated soil has the following characteristics: initial volume(Vi) = 24.6 cm3, final volume
(Vf) = 15.9 cm3, mass of wet sol (m1) = 44 g, and mass of dry soil (m2) = 30.1 g. Determine the
shrinkage limit.

Solution:
SL =
SL =

m1 m2

(100)-

V V

(w)(100)

m2
4430.1

m2
24.615.9

30.1

30.1

(100)-

(1g/cm3)(100)

SL = 17.28%
3.13 The moist unit weights and degrees of saturation of a soil are given in the table.
(kN/m3)
S(%)
16.62
50
17.71
75
Determine:
a. e
c. Degree of saturation
b. Gs
d. Mass of water, in kg/m3, to be added to reach full saturation

Solution:
a. ) w = 18%
Gs = 2.73
1680

d =

1+0.18

d = 1423.73 kg/m3
(1+0.18)(2.73)(1000)

b. ) 1680 =

1+e

e = 0.9175
n =

e
1+e

= 0.4785

c.) Se = wGs
S =

0.18(2.73)
0.9175

(100)

S = 53.56%
d. ) sat =

(G +)( )
1+e

(100)

sat = 1902.22kg/m3
Mass of water
sat = 1902.22 1680
= 222.22 kN/m3

3.15 Refer to Problem 3.14. Determine the weight of the water, in kN, that will be in 0.0708m3 of
the soil when it is saturated.

Solution:
n =
n =

e
1+e
V
V

0.8

= 0.44

1.8

; 0.44 =

V
0.0708

Vv = 0.0315 m3
S =

V
V

; 1 =

V
V

; Vw = Vv = 0.0315 m3

Ww = Vww =0.0315 x 9.81

Ww = 0.309 kN

3.16 The dry density of a soil is 1780 kg/m3. Given Gs = 2.68, what would be the moisture content
of the soil when saturated?

d =

1780 x 9.81

d =

1000

1+e

= 17.46 kN/m3

; 17.46 =

2.68 x 9.81
1+e

e = 0.5056
Se = wGs ; (1)(0.5056) = w(2.68)
w = 18.87%

3.17

The porosity of a soil is 0.35. Given Gs = 2.69, calculate:

a.Saturated unit weight ( kN/m3)
b. Moisture content when moist unit weight = 17.5 kN/m3

Solution:
G

sat =

1+e
(2.69+0.54)(9.81)

1.54

= 20.59 kN/m3
n

e =

1n
0.35

10.35

= 0.54
b.) moist = 17.54 kN/m3
=

(G +)
1+e

17.5 =

(2.69+5(0.54))(9.81)
1.54

S = 10.11%
Se = wGs
(0.1011)(0.54) = w(2.69)
w = 2.02%