Fall 2014

GLE/CEE 330: Soil Mechanics

Phase Relationships

Purpose: To determine unit weight, water content, void ratio, and degree of saturation of soils to gain a
better understanding of basic measurements used in geotechnical engineering as well as phase
relationship calculation procedures.

References: ASTM D 2216

Assumptions:
Specific Gravity: Gs = 2.7
Unit Weight of Water: γw = 9.81 kN/m3

Figure 1: Phase diagram of soils

Procedures: Using the help from the phase diagram (Figure 1) and the data collected in the lab, you will
determine the unit weight, void ratio and porosity, moisture content, and degree of saturation for
clayey and sandy specimens. These specimens were formed at different pressure and deposition
energies. The procedures you will use vary depending if the samples are clay or sand and if the
specimens are saturated or dry.
Clayey Specimens
Clay samples from approximately 10 and 20 m depths were collected using Shelby tubes. A Shelby tube
is a sampler that is lowered into a borehole and pushed into the ground at a specific depth to extract a
nominally undisturbed specimen. The unit weight and water content are assumed to be representative
of those in the ground at the time of testing.

Unit weight determination

1. Prepare a data collection sheet summarizing all the information you will need to collect during this
lab (e.g., sample description, weights, dimensions, volumes, etc.). Reading the following procedures
will help with this process.
2. Measure the internal diameter of the Shelby tube using calipers. A total of 3 measurements should
be made and the average diameter will be used for volume calculations.
3. If the clay surface is not flat with the end of the tube, extrude a small amount and cut with a wire
saw or soil knife to make flat. Replace soil into any voids that may form in this surface.
4. Extrude approximately 20-30 mm of sample cut from the tube using either a wire saw (preferred) or
soil knife. Replace soil into any voids that may form at this end of the sample.
5. Measure the height of the sample at 3 locations using calipers. Take the average of the heights and
using the averaged inside diameter calculate the volume of the sample.
6. Measure the mass of the specimen using the laboratory scale.

Moisture content determination

7. Remove a good chunk of soil from the center of the specimen and place it into a cup for moisture
content testing. Record the mass of the cup before and after placement of the soil, and be sure that
you can identify your moisture content specimen by labeling it.
8. A standard moisture content test requires a drying time of 24 hours, but it is often complete earlier.
Return to the lab between 9 AM and noon on the day following your lab period and record the mass
of the tin and dry soil.
9. Throw away the soil and rinse any remaining particles out of your cups. Let cups dry next to the sink.
Sandy Specimen
You will need to measure the void ratio of different sandy specimens with low density and high density.
Each lab session will be assigned with two different sands: S and A. Before you start the experiment,
place separately few grains of each of the sand specimens under the microscope and record whether
the sand grains appear to be more angular or more rounded.

Low Density:
1. Make a data collection sheet summarizing all the information you will need to collect during this lab.
2. Measure the mass of the mold provided.
3. Measure the diameter and height of the mold using calipers. Take 3 measurements of each and
calculate the averages. Use these averages to determine the volume of the mold.
4. Place the funnel at the base of the mold.
5. Fill the funnel with some sand.
6. Slowly raise the funnel and move in a circular manner around the outside of the mold. Keep the
nozzle of the funnel essentially in contact with the top of the sand. This will produce a fall height of
essentially zero and a low density. Take care not to densify the specimen.
7. Level top of sand surface, brush off excess sand, and record mass of dry sand and mold.
8. Return material to original container, making certain no sand remains in the mold.

High Density:
1. Make a data collection sheet summarizing all the information you will need to collect during this lab.
2. Measure the mass of the mold provided.
9. Measure the diameter and height using calipers. Take 3 measurements of each and calculate the
averages. Use these averages to determine the volume of the mold.
3. Use the tamper to compact the sand into the mold in at least three lifts.
4. Fill the mold completely with soil and level top of sand surface, brush off excess sand, and record
mass of dry sand and mold.
5. Return material to original container, making certain no sand remains in the mold.

Work for each group

Two groups start at the clay table:
one group extrudes the 10 meter sample and measures properties
one group extrudes the 20 meter sample and measures properties
these two groups exchange their data
Two groups start at the sand table:
one group creates A-sand dense and loose condition in the mold and measures properties
one group creates S-sand dense and loose condition in the mold and measures properties
these two groups exchange their data
The groups switch tables and do the above tests on the different soils.
Notes:
1. This is a group lab report. Each group will turn in one report due at the start of next week’s class.
2. Lab write-up will include:
 Introduction, Assumptions, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion – see
Lab Expectations Handout for more information.
 Make a summary table including (soil sample ID across page width, property in first column
down the page):
- Unit Weight,γ
- Dry Unit Weight, γdry
- Saturated Unit Weight, γsat
- gravimetric water content, w
- volumetric water content, θ
- void ratio, e
- specific volume, ν = 1+ e
- porosity, n
- Degree of Saturation, S
 Do not forget to include sample calculations, and values for Ws, Ww, Vw, Va, Vs, Vv, VT.

3. Discussion points should include:

 Significant sources of error
 Compare void ratios of clays under different depths of deposition. Compare void ratio of high
and low density sands, as well as differences in these void ratios due to sand type.
 Compare your lab results to tabulated values in the textbook. Do your results make sense?
 Answer the following questions:
 Why might a different clay type from that seen in the lab yield a different void ratio, even if
it was collected from the same depth?
 What type of depositional environment (high or low energy) would yield high density sands?
Low density sands?
 Why do you think different sand types yield different void ratios even though they formed
under similar energy levels? Which sand type do you think will have greater compressibility
 Assuming that the water table was at the surface, calculate the effective stress for the clay
specimens at depths z =10 and 20 depth. Hint: 𝜎 ′ = (𝛾 − 𝛾𝑤 ) ∙ 𝑧
𝑒2−𝑒1
 Calculate and discuss the clay compressibility index as: 𝐶𝑐 = 𝜎 ′
𝑙𝑜𝑔( 2′ )
𝜎1

 Which clay and sand types do you think will allow water to flow more easily?