Chapter 4

Soil and Rock

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Soil and Rock

Soil and rock are the principle components of many construction projects. Knowledge of their properties, characteristics, and behavior is important to those associated with the design or construction of projects.

Soil and Rock

Soil and Rock

Soil and Rock

Steel and concrete are construction materials that are basically homogeneous in composition. As such, their behavior can be predicted. Soil and rock are just the opposite. By nature they are heterogeneous. In their natural state, they are rarely uniform.

Soil and Rock

Soil and rock are heterogeneous. They are rarely uniform and work processes are developed by comparison to a similar type material with which previous experience has been gained. To accomplish this, soil and rock types must be classified.

GRADATION
Soil gradation is the distribution, in percent (%) by weight, of individual particle sizes.

SOIL TYPES
ORGANIC SOILS
Will usually have to remove before building.

SOIL TYPES
NON-COHESIVE

Bulky shaped soil grains

SOIL TYPES
COHESIVE

Small grained < #200 Mesh sieve

Platy shaped soil grains

SOIL LIMITS Atterburg Limits LL - Liquid limit PL - Plastic limit PI - Plasticity Index

SOIL LIMITS
Stages of Consistency

Moisture content decreasing

SOIL LIMITS
LL - Liquid limit is the water content of a soil when it passes from the plastic to liquid state.

SOIL LIMITS LL - Liquid limit

Non-cohesive or sandy soils have low LLs -- less than 20. Clay soils have LLs ranging from 20 to 100.

SOIL LIMITS
PL - Liquid limit
is the lowest water content at which a soil remains plastic.
1/8 inch diameter thread

SOIL LIMITS PI - Plastic Index PI = LL - PL

The higher the PI the more clay that is present in the soil.

Volumetric Measure
Bank cubic yards (bcy) Loose cubic yards (lcy) Compacted cubic yards (ccy)

bcy

lcy

ccy

COMPACTION
Each soil has its particular optimum moisture content (OMC) at which a corresponding maximum density can be obtained for a given amount of compactive input energy.

COMPACTION

COMPACTION
PROCTOR TEST
Standard Proctor or AASHTO T-99
Soil sample 1/30 cubic foot 3 layers

COMPACTION
PROCTOR TEST
Modified Proctor or AASHTO T-180
Soil sample 1/30 cubic foot 5 layers

COMPACTION SPECIFICATIONS
Typically specifications give an acceptable range of water content, OMC 2% for example.

COMPACTION SPECIFICATIONS
The specification also sets a minimum density, 95% of max. dry density for a specific test

126.4

Must work in the box.

Soil Weight-Volume Relationships

Equ. 4.1 total weight of soil W Unit weight ( ) = = total soil volume V Equ. 4.2 Equ. 4.3

weight of soil solids Ws Dry unit weight ( d ) = = total soil volume V

weight of water in soil Ww Water content ( ) = = weight of soil solids Ws

Water Content
weight of water in soil Ww Water content ( ) = = weight of soil solids Ws

Wet Weight Dry Weight Dry Weight

Water Content

100 85 = 0.18 or 18% = 85

Soil Weight-Volume Relationships Dry weight is related to unit weight by water content,

d = 1+

and when you move rock and dirt

the only thing that stays constant is the weight of the solid particles.

Soil Weight-Volume Relationships

When you move rock and dirt the only thing that stays constant is the weight of the solid particles.

EXERCISE
The excavated material has a

unit weight () of 94.3 pcf water content () of 8%.

EXERCISE
The embankment will be compacted to dry unit weight (d) of 114 pcf water content () of 12%.

EXERCISE
The net section of the embankment is 113,000 cy.

How many cubic yards of excavation will be required to construct the embankment?

EXERCISE
As material is moved from the excavation to the compacted fill the only constant is the weight of the solid particles (d).

EXERCISE Step 1
Weight of the solid particles which make up the embankment (fill). a dry unit weight (d) of 114 pcf 113,000 cy embankment

27 ft 3 113,000 cy 114 lb / ft cy
Conversion factor cy to ft3

EXERCISE Step 2
Use relationship d - to calculate the dry unit weight of the excavated material. a unit weight () of 94.3 pcf a water content () of 8%

94.3 ft d = 87.31 pcf 1 + 0.08

EXERCISE Step 3
Calculate the weight of the solid particles which make up the excavation (cut).

27 ft 3 x cy 87.31 lb / ft cy

EXERCISE Step 4
The weights must be equal therefore:
27 ft 3 x cy 87.31 lb / ft = cy
27 ft 3 113,000 cy 114 lb / ft cy Conversion factors cancel out.
3

EXERCISE Step 4
The weights must be equal therefore: 3 114 lb / ft x = 113,000 cy 3
87.31 lb / ft

x = 147,535 cy
excavated material required

EXERCISE
Check the water requirements. Will a water truck be needed on the job or will it be necessary to dry the material?

Water ?
Water content () is?
weight of water in soil Ww = = weight of soil solids Ws

x d = weight of water/cf

Step 1 Water from Cut

147,535 cy Vol. Cut d 87.31 pcf 27 cf / cyconversion factor 0.08 = lb of water

()

Step 1 Water from Cut

147,535 cy 87.31 pcf 27 cf / cy 0.08

= 27,825,120 lb water
delivered with the borrow material

Step 2 Water needed at the Fill

113,000 cy

Vol. Emb d

114 pcf 27 cf / cy conversion factor 0.12 = lb of water

()

Step 2 Water needed at the Fill

113,000 cy 114 pcf 27 cf / cy 0.12

= 41,737,680 lb water
needed at the fill

Step 3 Water Deficiency

Needed at the fill Delivered w/ cut 41,737,680 lb 27,825,120 lb

Water deficiency13,912,560 lb

PE 2 Step 4 Convert to Gallons

Water deficiency 13,912,560 lb Water weights 8.33 lb/gal

Need to add 1,670,175 gallons

Step 5 Gallons per cy

Water deficiency 1,670,175 gal Volume of cut 147,535 cy

Need 11.3 gal/cy

Adding Water

Using sprinklers to add moisture to a foundation fill.

Reducing Moisture

Disking a heavy clay fill to reduce moisture.