NATURE OF SOIL

COMPOSITION
By
M. Firdaus, MT
www.dauspoli.co.cc
 Soil Definition
• Mixture of particles consisting of one or all of the
following types :
 Boulders, Large pieces of rock, usually greater than 250
mm to 300 mm. For the size range 150 mm to 250 mm,
gravel rock fragments is called (cobbles/pebbles).

 Gravel, Particles of rock the size of 5 mm to 150 mm.

 Sand, Sized particles of rock which 0.074 mm to 5 mm.

Ranging from coarse (3 to 5 mm) until smooth (< 1 mm).

 Silt, Sized rock particles 0.002 mm to 0.074 mm.

 Clay, Mineral particles smaller than 0.002 mm. These particles
are the main source of cohesion in cohesive.
Mineral aluminum silicate clay is a complex compound
consisting of two basic units namely aluminum silica
tetrahedron and octahedron.
 Weight and Volume Relationships
• Soil consists of :
1. Granular soil (solid), which may be macroscopic (can be
viewed directly by eye) or microscopic (only visible with a
microscope).
2. The pores or cavities (voids), which is the open space
between the compact soil position, with various sizes filled
with air and water and if the condition will only bearis water
saturation and if the condition will only contain air Jering
(macro scale).
3. Soil moisture, which can cause the soil looks wet or dry or
humid, mainly due to the presence of water in soil pores.
Illustration section - part of soil

Voids

That can be filled with water / air

Compact soil
 Phase of soil elements
Va
VV
Total Weight Volume Ww Vw
= total
W =
W
Vs
V Ws

(a) (b)

From illustration :
a. A Parliament of soil with volume V and weight W To make the connection
weight - the volume of soil aggregates
b. Three phases (solid grains, water and air) are separated as shown in
Figure, so that the volume of soil expressed as :

V  VS  VV  VS  VW  Va
• If the air is considered not to have weight, then the total
weight of soil samples is expressed as :
Vw
S
Vv
• Volume relationship is commonly used for a soil element is :
Vv
– Void ratio = e e
Vs

Vv
– Porosity = n n
V

Vw
– Degree of saturation = S S
Vv
• The term commonly used weight relationships are :

Ww
– Water content = w w
Ws

– Unit weight =   W V

• From these equations can be derived again in a few equations

The relationship between void ratio and porosity :

Vv
Vv Vv V n
e   
Vs (V  Vv ) (1  Vv ) 1  n
V

Vv
Vv Vv Vs e
n   
s (Vv  Vs ) (Vv V
 v ) e 1
Vs Vs
• Volume weight relationship also can be expressed in weight of solid
grains, water content and total volume :

Ws 1  w 
W
W  Ww Ws  Ws (1  w)
 W  s   
V V V V

• Dry density (dry unit density) = d

 d  Ws V

• The relationship between bulk density, dry density and moisture content
can be expressed as :

d 
1 w
Three phases of soil element with a
volume of solid grains = 1

VV=e
Ww= wGsw Vw= wGs
Total
Weight
=

W V=1+e

Ws=Gsw
Vs=1
• Due to the volume of solid grains is the same
void ratio, the Ww and Ws, can be stated as
follows :
Ws  Gs w
. s  w.Gs . w
Ww  wW
Where :
Gs = Specific gravity
w = Moisture content
w = weight volume of water
• Thereby :
W Ws  Ww Gs w  wGs w (1  w)Gs w
    
V V 1 e 1 e

and Ws Gs w
d  
V 1 e
Ww wGs w
Vw    wGs
w w
Vw wGs
S  atau
Or Se  wGs
Vv e
Elements of water saturated soil with
Vs = 1
Ww= ew Vw= Vw=e

Total Weight
=

W
V=1+e

Ws=Gsw Vs=1
• If the soil sample in the saturated water condition then sat
(unit weight of saturated soil) can be determined :
W Ws  Ww Gs w  e w (Gs  e) w
 sat    
V V 1 e 1 e
• Relationship between Unit Weight , Porosity and Water Levels
Elements of soil with total volume V = 1

VV=n

Ww= wGsw(1-n)

V=1

Ws=Gsw(1-n) Vs=1-n
• From equation : Vv
n
V
• If V = 1 , then Vv = n otherwise Vs = 1 – n
• So, the granular density weight (Ws) and weight of water (Ww) can be
expressed as follows :
Ws  Gs w (1  n)
. s  wGs w (1  n)
Ww  wW

sehingga: :
Thereby

Ws G   1  n
d   s w  Gs w (1  n)
V 1
W  Ww
  s  Gs w  1  n   1  w 
V
W  Ww G   1  n   n w
 sat  s  s w   1  n  Gs  n   w
V 1
W n. w n
W  w  
Ws  1  n  Gs w  1  n  Gs
 Example problems 1
In the original state has a moist soil volume = 0,33ft3 & weight =
39,93 lb. After drying in the oven, the weight of dry soil is 34,54
lb. If Gs = 2,71 , calculate the water content, moist unit weight
, dry unit weight, void ratio, porosity & degree of saturation.

Conclusion :
Water content (w) W  Ws  39,93  34,54 
Ww
w   x100 %  15,6 %
Ws Ws 34,54
Moist unit weight ()
39,93
 WV   121 lb
0,33 ft 3
Dry unit weight (d ) :
Ws 35,54 lb
d    107,67
V 0,33 ft 3

Void ratio (e) : Vv

e
Vs
Ws 34,54
Vs    0, 204 ft 3
Gs w 2, 71 x 62, 4
Vv  V  Vs  0,33  0, 204  0,126 ft 3

thereby : Vv 0,126
e   0, 618
Vs 0, 204
Porosity (n) : e 0, 618
n   0,382
1  e 1  0, 618

Degree of saturation (S) :

Vw
S
Vv
Ww 5,39
Vw    0, 086 ft 3
 w 62, 4
0, 086
S x 100  68,3 %
0,126
 Example probems 2
From a soil test results obtained : e = 0,75 , w = 22 %,
Gs = 2,66. Calculate : porosity, moist unit weight, dry unit
weight, and degree of saturation.

Conclusion :
Porosity (n) : e 0,75
n   0, 429
1  e 1  0,75

Moist unit weight () :

(1  w)Gs w (1  0, 22)2, 66.62, 4 lb
   115, 715
1 e 1  0, 75 ft 3
 Dry volume weight (d) :

Ws Gs w 2,66.62, 4 lb
d     94,848
V 1 e 1  0,75 ft 3

Derajadof Saturation
Degree Kejenuhan (S)( S:)

Vw wGs 0, 22.2,66
S   x100  78 %
Vv e 0,75