SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 1

• Geological understanding of soils is important for successful geotechnical

engineering practice.
• 3 main groups of rocks—igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic—sedimentary
rocks are of particular importance to geotechnical engineers because they
comprise nearly 75% of the earth’s surface.
• Soils are derived from the weathering of rocks by physical and chemical processes.
• The main groups of soils for engineering purposes from these processes are
coarse-grained soils—sand and gravels—and fine-grained soils—silts and clays.
• Particle size is sufficient to identify coarse-grained soils.
• Fine-grained soils require mineralogical characterization in addition to particle size
for identification.
• Coarse-grained and fine-grained soils have different engineering properties. The
behavior of fine-grained soils is strongly influenced by moisture content changes.
• The behavior of coarse-grained soils under static loading is not influenced by
moisture content changes.
SOIL INVESTIGATION
SOIL INVESTIGATION
Physical Properties
Mechanical Test
Mechanical Test
 In-Situ Test
• Over the years, several in situ testing devices
have emerged to characterize the soil and to
measure strength and deformation properties.
The most popular devices are:
1. Vane shear test (VST)
2. Standard penetration test (SPT)
3. Cone penetrometer test (CPT)
4. Pressuremeter test (PMT)
5. Flat plate dilatometer (DMT)
 SUMMARY OF SI
• At a project site, the soils must be identifi ed
and characterized through a soils
investigation.
• Such an investigation is done in phases and
may include geophysical investigations,
boreholes, and field and laboratory tests.
• At the completion of a soils investigation, the
client normally requires a carefully written
report.
BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SOIL

Characterization of soils base on particle size

PHASE RELATIONSHIPS
 PHASE RELATIONSHIPS
• Bulk Density, b or Bulk Unit Weight, b (Ketumpatan Pukal)
• Saturated Density, sat or Saturated Unit Weight, sat
(Ketumpatan Tepu)
• Dry Density, d or Dry unit Weight, d (Ketumpatan Kering)
• Moisture Content, m (Kandungan Lembapan)
• Void Ratio, e (Nisbah Lompang)
• Porosity, n (Keliangan)
• Degree of Saturation, S (Darjah Ketepuan)
• Air Ratio, A (Nisbah Udara)
• Specific Gravity, Gs (Graviti Tentu)
Bulk Density, b or Bulk Unit Weight, b
𝑀𝑇 𝑊
• 𝜌= or 𝛾 =
𝑉𝑇 𝑉
• Soil sample with Mass 30.6kg, volume
0.0183m3 and dry 24 hours at 105 °C. Sample
decreased to 27.2kg. Given Specific Gravity
2.65, Find Bulk Density
• Solution :
𝑀 30.6
• 𝜌= = = 1672 kg/m3
𝑉 0.0183
 Dry Density, d or Dry Unit Weight, d
𝑀𝑠 𝑊𝑠
• 𝜌𝑑 = or 𝛾𝑑 =
𝑉 𝑉
• Soil sample with Mass 30.6kg, volume
0.0183m3 and dry 24 hours at 105 °C. Sample
decreased to 27.2kg. Given Specific Gravity
2.65, Find Dry Density
• Solution :
𝑀𝑠 27.2
• 𝜌𝑑 = = = 1486 kg/m3
𝑉 0.0183
 Moisture Content, m
𝑀𝑤
• 𝑚=
𝑀𝑠
• Soil sample with Mass 30.6kg, volume 0.0183m3
and dry 24 hours at 105 °C. Sample decreased to
27.2kg. Given Specific Gravity 2.65, Find
Moisture Content
• Solution :
𝑀𝑤 𝑀𝑇 − 𝑀𝑠 30.6 − 27.2
• 𝑚= = = = 0.125 @
𝑀𝑠 𝑀𝑠 27.2
12.5%
 Void Ratio, e
𝑉𝑣
• 𝑒=
𝑉𝑠
• Soil sample with Mass 30.6kg, volume 0.0183m3
• and dry 24 hours at 105 °C. Sample decreased to
• 27.2kg. Given Specific Gravity 2.65, Find Void Ratio
• Solution :
𝑣𝑣 𝑀𝑠
• 𝑒= , GS = ,
𝑉𝑠 𝑉𝑠 𝜌𝑤
𝑀𝑠 27.2
• ∴ 𝑉𝑠 = = = 0.0103m3 , 𝑉𝑣 = 𝑉𝑇 − 𝑉𝑠 = 0.0183-0.0103 = 0.008
𝐺𝑠 𝜌𝑤 (2.65)(1000)
𝑉𝑣 0.008
• e= = = 0.777
𝑉𝑠 0.0103
 Porosity, n
𝑉𝑣
• 𝑛=
𝑉𝑇
• Soil sample with Mass 30.6kg, volume 0.0183m3
• and dry 24 hours at 105 °C. Sample decreased to
• 27.2kg. Given Specific Gravity 2.65, Find Porosity
• Solution :
𝑉𝑣
• 𝑛=
𝑉𝑇
𝑉𝑣 0.008
• n= = = 0.437 @ 43.7%
𝑉𝑇 0.0183
 Degree of Saturation, S
𝑉𝑤 𝑤𝐺𝑠
• 𝑆= =
𝑉𝑣 𝑒
• Soil sample with Mass 30.6kg, volume 0.0183m3
• and dry 24 hours at 105 °C. Sample decreased to
• 27.2kg. Given Specific Gravity 2.65, Find Degree of Saturation
• Solution :
𝑀𝑤 𝑀𝑣 𝑀𝑇 −𝑀𝑆 30.6−27.2
• 𝜌𝑤 = , ∴ 𝑣𝑤 = = = = 0.0034m3
𝑉𝑤 𝜌𝑤 𝜌𝑤 1000
𝑉𝑤 0.0034
• S= = = 0.425 @ 42.5%
𝑉𝑣 0.008
 Air Ratio, Ar
𝑉𝐴
• 𝐴𝑟 =
𝑉𝑇
• Soil sample with Mass 30.6kg, volume 0.0183m3
• and dry 24 hours at 105 °C. Sample decreased to
• 27.2kg. Given Specific Gravity 2.65, Find Air Ratio
• Solution :
𝑉𝐴
• 𝐴𝑟 = , ∴ 𝑣𝐴 = 𝑉𝑣 − 𝑉𝑤 = 0.008 – 0.0034
𝑉𝑇
𝑉𝑣 −𝑉𝑤 0.008−0.0034
• 𝐴𝑟 = = = 0.251 @ 25.1%
𝑉𝑇 0.0183
 CHARACTERIZATION OF SOILS BASED
ON PARTICLE SIZE
• The objective of the test is to determine the
mass percentage of individual particle size
ranges found in the soil
 BS5390:1981
Jenis Tanah Saiz Julat (mm)
Batu Tongkol - > 200

Batu Bundar - 60 – 200

Kasar 20 – 60

Kerikil Sederhana 6 – 20

halus 2–6
Kasar 0.6 – 2

Pasir Sederhana 0.2 - 0.6

halus 0.06 – 0.2

Kasar 0.02 – 0.06

Kelodak Sederhana 0.006 – 0.02

halus 0.002 – 0.006

Tanah Liat - < 0.002
 Sieve Analysis
• the sieve method for particles > 63 μm (or closest sieve available)
• numerical measure of uniformity, called the
uniformity coeffi cient, Cu

• where D60 is the diameter of the soil particles for

which 60% of the particles are finer, and D10 is
the diameter of the soil particles for which 10%
of the particles are finer. Both of these diameters
are obtained from the grading curve.
• coefficient of curvature, Cc (other terms used
are the coefficient of gradation and the
coefficient of concavity), defined as

• D30 is the diameter of the soil particles for

which 30% of the particles are finer. The
average particle diameter is D50.
• Poorly graded soils have uniformity
coefficients ˂ 4 and steep gradation curves.
• Well-graded soils have uniformity coefficients
˃ 4, coefficients of curvature between 1 and 3,
and
• Flat gradation curves. Gap-graded soils have
coefficients of curvature ˂ 1 or ˃ 3, and one or
more humps on the gradation curves.
 Exercise 1
Sieve size (mm) Retained mass (g)
5.0 11

2.36 18

1.18 24

0.6 21

0.3 41

0.212 32

0.15 16

0.063 22

Pan 20

Calculate Cu and Cc, and interpret it

 Saiz Ayak (mm) Jisim Tertahan (g) Jisim Telus (g) % Telus
5.0 11 205 – 11 = 194 (194/205)100 = 95

2.36 18 194 – 18 = 176 (176/205)100 = 86

1.18 24 176 – 24 = 152 (152/205)100 = 74

0.6 21 152 – 21 = 131 (131/205)100 = 64

0.3 41 131 – 41 = 90 (90/205)100 = 44

0.212 32 90 – 32 = 58 (58/205)100 = 28

0.15 16 58 – 16 = 42 (42/205)100 = 20

0.063 22 42 – 22 = 20 (20/205)100 = 10

Panci 20 20 – 20 = 0 (0/205)100 = 0
= 205
 Exercise 2
coarse-grained material of mass 500 grams was shaken through a nest of
sieves, and the following results were obtained:

(a) Plot the particle size distribution (gradation) curve.

(b) Determine (1) the effective size, (2) the average particle size, (3) the
uniformity coefficient, and (4) the coefficient of curvature.
(c) Determine the textural composition of the soil (i.e., the amount of gravel,
sand, etc.)
 Atterberg Limit
Soil becomes so stiff
no longer flow as a
nearly all the water The ability to deform
liquid
in the soil has been continuously without
removed rupture
Can’t be molded
without visible cracks
appearing
Compaction = densification of soils by
the expulsion of air