REVIEW OF SOIL PROPERTIES

A BASIC REVIEW
OF SOIL PROPERTIES
WILL ENTAIL THE FOLLOWING:
1.
BASIC SOIL
PARAMETERS
[WEIGHT VOLUME RELATIONSHIPS}
2.
SOIL CLASSIFICATION-
SOIL GRAIN-SIZE
DISTRIBUTION
3.
PLASTICITY CHARACTERISTICS
i) LIQUID
LIMIT
ii) PLASTIC
LIMIT
iii) PLASTICITY
INDEX
4.
SHEAR STRENGTH
CHARACTERISTICS
5.
CONSOLIDATION CHARACTERISTICS
6.
EXPANSIVE AND
SHRINKAGE CHARACTERISTICS
21
REVIEW OF SOIL PROPERTIES-
BASIC SOIL PARAMETERS
SOLIDS
WATER
AIR
1.
WEIGHT VOLUME RELATIONSHIPS:
VOIDS (AIR
+WATER)
COMPONENTS OF
SOIL

i.
SOLID PARTICLES
ii.
WATER
SOLIDS
iii.
VOIDS (AIR)
Va
Vy
Vw
Ww
V
W
Vs
Ws
SOLID MASS
VOLUME RELATIONSHIPS:
i.
VOID
RATIO
e= Vv/Vs
(SETTLEMENT
CHARACTERISTICS)
ii.
POROSITY
.
= Vv/V
(PERMEABILITY
CHARACTERISTICS)
iii.
DEGREE
OF SATURATION
S = Vw/Vv
iv.
S
= 0 DRY
SOIL
; S = 1 SATURATED SOIL ; 0<S<1 UNSATURATED SOIL
v.
WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP:
vi.
WATER CONTENT
w
% = Ww/Ws
X 100 , FOR DRY SOILS
w = 0
31
REVIEW OF SOIL PROPERTIES-
SOIL CLASSIFICATION
SOIL TYPE
SYMBOL
GRAIN
SIZE RANGE
SUB GROUPS (18 NOS)
COARSE GRAINED (COHESIONLESS SOIL)
G S
GRAVEL 75mm-4.75mm SAND 4.75mm-0.75mm
GW,GP, GM, GC SW, SP
, SM, SC.
FINE GRAINED (COHESIVE SOIL)
M C
SILT 0.75mm-0.002mm CLAY< 0.002mm
ML, CL, OL, MI, CI, OI, MH, CH,OH.
HIGHLY ORGANIC
SOIL
(PEAT)
Pt
FIBEROUS TEXTURES,
VERY
HIGH MOISTURE
CONTENT,
VEGETABLE MATTER
Pt
2.
SOIL GRAIN-SIZE
DISTRIBUTION
SYMBOLS:
O
=
ORGANIC
SILTS
AND
CLAYS
W
=
WELL
GRADED
WITH
OR
NO
FINES
P
=
POORLY
GRADEDD
WITH
LITTLE
OR
NO
FINES
L
=
LOW
PLASTICITY
LL
<
35
I
=
MEDIUM
PLASTICITY
LL
-
35-
50
H
=
HIGH
PLASTICITY
LL
>
50
WEIGHT
VOLUME RELATIONSHIP: BULK DENSITY = WEIGHT PER
UNIT VOLUME
OF SOIL
MASS
BULK DENSITY rt
= W/V
(1.60

2.25
t/m3
)
DRY DENSITY
= Ws/V
(1.20
-
1.75
t/m3
)
WHEN
SOIL IS FULLY SATURATED
THEN BULK DENSITY
IS
CALLED
AS SATURATED DENSITY
31
REVIEW OF SOIL PROPERTIES-
SOIL CLASSIFICATION
3.
I.S. CODE
: 18 GROUPS
OF SOIL
8 GROUPS FOR
COARSE SOIL, (4 FOR
GRAVEL, 4 FOR
SAND)
9 GROUPS
FOR FINE GRAINED
SOIL
1 FOR HIGHLY
ORGANIC SOIL
8GROUPS10GROUPS
GW
WELL
GRADED
GRAVEL
SW
WELL
GRADED
SAND
GP

POORLY
GRADED
GRAVEL
SP

POORLY
GRADED
SAND
GC
CLAYEY
GRAVEL
SM

SILTY
SAND
GM

SILTY
GRAVEL
SC
CLAYEY
SAND
ML
INORGANIC
SILT
WITH
LOW
PLASTICITY
CL
INORGANIC
CLAY
WITH
LOW
PLASTICITY
OL
-
ORGANIC
SILT
AND
ORGANIC
SILTY
CLAY
OF
LOW
PLASTICITY
MI
INORGANIC
SILT
WITH
MEDIUM
PLASTICITY
CI
-
INORGANIC
CLAY
WITH
MEDIUM
PLASTICITY
OI
-
ORGANIC
SILT
AND
ORGANIC
SILTY
CLAY
OF
MEDIUM
PLASTICITY
MH
INORGANIC
SILT
WITH
HIGH
PLASTICITY
CH

INORGANIC
CLAY
WITH
HIGH
PLASTICITY
OH
-
ORGANIC
SILT
AND
ORGANIC
SILTY
CLAY
OF
HIGH
PLASTICITY
Pt
-
PEAT
31
REVIEW
OF SOIL PROPERTIES-
CHARACTERISTICS
OF SOIL
GRAIN SIZE DISTRIBUTION/SOIL
GRADATIONTHE ENGINEERING
PROPERTEIS
OF A SOIL MAINLY
DEPENDS
UPON THE SIZE OF THE
SOIL PARTICLES AND THEIR PROPOTION PRESENT IN
THE
SOIL MASS.
60%
D10

PARTICLE
DIA
AT
WHICH
10%
30%
OF
SOIL
MASS
IS
FINER
.
% FINER
THAN
D30

PARTICLE
DIA
AT
WHICH
30%
10%
OF
SOIL
MASS
IS
FINER
D60

PARTICLE
DIA
AT
WHICH
60%
D10
D30
D60
OF
SOIL
MASS
IS
FINER
PARTICLE
SIZE
D10

IT
IS
THE
SIEVE
SIZE
THROUGH
WHICH
10%
OF
SOIL
WILL
PASS
D30

IT
IS
THE
SIEVE
SIZE
THROUGH
WHICH
30%
OF
SOIL
WILL
PASS
D60

IT
IS
THE
SIEVE
SIZE
THROUGH
WHICH
60%
OF
SOIL
WILL
PASS
POORLY
GRADED
SOIL
GAP GRADED
SOIL
WELL GRADED
SOIL
31
REVIEW OF
SOIL
PROPERTIES-
PLASTICITY
CHARACTERISTICS
PLASTICITY CHARACTERISTICS:
LIQUID LIMIT :
THE SOIL
IN ITS LIQUID STATE
FLOWS AND
DO NOT
HAVE ANY
STRENGTH (ZERO STRENGTH). WITH
REDUCTION IN
MOISTURE
CONTENT,
THE LIMIT AT WHICH THE SOIL PASS FROM ZERO
STRENGTH TO SMALL
STRENGTH IS
CALLED THE LIQUID LIMIT
(LIQUID
TO PLASTIC STATE).
PLASTIC LIMIT :
THE SOIL
IN PLASTIC STATE
WITH THE REDUCTION
IN MOISTURE
CONTENT
LOSES ITS PLASTICITY. THE MOISTURE CONTENT
AT WHICH
THE SOIL
HAS SMALL PLASTICITY IS CALLED PLASTIC LIMIT.
(PLASTIC STATE TO SEMI
SOLID STATE)
SHRINKAGE LIMIT : THE SOIL STATE WITH
A
REDUCTION OF
MOISTURE
CONTENT REACHES
SOLID STATE WHERE
IN
FURTHER
REDUCTION IN
MOISTURE CONTENT
DO NOT CAUSE REDUCTION
THE MOISTURE
CONTENT
AT THIS STAGE
IS CALLED SHRINKAGE
LIMIT.
31
REVIEW OF
SOIL
PROPERTIES-
PLASTICITY
CHARACTERISTICS
3.
PLASTICITY CHARACTERISTICS:
THE
BOUNDARY
BETWEEN
THE
STATES
OF
SOILS
(DEPENDING
UPON
MOISTURE
CONTENT)
ARE
DEFINED
AS
PLASTICITY
CHARACTERISTICS.
PLASTICITY
INDEX
P.I.
IS
THE
RANGE
OF
MOISTURE
CONTENT
AT
WHICH
THE
SOIL
REMAINS
PLASTIC.
LIQUIDSTATEPLASTICSTATESEMISOLIDSTATESOLIDSTATE
LIQUID
LIMIT
(WL)
WATER
LL-
PL=PI
CONTENT
DECREASEINVOLUME
PLASTIC
LIMIT
(PL)
SHRINKAGE
LIMIT
(PL)
VOLUMECONSTANT
31
REVIEW OF
SOIL
PROPERTIES-
SHEAR CHARACTERISTICS
SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOILS

THE
SOIL
MASS
UNDER
THE
ACTION
OF
LOAD
FAILS
BY
SHEARING
ALONG
A
SHEAR
PLANE.

STRUCTURAL
STRENGTH
OF
SOIL
DEPENDS
UPON
ITS
SHEAR
STRENGTH.

SHEAR
STRENGTH
OF
SOIL
IS
DEFINED
BY
ITS
RESISTANCE
TO
WITHSTAND
SHEAR
FAILURE.

BEARING
CAPACITY
OF
SOILS
DEPENDS
UPON
THE
SHEAR
STRENGTH
OF
SOILS.

SHEAR
STRENGTH
OF
SOIL
IS
GIVEN
BY
THE
RELATIONSHIP
S
=
C
+
Ptan
.
WHERE
C-
COHESION
ptan
.
-
FRICTIONAL
RESISTENCE
COMPONENT
31
REVIEW
OF SOIL PROPERTIES-
COHESION CHARACTERISTICS
COHESION:
(
C
)

THE
MUTUAL
ATTRACTION
AND
BOND
BETWEEN
THE
SOIL
PARTICLES
IS
TERMED
AS
COHESION

THIS
IS
INDEPENDENT
OF
ANY
EXTERNAL
FORCES

CLAYEY
SOILS
ARE
PREDOMINANTLY
COHESIVE
SOILS
AND
ARE
CALLED

C
SOILS
FRICTIONAL
RESISTANCE:

RESISTANCE
DUE
TO
INTERLOCKING
OF
SOIL
GRAINS

RESISTANCE
DEVELOPED
BETWEEN
PARTICLES
DUE
TO
NORMAL
STRESS
(P)

COURSE
GRAINED
SOIL
(SAND,
GRAVEL)
-
HAVE
NO
COHESION

THEIR
SHEAR
STRENGTH
DEPENDS
UPON
THE
FRICTIONAL
RESISTANCE
BETWEEN
THE
GRAINS
ARE
CALLED
AS
COHESION
LESS
SOILS
OR
.
SOILS.
31
REVIEW
OF SOIL PROPERTIES-
COHESION CHARACTERISTICS
FRICTIONAL
RESISTANCE:

RESISTANCE
DUE
TO
INTERLOCKING
OF
SOIL
GRAINS

RESISTANCE
DEVELOPED
BETWEEN
PARTICLES
DUE
TO
NORMAL
STRESS
(P)

COURSE
GRAINED
SOIL
(SAND,
GRAVEL)
-
HAVE
NO
COHESION

THEIR
SHEAR
STRENGTH
DEPENDS
UPON
THE
FRICTIONAL
RESISTANCE
BETWEEN
THE
GRAINS
ARE
CALLED
AS
COHESION
LESS
SOILS
OR
.
SOILS.
31
REVIEW OF
SOIL PROPERTIES-
CONSOLIDATION CHARACTERISTICS
CONSOLIDATION
CHARECTERISTICS
OF
SOILS:
DUE
TO
APPLICATION
OF
VERTICAL
PRESSURE
(BUILDING
WEIGHT)
THE
WATER
IN
THE
VOIDS
SLOWLY
ESCAPES
AND
THE
LAYER
GETS
COMPRESSED.
THIS
PROCESS
OF
COMPRESSION
ACCOMPANIED
BY
THE
EXPULSION
OF
WATER
IS
CALLED
THE
PROCESS
OF
CONSOLIDATION.
DUE
TO
THIS
COMPRESSIBILITY
OF
CLAY
LAYER
THE
BUILDING
UNDERGOES
SETTLEMENT.
3CLAY LAYERH
Po
G.
L.
BLDG.
CLAY
LAYER
2:
1
1
SOIL EXPLORATION
SHEAR
FAILURE
OF
SOILS
THREE
TYPES
OF
SHEAR
FAILURE
DEPENDING
UPON
THE
DEFORMATIONS
ASSOCIATED
WITH
THE
LOAD
AND
THE
EXTENT
OF
DEVELOPMENT
OF
FAILURE
SURFACE.

GENERAL
SHEAR
FAILURE

PUNCHING
SHEAR
FAILURE

LOCAL
SHEAR
FAILURE
3
SOIL EXPLORATION
GENERAL
SHEAR
FAILURE:
CHARACTERISED
BY
THE
EXISTENCE
OF
A
WELL
DEFINED
FAILURE
PATTERN
CONSISTING
OF
A
CONTINUOUS
SLIP
SURFACE
FROM
ONE
EDGE
OF
THE
FOOTING
TO
GROUND
SURFACE.

A
TENDENCY
OF
BUILDING
OF
ADJACENT
SOIL
CAN
BE
RECORDED,
THROUGH
MOST
OF
THE
LOADING
PROCESS.

FINAL
SOIL
COLLAPSE
OCCURS
ONLY
ON
ONE
SIDE.

THIS
IS
CHARACTERISTIC
OF
NARROW,
SURFACE
FOOTING
OR
OF
SHALLOW
DEPTH
IN
DENSER
SOILS
WHICH
ARE
RELATIVELY
INCOMPRESSIBLE.
FOOTING
GENERAL SHEAR
3
SOIL EXPLORATION
PUNCHING
SHEAR
FAILURE

CHARACTERISED
BY
THE
VERTICAL
MOVEMENT
OF
THE
FOOTING
ACCOMPANIED
BY
THE
COMPRESSION
OF
SOIL
IMMEDIATELY
UNDERNEATH.

THE
SOIL
OUTSIDE
LOADED
AREA
REMAINING
UNINVOLVED.

PRACTICALLY
NO
MOVEMENT
OF
SOIL
ON
THE
SIDES
OF
THE
FOOTING.

IT
HAPPENS
IN
SOILS
OF
HIGH
COMPRESSIBILITY.
FOOTING
PUNCHING SHEAR FAILURE
3
SOIL EXPLORATION
LOCAL
SHEAR
FORCE

IT
IS
AN
INTERMEDIATE
MODE
EXHIBITING
SOME
CHARACTERISTICS
OF
BOTH
GENERAL
AND
PUNCHING
SHEAR
FAILURE.

IT
IS
CHARACTERISED
BY
SLIP
LINES
BELOW
THE
FOOTING
BUT
EXTENDING
ONLY
A
SHORT
DISTANCE
INTO
THE
SOIL
MASS.
SLIP SURFACE WITHIN
SOIL MASS
3
DEFINITION:
Bearing Capacity. Bearing capacity is the power of foundation soil to hold the f
orces from the superstructure without undergoing shear failure or excessive sett
lement.
.
Ultimate Bearing Capacity.
It is the maximum pressure that a foundation
soil can withstand
without undergoing shear failure.
Allowable Bearing Capacity.
The allowable
bearing capacity is the ultimate bearing by an appropriate
factor of safety FS.
INFLUENCE FACTORS
Factors influencing the bearing capacity:
o
Soil Strength
o
Foundation Width
o
Foundation Depth
o
Soil Weight and Surcharge
o
Spacing between foundation