Typical Values of the Coefficient of Volume Compressibility, m v (after Carter 1983)

mv
Type of clay Description (x10-3m2/kN)
Lower Limit
Heavy over-consolidated boulder clays, Very low
stiff weathered rocks and hard clays compressibility
Boulder clays, marls, very stiff tropical red Low
0.05
clays compressibility
Firm clays, glacial outwash clays, lake
deposits, weathered marls, firm boulder Medium
0.1
clays, normally consolidated clays at depth compressibility
and firm tropical red clays
Normally consolidated alluvial clays such
High
as estuarine and delta deposits, and 0.3
compressibility
sensitive clays
Very high
Highly organic alluvial clays and peats 1.5
compressibility

Carter, M and Bentley, S. P., Correlations of Soil Properties, Pentech Press, London, 1991.
m v (after Carter 1983)

mv
(x10-3m2/kN)
Upper Limit Average

0.05

0.1 0.075

0.3 0.2

1.5 0.9

London, 1991.
Typical Values of Compressibility Index, C c (after Holtz and Kovacs 1981)

Cc
Soil
Lower Limit Upper Limit
Normally consolidated medium sensitive clays 0.2 0.5
Chicago silty clay (CL) 0.15 0.3
Boston blue clay (CL) 0.3 0.5
Vicksburg Buckshot clay (CH) 0.5 0.6
Swedish medium sensitive clays (CL-CH) 1 3
Canadian Leda clays (CL-CH) 1 4
Mexico City clay (MH) 7 10
Organic clays (OH) 4
Peats (Pt) 10 15
Organic silt and clayey silts (ML-MH) 1.5 4
San Francisco Bay Mud (CL) 0.4 1.1
San Francisco Old Bay clays (CH) 0.7 0.9
Bangkok clay (CH)

Carter, M and Bentley, S. P., Correlations of Soil Properties, Pentech Press, London, 1991.
ovacs 1981)

Cc
Average
0.35
0.225
0.4
0.55
2
2.5
8.5

12.5
2.75
0.75
0.8
0.4

London, 1991.
Typical Values of the Coefficient of Consolidation, c v (after Carter and Bentley 1991

cv
Soil (m2/yr)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Boston blue clay (CL) 6 18 12
Organic silt (OH) 0.6 3 1.8
Glacial lake clays (CL) 2 2.7 2.35
Chicago silty clay (CL) 2.7 2.7 2.7
Swedish medium sensitive
clays (CL-CH)
1. laboratory 0.1 0.2 0.15
2. field 0.2 1 0.6
San Francisco Bay Mud (CL) 0.6 1.2 0.9
Mexico City clay (MH) 0.3 0.5 0.4

Carter, M and Bentley, S. P., Correlations of Soil Properties, Pentech Press, London, 1991.

Comparison of cv Obtained From Various Methods (after Robinson and Allam, 1996

Range of cv
Pressure ' (m2/yr)
Soil
Logarithm-of- Square-root-of-
(kPa)
time method time method
Red earth 25-50 1.46 1.72
50-100 2.03 2.52
100-200 2.31 3.15
200-400 2.57 3.44
400-800 2.55 3.78
Brown soil 25-50 1.20 1.40
50-100 0.95 1.19
100-200 0.90 1.07
200-400 0.66 0.70
400-800 0.41 0.46
Black cotton soil 25-50 1.60 2.07
50-100 0.97 1.16
100-200 0.63 0.79
200-400 0.36 0.50
400-800 0.18 0.20
Illite 25-50 0.52 0.71
50-100 0.42 1.00
100-200 0.69 1.00
 200-400 0.99 1.45
400-800 1.31 1.84
Bentonite 25-50 0.02 0.04
50-100 0.01 0.03
100-200 0.01 0.02
200-400 0.01 0.01
400-800 0.00 0.01
Chicago clay 12.5-50 7.92 14.35
25-50 6.34 7.54
50-100 4.32 5.49
100-200 1.00 1.49
200-400 1.44 1.39
400-800 1.91 2.03
800-1600 2.24 2.72

Das, Braja M., Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, Fifth Ed., Thomas Learning, United S
r and Bentley 1991)

Reference

Ladd and Luscher, 1965

Lowe, Zaccheo, and Feldman, 1964
Wallace and Otto, 1964
Terzaghi and Peck, 1967

Holtz and Broms, 1972

Leonards and Girault, 1961

ndon, 1991.

n and Allam, 1996)

yr)
Reference
Early stage log
t method
1.93
2.84
3.60
3.96
4.04
1.71
1.20
1.11
0.86
0.43
3.07
1.51
1.09
0.64
0.25
0.79
1.05
1.15
 1.62
2.03
0.05
0.04
0.03
0.01
0.01
14.51
9.93
6.37
1.57 Taylor, 1948
1.55
2.34
2.87

as Learning, United States, 2002.

Typical Values of C/Cc (after Carter and Bentley 1991)

C/Cc
Soil
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Organic silts 0.035 0.06 0.0475
Amorphous and fibrous peat 0.035 0.085 0.06
Canadian muskeg 0.09 0.1 0.095
Leda clay (Canada) 0.03 0.06 0.045
Post-glacial Swedish clay 0.05 0.07 0.06
Soft blue clay (Victoria, B.C.) 0.026 0.026 0.026
Organic clays and silts 0.04 0.06 0.05
Sensitive clay, Portland, ME 0.025 0.055 0.04
San Francisco Bay Mud 0.04 0.06 0.05
New Liskeard (Canada) varved clay 0.03 0.06 0.045
Mexico City clay 0.03 0.035 0.0325
Hudson River silt 0.03 0.06 0.045
New Haven organic clay silt 0.04 0.075 0.0575

Carter, M and Bentley, S. P., Correlations of Soil Properties, Pentech Press, London, 1991.
Typical Values of Unit Weights (sat and dry) (after Carter and Bentley 1991)

sat dry
(kN/m3) (kN/m3)
Soil
Lower Upper Lower
Average
Limit Limit Limit
Sands and gravels
very loose 16.67 17.65 17.16 12.75
loose 17.65 18.63 18.14 13.73
medium dense 18.63 20.59 19.61 14.71
dense 19.61 21.57 20.59 16.67
very dense 21.57 22.56 22.06 19.61
Poorly-graded sands 16.67 18.63 17.65 12.75
Well-graded sands 17.65 22.56 20.10 13.73
well-graded sand/gravel mixtures 18.63 22.56 20.59 14.71
Clays
unconsolidated muds 15.69 16.67 16.18 8.83
soft, open-structured 16.67 18.63 17.65 10.79
typical, normally consolidated 17.65 21.57 19.61 12.75
boulder clays (overconsolidated) 19.61 23.54 21.57 16.67
Red tropical soils 16.67 20.59 18.63 12.75

Carter, M and Bentley, S. P., Correlations of Soil Properties, Pentech Press, London, 1991.
ley 1991)

dry
(kN/m3)
Upper
Average
Limit

13.73 13.24
14.71 14.22
17.65 16.18
19.61 18.14
21.57 20.59
14.71 13.73
21.57 17.65
21.57 18.14

10.79 9.81
13.73 12.26
18.63 15.69
21.57 19.12
17.65 15.20
Representative Values of Modulus of Elasticity of Soil, Es (Das, 2002)

Es
Soil (kPa)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Soft clay 1800 3500 2650
Hard clay 6000 14000 10000
Loose sand 10000 28000 19000
Dense sand 35000 70000 52500

Range of Values: Modulus of Elasticity, E (McCarthy, 1998)

Es
Soil (kPa)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Sand, loose 9000 25000 17000
Sand, dense 45000 80000 62500
Sand, silty 7000 21000 14000
Sand and gravel, loose 45000 145000 95000
Sand and gravel, dense 90000 180000 135000
Silt 2400 20000 11200
Loess 15000 50000 32500
Clay, soft 500 5000 2750
Clay, medium 4000 10000 7000
Clay, firm 7000 20000 13500
Clay, sandy 25000 40000 32500
Representative Values of Poisson's Ration, (Das, 2002)

Soil
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Loose sand 0.2 0.4 0.3
MediumSand 0.25 0.4 0.325
Dense sand 0.3 0.45 0.375
Silty sand 0.2 0.4 0.3
Soft clay 0.15 0.25 0.2
Medium clay 0.2 0.5 0.35

Range of Values: Poisson's Ratio, (McCarthy, 1998)

Soil
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Sand, loose 0.1 0.3 0.2
Sand, dense 0.3 0.4 0.35
Silt 0.3 0.4 0.35
Loess 0.2 0.4 0.3
Clay, saturated 0.4 0.5 0.45
Clay, partially saturated 0.3 0.4 0.35
Clay, with sand and silt 0.2 0.4 0.3
Typical Values of Undrained Shear Strength, c u (after Day, 2006)

cu
Clay (kPa)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Very soft 12
Soft 12 25 18.5
Medium 25 50 37.5
Stiff 50 100 75
Very stiff 100 200 150
Hard 200

Day, Robert W., Foundation Engineering Handbook, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2006.
rk, 2006.
Typical Values of Void Ratio, e (after Lambe and Whitman, 1969)

e
Soil
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Compacted caliche 0.227 0.667 0.447
Silty sand 0.242 0.333 0.2875
Sandy clay 0.379 1.303 0.841
Beach sand 0.636 0.833 0.7345
Compacted Boston blue
0.485 0.652 0.5685
clay
Vicksburg buckshot clay 0.576 0.985 0.7805
Ottawa sand 0.591 0.636 0.6135
Sand-Franklin Falls 0.75 0.848 0.799
Sand-Scituate 0.485 0.621 0.553
Sand-Plum Island 0.652 0.697 0.6745
Sand-Fort Peck 0.561 0.606 0.5835
Silt-Boston 0.742 3.97 2.356
Loess 0.652 0.764 0.708
Lean clay 0.394 0.53 0.462
Sand-Union Falls 0.439 0.645 0.542
Silt-North Carolina 0.636 0.879 0.7575
Sand from dike 0.652 1.152 0.902
Sodium-Boston blue clay 0.47 2.697 1.5835
Calcium kaolinite 1.212 1.682 1.447
Sodium montmorillonite 2.333 3.97 3.1515
Sand (dam filter) 0.455 0.773 0.614

Day, Robert W., Foundation Engineering Handbook, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2006.
rk, 2006.
Typical Values of Permeability, k (after Lambe and Whitman, 1969)

k
Soil (cm/s)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Compacted caliche 5.0E-09 1.0E-07 5.3E-08
Silty sand 7.0E-09 3.0E-08 1.9E-08
Sandy clay 2.5E-10 2.8E-04 1.4E-04
Beach sand 8.0E-02 2.0E-01 1.4E-01
Compacted Boston blue clay 3.5E-09 3.2E-08 1.8E-08
Vicksburg buckshot clay 3.0E-10 1.2E-09 7.5E-10
Ottawa sand 6.0E-10 7.0E-10 6.5E-10
Sand-Franklin Falls 9.0E-04 1.2E-03 1.1E-03
Sand-Scituate 4.0E-03 9.5E-03 6.8E-03
Sand-Plum Island 1.8E-02 2.8E-02 2.3E-02
Sand-Fort Peck 1.8E-03 2.8E-03 2.3E-03
Silt-Boston 1.0E-08 2.0E-06 1.0E-06
Loess 4.0E-09 5.2E-09 4.6E-09
Lean clay 2.0E-09 2.8E-08 1.5E-08
Sand-Union Falls 4.3E-02 1.0E-01 7.2E-02
Silt-North Carolina 5.7E-07 8.0E-05 4.0E-05
Sand from dike 1.4E-04 1.7E-03 9.2E-04
Sodium-Boston blue clay 1.7E-10 1.0E-07 5.0E-08
Calcium kaolinite 2.1E-06 1.2E-05 7.1E-06
Sodium montmorillonite 1.8E-08 1.8E-08 1.8E-08
Sand (dam filter) 1.6E-03 1.0E-01 5.1E-02

Day, Robert W., Foundation Engineering Handbook, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2006.

Typical Values of Permeability, k

k
Soil (cm/s)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Clean gravel 1.0E+00 1.0E+00
Gravel, clean coarse sand 1.0E-01 1.0E+00 5.5E-01
Graded sand, fine sand 1.0E-03 1.0E-01 5.1E-02
Silty sand, silt 1.0E-05 1.0E-03 5.1E-04
Dense silt, clayey silt 1.0E-07 1.0E-05 5.1E-06
Clay, silty clay 1.0E-07 1.0E-07

Spangler, Merlin G. and R.L. Handy, Soil Engineering, Fourth Edition, Harper & Row Publish
Typical Values of Permeability, k

k
Soil (cm/s)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
River deposits
Rhone at Genissiat 4.00E-01
Small streams, eastern Alps 2.00E-02 1.60E-01 9.00E-02
Missouri 2.00E-02 2.00E-01 1.10E-01
Mississippi 2.00E-02 1.20E-01 7.00E-02
Glacial deposits
Outwash plains 5.00E-02 2.00E+00 1.03E+00
Esker, Westfiels, Mass. 1.00E-02 1.30E-01 7.00E-02
Delta, Chicopee, Mass. 1.00E-04 1.50E-02 7.55E-03
Till 1.00E-04
Wind deposits
Dune sand 1.00E-01 3.00E-01 2.00E-01
Loess 1.00E-03
Loess loam 1.00E-04
Lacustrine and marine offshore
deposits
Very fine uniform sand 1.00E-04 6.40E-03 3.25E-03
Bull's liver, Sixth Ave. N.Y. 1.00E-04 5.00E-03 2.55E-03
Bull's liver, Brooklyn 1.00E-05 1.00E-04 5.50E-05
Clay 1.00E-07

Lambe, T. William, and Whitman, Robert V., Soil Mechanics, SI version, Wiley, New York, 196

Typical Values of Permeability, k

k
Soil (cm/s)
Lower Limit Upper Limit Average
Clean gravel 1.0E+00 1.0E+01 5.5E+00
Clean sand, sand and gravel
1.0E-03 1.0E+00 5.0E-01
mixtures
Fine sands, silts 1.0E-05 1.0E-03 5.1E-04
Sand-silt-clay mistures, glacial
1.0E-07 1.0E-04 5.0E-05
tills
Homogeneous clays 1.0E-07

McCarthy, David F., Essentials of Soil Mechanics and Foundations: Basic Geotechnics, Fifth
ew York, 2006.

3.2E-02

n, Harper & Row Publishers, New York, 1982.

on, Wiley, New York, 1969.

Basic Geotechnics, Fifth Edition, Prentice Hall, 1998.