Republic of the Philippines

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

The National Engineering University
Alangilan Campus
Golden Country Homes, Alangilan, Batangas City, Batangas, Philippines 4200
Tel Nos.: (+63 43) 425-0139 loc. 2121 / 2221
E-mail Address: [email protected] | Website Address: http://www.batstate-u.edu.ph

College of Engineering

Department of Civil Engineering

Laboratory Experiment No. 5

Determination of Unit Weight, Dry Unit Weight, Void Ratio and Porosity

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the subject
Geotechnical Engineering I (Soil Mechanics)

Submitted By:
Deynata, Dio Rafael C.
Manaig, Kathleen Anne M.
Montealto, Elaine D.
Otero, Bea Mae C.
Ponce, Stephanie Kate C.
Group No. 2

Submitted To:
Engr. Emmanuel P. Maala

October 1, 2022

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PURPOSE
Soil mass is a three-phase system comprised of soil solids, water, and air. The
interrelationships between the various phases are crucial because they help define the soil’s
condition and physical properties. The volumetric relationship will be employed to estimate
the void ratio, porosity, and degree of saturation in this experiment. The unit weight or weight
3 3
per unit volume, denoted by 𝛄, is measured in 𝑘𝑁/𝑚 in SI units and 𝑙𝑏/𝑓𝑡 in English units.
The void ratio (e) is the ratio of the volume of voids to the volume of solids, whereas porosity
(n) is the ratio of void volume to total volume.

STANDARD REFERENCE
ASTM D7263-09 - Standard Test Methods for Laboratory Determination of Density
(Unit Weight) of Soil Specimens.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

● Undisturbed soil sample
● Balance
● Paraffin Wax
● Aluminum Container
● Wire basket
● Moisture can
● Gloves
● Tongs
● Soil Prospecting Kit

PROCEDURES
1. Determine the density of the wax to be used.
2. Prepare an intact soil sample from a large block of undisturbed soil.
3. Trim the soil sample to a regular shape (2 x 2 in). Handle the specimens with care to
avoid any disruption, shape changes, or water content changes.
4. Weigh and record the mass of the soil specimen (𝑀𝑡).
5. Dip or apply melted wax to the soil sample. After the first application of wax has
hardened, apply a second coat. (Note: The wax should be warm enough to flow when
brushed or applied on the sample, yet it should not be extremely hot that might cause
the sample to dry.)
6. Weigh and record the mass of the wax-coated sample (𝑀𝑐).
7. Determine and record the submerged mass of the wax-coated specimen (𝑀𝑠𝑢𝑏). Place
the coated sample in a wire basket attached on a balance. Submerge the wire basket
and the sample in a container filled with water. To determine the mass of the
submerged wet soil and wax, the balance must be balanced (tared to zero) with the
wire basket entirely immersed in the container. Ensure that the sample and wire basket
are completely submerged and that the basket does not touch the sides or bottom of
the container.

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 8. Measure the volume of the displaced water and record it as 𝑉𝑤. This value is equal to
the volume of the coated sample since the volume of a displaced liquid is equal to the
volume of the object which displaced it.
9. Obtain a representative sample from the previous specimen and weigh its mass
(𝑀𝑤𝑒𝑡).
10. Oven-dry the sample and let it cool down. After cooling, weigh and record the mass
(𝑀𝑑𝑟𝑦) of the oven-dried sample.

DATA ANALYSIS/COMPUTATION

Dimension of Undisturbed Specimen:

Diameter = 4 cm
Height = 7 cm

Tabulations:

Mass of soil specimen, Mt (g) 116

Mass of wax-coated specimen, MC (g) 125

Volume of displaced water, Vw = Vcoated sample (ml) 78

Mass of representative sample, Mwet (g) 28

Mass of oven-dried representative sample, Mdry 22

Calculations:

Mass of the Wax

Mwax = MC - Mt = 125 g - 116 g = 9 g
Volume of the Wax
𝑀𝑤𝑎𝑥 9𝑔 3
Vwax = ρ𝑤𝑎𝑥
= 3 = 10𝑐𝑚
0.9 𝑔/𝑐𝑚
Volume of the Soil
Vsoil = Vcoated sample - Vwax = 78 cm3 - 10 cm3 = 68 cm3
Density of the Soil
𝑀𝑡 116 𝑔 3
ρ𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙 = 𝑉𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 − 𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥
= 3 = 1. 70588 𝑔/𝑐𝑚 𝑜𝑟 1, 705. 88235 𝑘𝑔/𝑚
68 𝑔/𝑐𝑚

Unit Weight of the Soil

3 2 3
( )
γ𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙 = ρ𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙 (𝑔) = (1, 705. 88235 𝑘𝑔/𝑚 )(9. 81 𝑚/𝑠 ) = 16, 734. 70585 𝑁/𝑚

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 Dry Unit Weight
𝑀𝑤𝑒𝑡− 𝑀𝑑𝑟𝑦 28 𝑔 − 22 𝑔
w= 𝑀𝑑𝑟𝑦
= 22 𝑔
= 0. 27273 𝑜𝑟 27. 27273%

γ𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙 16,734.70585 𝑁/𝑚

3
3
γ𝑑 = 1+𝑤
= 1+0.27273
= 13, 148. 66928 𝑁/𝑚

Total Volume (V) = 1284 cm3

Volume of Solids (VS) = 68 cm3

Void Ratio:
𝑉𝑉 𝑉 − 𝑉𝑆 1284 − 68
𝑒= 𝑉𝑆
= 𝑉𝑆
= 68
= 17. 88235
𝑛 0.94704
𝑒= 1−𝑛
= 1− 0.94704
= 17. 88218

Porosity:
𝑉𝑉 𝑉 − 𝑉𝑆 1284−68
𝑛= 𝑉
= 𝑉
= 1284
= 0. 94704

Degree of Saturation:
𝑉𝑊 𝑉𝑊 𝑉𝑊 1284−78
𝑆= 𝑉𝑉
= 𝑉 − 𝑉𝑆
= 𝑉 − 𝑉𝑆
= 1284−68
* 100% = 99. 17763%

DISCUSSION
The purpose of this exercise is to determine the unit weight, dry unit weight, void ratio,
and porosity. Before that, the mass and volume of the wax, and the volume and density of the
soil must be determined first.
To illustrate, the mass of the wax is determined by subtracting the mass of the soil
specimen from the mass of wax-coated specimen. Nine grams of wax was recorded by
3
subtracting 116g from 125g. Moreover, 10𝑐𝑚 of wax was obtained by getting the quotient
of weight of the wax and the density of the wax. The volume of the soil was recorded to have
68 cm3 by subtracting the volume of the coated sample to the volume of the wax. Aside from
3
that, 1. 70588 𝑔/𝑐𝑚 of soil was determined by dividing the mass of the soil specimen to
the volume of the soil.
Through the following data, the unit weight, dry unit weight, void ratio, porosity, and
degree of saturation can now be determined. The unit weight of the soil is calculated by
multiplying its density by the gravitational acceleration. As such, the unit weight of the soil is
3 3
equal to 16, 734. 70585 𝑁/𝑚 by getting the product of 1, 705. 88235 𝑘𝑔/𝑚 and
2
9. 81 𝑚/𝑠 . Furthermore, the dry unit weight is calculated by getting the quotient of the unit
weight and the sum of 1 and moisture content, whereas the moisture content is determined by
dividing the difference of mass of the representative sample and mass of the oven-dried
representative sample to the mass of the oven-dried representative sample. Through
3
calculations, the dry unit weight of the soil is determined to be 13, 148. 66928 𝑁/𝑚 .

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 Considering that the total volume is 1284 cm3 and the volume of the solids is 68 cm3,
void ratio and porosity can be determined. The void ratio can be calculated by dividing the
volume of the voids by the volume of the solids, whereas the volume of the voids is equal to
the difference of the total volume of soils and the volume of the solids. Porosity can be
calculated by dividing the volume of the voids to the total volume.Void ratio can also be
calculated when porosity is given. It is done by dividing porosity to the difference of 1 and
porosity. Subsequently, the void ratio is equal to 17. 88235 or 17. 88218, if the formula
involving porosity is used. Meanwhile, the porosity is equal to 0. 94704.
According to Dincer & Rosen (2021), degree of saturation refers to the ratio of actual
humidity ratio to the humidity ratio of a saturated mixture at the same temperature and
pressure. From the obtained data, it is found that the degree of saturation is about
99. 17763%. It is calculated by dividing the volume of the displaced water to the volume of
the voids.

SUMMARY/CONCLUSION
It is known that soil is built of three different phases: soil solids (mineral particles), liquid
(usually water), and gas (usually air). Since soil plays a major role in managing buildings,
bridges, and other structures, each of its phases is used extensively in predicting and studying
the behavior of soils. Unit weight, the ratio of the total weight of soil to the total volume of
soil, is essential in studying the bearing capacity, strength, and durability of soil. The study of
unit weight is useful for analyzing soil deformation and can therefore be used to take
preventive measures to stop structures from failing. Another significant parameter considered
is the void ratio. It is the ratio of the volume of soil voids to the volume of soil solids. It is
important to determine because it affects how the soil behaves. Void ratio is utilized in
studying the compressibility of soil, wherein the change in the volume of individual particles
is ignored because the crushing and fracturing of solid particles under applied stresses are
negligible. Same with unit weight and void ratio, degree of saturation and porosity, are also
both important to be determined to analyze the impacts of the different phases that constitute
the soil.
In this laboratory activity, the mass of the soil specimen, mass of the wax-coated
specimen, the volume of displaced water, the mass of the representative sample, and the mass
of the oven-dried representative sample were already presented so the necessary
computations are straightforward. We were able to compute the unit weight, dry unit weight,
void ratio, porosity, and degree of saturation of the soil sample.
RECOMMENDATION
● If the laboratory experiment is to be performed, it is important to make sure that the
data for the tabulations are well organized and accurately recorded.
● Since the results of this experiment are used to analyze soil deformation and
compressibility, double-check the computations to ensure that it provides accurate
results.

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DOCUMENTATION

Link: https://bit.ly/UnitWeightVoidRatioPorosity

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REFERENCES
Dincer, I., & Rosen, M. A. (2021). Exergy analyses of psychrometric processes.
Exergy, 101–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-824372-5.00006-3

(2022, August 5). Retrieved from Param Visions:

https://www.paramvisions.com/2022/08/what-is-void-ratio-of-soil-significance.h
tml

E Library. (n.d.). Retrieved from Elementary engineering Library:

https://www.elementaryengineeringlibrary.com/civil-engineering/soil-mechanics
/degree-of-saturation

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