Academic Modules Geotechnical Engineering 1 (Soil Mechanics)

1st Semester S.Y. 2024-2025

Introduction

For engineering purposes, soil is defined as the uncemented aggregate of mineral

grains and decayed organic matter (solid particles) with liquid and gas in the empty
spaces between the solid particles. Soil is used as a construction material in various
civil engineering projects, and it supports structural foundations. Thus, civil engineers

MODULE 1 must study the properties of soil, such as its origin, grain-size distribution, and ability to
drain water, compressibility, shear strength, and load-bearing capacity.

Soil mechanics is the branch of science that deals with the study of the physical
properties of soil and the behavior of soil masses subjected to various types of forces.

Soil engineering is the application of the principles of soil mechanics to practical

problems.

SOIL FORMATION
Geotechnical engineering is the sub discipline of civil engineering that involves
natural materials found close to the surface of the earth. It includes the application of
the principles of soil mechanics and rock mechanics to the design of foundations,
retaining structures, and earth structures. Geotechnical Engineering is the study of the
behaviour of soils under the influence of loading forces and soil-water interactions.
This knowledge is applied to the design of foundations, retaining walls, earth dams,
clay liners, and geosynthetics for waste containment.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this module students must be able to understand:

1. The formation of various types of rocks, the origins of which are the
solidification of molten magma the mantle of the earth
2. Formation of soil by mechanical and chemical weathering of rock
3. Determination of the distribution of particle sizes in a given soil mass
4. The shape of various particles in a soil mass

References:

1. Braja M. Das & Khaleb Sobhan, Principles of Geotechnical Engineering

Instructor : Engr. Ma. Clarissa Ramos-Cortez

Academic Modules Geotechnical Engineering 1 (Soil Mechanics)
1st Semester S.Y. 2024-2025

Introduction 1.2 Weathering of Rocks

The mineral grains that form the solid phase of a soil aggregate are the Weathering is the process of breaking down rocks by mechanical and chemical
product of rock weathering. The size of the individual grains varies over a wide range. processes into smaller pieces. Mechanical weathering may be caused by the
Many of the physical properties of soil are dictated by the size, shape, and chemical expansion and contraction of rocks from the continuous gain and loss of heat, which
composition of the grains. To better understand these factors, one must be familiar results in ultimate disintegration. Frequently, water seeps into the pores and existing
with the basic types of rock that form the earth’s crust, the rock-forming minerals, and cracks in rocks. As the temperature drops, the water freezes and expands. The
the weathering process. pressure exerted by ice because of volume expansion is strong enough to break
down even large rocks. Other physical agents that help disintegrate rocks are glacier
1.1 Origin of Soil ice, wind, the running water of streams and rivers, and ocean waves. It is important to
realize that in mechanical weathering, large rocks are broken down into smaller
On the basis of their mode of origin, rocks can be divided into three basic
pieces without any change in the chemical composition.
types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Figure shows a diagram of the
formation cycle of different types of rock and the processes associated with them.
This is called the rock cycle. 1.3 Soil Particle Size

Soils generally are called gravel, sand, silt, or clay, depending on the pre
dominant size of particles within the soil. To describe soils by their particle size, several
organizations have developed particle-size classifications. Table 2.3 shows the
particle size classifications developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation.

Instructor : Engr. Ma. Clarissa Ramos-Cortez

Academic Modules Geotechnical Engineering 1 (Soil Mechanics)
1st Semester S.Y. 2024-2025

used for this type of test is the U.S. No. 200 sieve. After the soil is shaken, the mass
of soil retained on each sieve is determined. When cohesive soils are analyzed,
breaking the lumps into individual particles may be difficult. In this case, the soil
may be mixed with water to make a slurry and then washed through the sieves.
Portions retained on each sieve are collected separately and oven-dried before
the mass retained on each sieve is measured:

SOIL SEPARATE SIZE LIMITS BY VARIOUS SYSTEMS

1.4 Mechanical Analysis of Soil

Mechanical analysis is the determination of the size range of particles present
in a soil, expressed as a percentage of the total dry weight. Two methods
generally are used to find the particle-size distribution of soil: (1) sieve analysis—
for particle sizes larger than 0.075 mm in diameter, and (2) hydrometer analysis—
for particle sizes smaller than 0.075 mm in diameter. The basic principles of sieve
analysis and hydrometer analysis are described briefly in the following two
sections.

a. Sieve Analysis
Sieve analysis consists of shaking the soil sample through a set of sieves that have
progressively smaller openings. U.S. standard sieve numbers and the sizes of
openings are given in Table 2.5. The sieves used for soil analysis are generally 203
mm in diameter. To conduct a sieve analysis, one must first oven-dry the soil and
then break all lumps into small particles. The soil then is shaken through a stack of
sieves with openings of decreasing size from top to bottom (a pan is placed
below the stack). Figure 2.26 shows a set of sieves in a shaker used for
conducting the test in the laboratory. The smallest-sized sieve that should be
Instructor : Engr. Ma. Clarissa Ramos-Cortez
Academic Modules Geotechnical Engineering 1 (Soil Mechanics)
1st Semester S.Y. 2024-2025

Once the percent finer for each sieve is

calculated (step 5), the calculations are plotted
on semi logarithmic graph paper (Figure 2.27)
with percent finer as the ordinate (arithmetic
scale) and sieve opening size as the abscissa
(logarithmic scale). This plot is referred to as the
particle-size distribution curve.

b. Hydrometer Analysis

Hydrometer analysis is based on the principle of sedimentation of soil grains in water.

When a soil specimen is dispersed in water, the particles settle at different velocities,
depending on their shape, size, weight, and the viscosity of the water. For simplicity, it
is assumed that all the soil particles are spheres and that the velocity of soil particles
can be expressed by Stokes’ Law, according to which:

Assessment:

1. What is the origin of soil?

2. Explain the Sieve Analysis as a method in determining the size range of
particles present in soil.
3. Derived the formula of D (diameter of soil particles)

Instructor : Engr. Ma. Clarissa Ramos-Cortez