CA3687

Soil Mechanics

Professor WANG, Yu
Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering
Outcomes Based Teaching & Learning
(OBTL)
Course Title : Soil Mechanics

Course Code: CA3687

Course Aims: The course introduces basic concepts in soil

mechanics, encompassing physical and mechanical
properties of different types of soil. The course forms a
foundation for students to take advanced geotechnical
courses.

Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)

Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs)
Assessment Tasks/Activities
Outcomes Based Teaching & Learning
(OBTL)
Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

No. CILOs
1 experience the procedures in carrying out laboratory tests for
basic soil properties which are commonly used in the
construction industry;

2 interpret soil physical and mechanical properties from data

obtained in laboratory experiments;

3 predict soil behavior under compression and shearing, and

water flow in soil; and

4 Characterize soil behavior using stress paths and soil models.

Outcomes Based Teaching & Learning
(OBTL)
Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs):
Semester Hours: 4 hours per week

No. TLAs Hours

1 •Hands-on experience during laboratory sessions
18
2 •Introduction in each laboratory session
10
•Question and answer mode of learning during laboratory
sessions
•Examples and exercises during lectures

3 •Lectures
12
•Experimental based demonstrations during lectures
•Examples and exercises during lectures

4 •Lectures
12
•Examples and exercises during lectures
Outcomes Based Teaching & Learning
(OBTL)
Assessment Tasks/Activities:
Coursework: 50%; Examination: 50%

CILO No. Type of assessment tasks/activities

1 •Laboratory reports

2 •Laboratory reports
•Assignments and quiz
•Final examination
3 •Assignments and quiz
•Final examination
4 •Assignments and quiz
•Final examination
 Course Organisation
Lecturers: Professor Yu Wang & Jeff Wang (lectures & lab)
PhD students (lab)

Lectures: Monday 13:00 – 14:50 (YEUNG P4302)

Laboratory *Start from week 5

Session: Wednesday and Tuesday (L01, L02 & L03)
Soil Mechanics and Geology Laboratory
(FYW 2330, via Lift 11)

Coursework: Laboratory test reports and assignments

30% of the final grade
Midterm exam
20% of the final grade

Examinations: Final examination

50% of the final grade
 Course Overview

Week 1 – Basic soil properties I

Week 2 – Basic soil properties Il
Week 3 – Concept of effective stress
Week 4 – Stress distribution in soil & Quiz 1

Textbook:
Craig R.F. (2004). Craig’s soil mechanics. 7th edition, Spon Press
Available at CityU Bookstore
6th edition, available online through CityU library
(TA710 .C685 1997eb World Wide Web)
 Why study Soil Mechanics?
Foundations

Liquefaction
 Why study Soil Mechanics?
Slopes
Why study Soil Mechanics?
Landslides
 Why study Soil Mechanics?
Excavations
 Why study Soil Mechanics?

Construction
Management

Shanghai 06/2009
 Course Overview

Week 1 – Basic soil properties I

Week 2 – Basic soil properties Il
Week 3 – Concept of effective stress
Week 4 – Stress distribution in soil & Quiz 1

Textbook:
Craig R.F. (2004). Craig’s soil mechanics. 7th edition, Spon Press
Available at CityU Bookstore
6th edition, available online through CityU library
(TA710 .C685 1997eb World Wide Web)
Expectation at the beginning of
the course
Engineering mathematics:
1. +, -, ×,÷,√
2. log, ln
3. d/dx, ∫
4. Vectors
Basic physics:
1. ΣF = ma
2. displacement, velocity and acceleration

What if the above looks unfamiliar to you?

Expectation at the end of the course
1. Describe soil properties using soil mechanics
terminology
2. Explain the purpose and methodology of
common soil experiments
3. Find out stress distribution in soil
4. Estimate water flow pattern in soil
5. Qualitatively and quantitatively describe soil
behaviour under compressive and shear
stresses
6. Characterize soil behavior using stress paths
and soil models.
 Topic 1

Basic Soil Properties

Outcomes Based Teaching & Learning
(OBTL)
CILOs •experience the procedures in carrying out laboratory tests for
basic soil properties which are commonly used in the
construction industry;
•interpret soil physical and mechanical properties from data
obtained in laboratory experiments;

TLAs •Lectures
•Introduction in each laboratory session
•Hands-on experience during laboratory sessions
•Question and answer mode of learning during laboratory
sessions
•Examples and exercises during lectures

Asses •Laboratory reports

•Assignments and quiz
sment •Final Examination
 What is Soil ?
• In civil engineering and construction
industry, soil is any uncemented or
weakly cemented accumulation of mineral
particles formed by the weathering of
rocks, the void space between the
particles containing water and/or air.
 Origin of Soil
All soils originates, directly or indirectly, from solid rocks.

Igneous Rock: formed by cooling from hot molten

material within or the surface of the
earth’s crust
Sedimentary Rock: formed in layers from sediments settling in
water, such as seas and lakes
Metamorphic Rock: formed by recrystallisation of existing
solid rocks due to pressure or heat

Process of weathering: physical, chemical and biological activities

(such as action of sun, rain, water, snow, ice and frost)
Rocks in Hong Kong
Weathering

Grade I – fresh
Grade II – slightly weathered
Grade III – moderately weathered
Grade IV – highly weathered
Grade V – completed weathered
Grade VI – residual soil

Source: GCO(1987). Geoguide 3: Guide to Soil

and Rock Descriptions. The Government of Hong
Kong Special Administration Region. Hong Kong.
Soils in Hong Kong
 Soil Mineralogy
11 oxides account for 99% by weight of the rocks in the Earth’s crust.
For example: Silicon oxide – 59.1%
Aluminium oxide – 15.2%

Common minerals:

Mineral Grain size (µm) Specific surface (m2/g)

Quartz 100 0.02

Kaolinite 0.3-2 20

Illite 0.2-2 80

Montmorillonite 0.01-1 800

 Soil Composition
• Demonstration • Philosophy of Life
– Coarse particles – Career (?)
– Fine particles – Family (?)
– Water – Fun (beer?)
– Air
 Phase Diagram
Masses Volumes
Ma=0 Air Va
Vv
Mt Mw Water Vw Vt

Ms Soil Particles Vs
This course: Partially saturated (or unsaturated) soil

Ma=0 Air Va=Vv Mw Water Vw=Vv

Mt=Ms Soil Particles Vs Ms Soil Particles Vs

Dry soil Saturated soil

 Fundamental Definitions
1. Void ratio (e)
= Volume of voids ÷ Volume of solids = Vv/Vs

2. Specific volume (v)

= Total volume ÷ Volume of solids = (Vs+Vv)/Vs = 1+e

3. Porosity (n)
= Volume of voids ÷ Total volume = Vv/(Vs+Vv) = e/(1+e) = (v-1)/v

4. Degree of saturation (Sr)

= Volume of water ÷ Volume of voids = Vw/Vv

5. Water content (w)

= Mass of water ÷ Mass of solid = Mw/Ms
Relative Density Index (ID)
(emax − e)
ID =
(emax − emin )
emax = the loosest state the soil can achieve

emin = the densest state the soil can achieve under a certain
vibration energy

It gives an initial assessment of density of a soil (mainly

coarse-grained).
Density (unit weight) measurements
1. Particle density (or specific gravity) (Gs)
= (Mass of solids ÷ Volume of solids)/ Water density = Ms/(Vs ρ w)

2. Bulk density (ρ)

= Total mass ÷ Total volume = Mt/Vt

3. Dry density (ρd)

= Mass of solids ÷ Total volume = Ms/Vt

4. Saturated density (ρs)

= Bulk density when soil is fully saturated

5. Submerged (or effective) density (ρ')

= ρ - ρw What is the difference between
density and unit weight?
Phase Relationships
ρ = (1 + w) ρ d
ρ = (1 + w) ρ d Ms + Mw
ρ=
wGs V s + V w + Va
Sr = Ms Mw
e ρ= +
V s + V w + Va V s + V w + Va
G s ρ w (1 + w)
ρ= ρ = ρd +
Mw
1+ e V s + V w + Va
 Gs − 1  wM s
ρ'=  ρw ρ = ρd +
Vs + Vw + Va
 1+ e 
ρ = ρ d + wρ d
 Gs 
ρd =  ρw
1+ e  ρ = (1 + w) ρ d
 Example 1
1. A sample of soil is taken using a thin walled sampling tube into a soil
deposit. After the soil is extruded from the sampling tube a sample of
diameter 50 mm and length 80 mm is cut and is found to have a mass of
290 g. Soil trimmings created during the cutting process are weighed and
found to have a mass of 55 g. These trimmings are then oven dried and
found to have a mass of 45 g. Determine the phase distributions, void
ratio, degree of saturation and relevant unit weights. Given that Gs = 2.65.
 Example 2
2. A sample of saturated clay was placed in a container and weighed. The
weight was 6N. The clay in its container was placed in an oven for 24
hours at 105°C. The weight reduced to a constant value of 5N. The
weight of the container is 1N. If Gs=2.7, determine the (a) water content; (b)
void ratio; (c) bulk unit weight; (d) dry unit weight; and (e) effective unit
weight.
 Soil Description
Based on particle size:
Particle size (mm)
0.002 0.006 0.02 0.06 0.2 0.6 2 6 20 60

fine med coarse fine med coarse fine med coarse

Clay Silt Sand Gravel Cobbles

Fine-grained soils Coarse-grained soils

It may sometimes be a mixture of different things

e.g. Clayey-Silty Sand
Particle shape (angularity)

Kaolinite flake
(×15000)

Gravels
Borehole Records

MARINE DEPOSIT
Sandy silty CLAY

Grade V CDG
Sandy clayey SILT
 Particle Size Distribution
SAMPLE:...................... AUSTRALIAN STANDARD SIEVE SIZES
BOREHOLE:.................

1.18mm
75 µ m
DEPTH:..............

9.50
2.36

4.75
6.70

19.0
26.5
37.5
13.2

63.0
75.0
DATE:................

150

200
212
300
425
600
100 0

90 90
Well-graded90 10

80 80 80 20

70 70 70 30

PERCENTAGE RETAINED
60 60 60
PERCENTAGE PASSAGE

40

50 50 50 50

40 Gap-graded
40 40 60

30 30 30 70

20 20 20 80

10 10 10 Uniform 90

0 100
CLAY FRACTION SILT FRACTION SAND FRACTION GRAVEL FRACTION
COBBLES
FINE MEDIUM COARSE FINE MEDIUM COARSE FINE MEDIUM COARSE

0.002 0.006 0.02 0.06 0.2 0.6 2 6 20 60 200

0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1.0 10 100
PARTICLE SIZE - mm
MONASH UNIVERSITY Department of Civil Engineering - Geomechanics Laboratory RCA 16-3-1998 SEID258
 Particle Size Distribution
100
Characteristic Values
Uniformity coefficient, CU

d 60
CU =
Percentage finer (%)

60
d10
Coefficient of curvature, CZ
30

CZ =
(d 30 )
2

10
d10 d 60
0
d10 d30 d60
Particle size (mm)
CU=1: single-sized soil
d10=Maximum size of the smallest 10% of the sample
d30=Maximum size of the smallest 30% of the sample
CU<3: uniform soil
d60=Maximum size of the smallest 60% of the sample CU>5: well-graded soil
 How to measure Particle Size
Distribution (PSD)?
For coarse grains (>63µm), wet-sieving is used

3.35mm 5%

2mm 10%

1.18mm 15%

0.6mm 15% 100 0

0.03mm 15%

Percentage retained (%)

Percentage finer (%)
0.15mm 15%

0.063mm 15% 50
50
90%
10%

?
0 100
Grain size (mm)
 How to measure Particle Size
Distribution (PSD)?
For fine grains (<63µm),
hydrometer test is used: Stoke’s law
γs −γw  2
Soil passing the 63µm sieve is mixed v =  d
with a dispersant and distilled water  18η 
and placed in a special graduated
d = particle diameter
cylinder in a state of liquid suspension. γs = unit weight of soil particle
The specific gravity of the mixture is γw = unit weight of the suspension fluid
periodically measured using a η = viscosity of the suspension fluid
calibrated hydrometer to determine the
rate of settlement of
soil particles. The relative size and
percentage of fine particles are
determined based on Stoke’s law for
settlement of idealized spherical
particles.
 Soil Plasticity
Fine-grained (<63µm) soils tend to be more compressible. Volume
change is associated with the amount of voids in the soil (i.e. void
ratio or water content). It is therefore important to characterise the
water storage capacity of fine-grained soil.

Plasticity Index: Ip

Atterberg Limits: Water

Content
W SL W PL
Ip
W LL
 Soil Plasticity
Plasticity Index (Ip):
Total volume of soil

I P = wLL − wPL
Activity (A):
IP
Brittle soil Plastic soil Liquid A=
CC
Clay content (CC) = percentage by weight with
wPL wLL a particle size of < 2 µm
Water content (w)
Liquidity Index (IL):
Plastic limit (wPL):water content below ( w − wPL )
which the soil (clay)is brittle and crumbly IL =
( wLL − wPL )
Liquid limit (wLL): water content above
which the soil (clay) behaves as liquid
So, apart from particle size, we use the plasticity index (Ip) to classify
fine-grained soils, and make correlations to different soil properties
How to measure Atterberg Limits?
Plastic limit: Rolling-out test:
The plastic limit is arbitrarily defined as the water content at which
soil can just be rolled into 3 mm diameter threads without
crumbling.

Liquid limit: Fall-cone test:

The liquid limit is determined by
plunging a 80g stainless steel
cone with an apex angle of
30°into soil. Liquid limit is
defined to have reached when
the penetration depth is exactly
20 mm.
 Falling Cone Test
HOKLAS
Hong Kong
Laboratory
Accreditatio
n Scheme
 Soil
Classification

What does CL
mean?
 Soil Compaction
The characteristics of a soil under compaction is
reflected by Proctor compaction test.
By compacting a soil at different water
contents with a constant compaction
effort (input energy), the relationship
between soil density and water content
can be found.
 Compaction Curve
Key information:
(i) Maximum dry density
(ρdmax)
(ii) Optimum moisture content
(wopt)

Relative Compaction (Rc):

ρd
Rc = ×100%
ρ d max

What if the hammer is made heavier?

 Example 3
3. Cores of soil sample are extracted from the ground at a depth of about
2 m. The bulk density of the soil (ρ) is 2050 kg/m3, at an in-situ water
content of 19%. The average specific gravity (Gs) of the soil particles is
found to be 2.65. When the soil is used to carry out a standard Proctor
compaction test, the following results are obtained.
Water content, w (%) 12 15 18 21 24

Bulk density, ρ (kg/m3) 1830 1935 1985 1980 1955

(a) Find the in-situ void ratio (e) and degree of saturation (Sr) of the soil.

(b) Plot the compaction curve and deduce the optimum water content
(wopt) and the corresponding dry density (ρd)

(c) If the soil is used to construct an embankment at its natural water

content of 19%, discuss the characteristics of the soil in terms of
stiffness and the vulnerability to wetting collapse as compared to its
“optimum” state?
Reading assignment
Chapter 1 in textbook

1.1 The nature of soils

1.2 Particle size distribution
1.3 Plasticity of fine soils
1.4 Soil description and classification
1.5 Phase relationship
1.6 Soil compaction