Geotechnical Modelling Tutorial
1. A specimen of wet soil in a drying dish has a total mass of 462 g. After drying in
an oven at 110°C overnight, the combined mass of the sample and dish is 364 g.
The mass of the dish alone is 39 g. Determine the water content of the soil sample.
2. A piece of clay taken from a sampling tube has a wet weight of 1.553 kN and a
volume of 953 cm³. After drying in an oven for 24 hours at 105°C, its weight
becomes 1.087 kN. Assuming the specific gravity of soil particles (Gs) is 2.65,
determine the Water content, void ratio, and degree of saturation of the soil.
3. A partially saturated soil from an earthfill has a natural water content of 19% and
a bulk unit weight of 19.33 kN/m³. Assuming the specific gravity of soil solids
(Gs) is 2.7, compute the following: Degree of saturation (S), Void ratio (e), Dry
density of the soil. If the soil is subsequently saturated, determine: a) the saturated
unit weight (b) the buoyant unit weight.
4. A silty clay soil is fully saturated and exhibits a water content of 46%. The
specific gravity of the soil solids is given as 2.70. Based on this information,
determine the void ratio of the soil, the saturated unit weight (in kg/m³), and the
buoyant or submerged unit weight (in kg/m³).
5. A 592 cm³ volume of moist sand weighs 1090 g. The dry weight is 920 g and the
specific gravity of solids is 2680 kg/m³. Compute the following:
(a) Void ratio
(b) Porosity
(c) Degree of Saturation
(d) Total density in kg/m³
6. A soil sample in its natural moist state has a total volume of 0.01456 m³ and a
total mass of 25.74 kg. After oven drying, the mass of the soil reduces to 22.10 kg.
The specific gravity of the soil solids is given as 2.69. Using this information,
determine the density, unit weight, void ratio, porosity, and degree of saturation of
the moist soil.
7. A natural deposit of soil is found to have a water content of 20% and to be 90%
saturated. Assume the specific gravity of solids is 2.70. Calculate the void ratio of
this soil.
8. A specimen of fully saturated clay soil has a dry density of 1.72 Mg/m³. The
specific gravity of the soil solids (Gs) is given as 2.72 Using this information,
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determine the water content of the soil.
