SOIL COMPOSITION

1. The moist unit weight of a soil is 19.2 kN/m3. Given that Gs =

2.69 and water content is 9.8%. Determine:

a) Dry unit weight

b) Void ratio
c) Porosity
d) Degree of saturation

2. For a given soil, the following are known. Gs = 2.74, moist unit
weight is equal to 20.6 kN/m3, and moisture content is 16.6%.

a) Determine the dry unit weight.

b) Determine the void ratio.
c) Determine the porosity.
d) Determine the degree of saturation.
e) Determine the weight of water in kN to be added per cubic
meter of soil for a 100% degree of saturation.

3. For a given soil sample it has a sp.gr. of 2.74, moisture content of

16.6% and a moist unit weight of

20.6 kN/m3.

a) Compute the porosity of the soil sample.

b) Compute the bouyant weight of the soil sample.

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 c) Compute the weight of water in kn to be added per cu.m. of
soil for 90% degree of saturation.

4. The unit weight of soil is 15.1kN/m3 . The moisture content of

this soil is 17% when the degree of saturation is 60%.
Determine the following:
a) Void ration
b) Sp.gr. of soil
c) Saturated unit weight

5. A sand with Gs = 2.66 and void ratio e = 0.60 is completely

dry. It then becomes wetted by a rising groundwater table.
Compute the unit weight in kN/m3 under the following
conditions:

a) When the sand is completely dry.

b) When the sand is 40% saturated.
c) When the sand is completely saturated

6. A saturated soil has moisture content of 38% and a specific

gravity of 2.73.

a) Compute the void ratio.

b) Compute the porosity
c) Compute the moist unit weight in kN/m3 of this soil.

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 7. The moist weight of 0.0057 m3 of a soil is 102.6 N. The
moisture content and the specific gravity of soil solids are
determined in the laboratory to be 11% and 2.7 respectively.
Calculate the following:

a) Moist unit weight

b) Dry unit weight
c) Void ratio
d) Porosity
e) Degree of saturation

8. In its natural state, a moist soil has a volume of 0.00935 m3

and weighs 178 N. The oven dried weight of the soil is 154
N. if Gs = 2.67, determine the following:

a) Moisture content
b) Moist unit weight
c) Dry unit weight

9. The dry density of a sand with a porosity of 0.387 is 1600

kg/m3. Determine the following:

a) Void ratio
b) Sp.gr. of soil
c) Saturated unit weight of soil in kN/m3

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 10. The moist unit weight of a soil is 16.5 kN.m3. If the water
content is 15% and sp.gr. of soil is 2.7, determine the
following:

a) Dry unit weight

b) Porosity
c) Degree of saturation
d) Mass of water in kg/m3 to be added to reach full saturation

11. For a given sandy soil, emax = 0.75, emax= 0.46 and Gs =
2.68. If the relative density of the soil Dr = 78% and its water
content is 9%, determine the following:

a) In situ void ratio

b) Moist unit weight of compaction in kN/m3

12. A loose, uncompacted sand fill 1.8 m. depth has a

relative density of 40% Laboratory tests indicated that the
minimum and maximum void ratios of the sand are 0.46 and
0.90 respectively. Specific gravity of the solids of the sand is
2.65.

a) Determine the void ratio of the sand having a relative density

of 40%.
b) What is the dry unit weight of the sand.
c) If the sand is compacted to a relative density of 75%, what is
the decrease in the thickness of the 1.8 m. fill?

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 13. A sample of sand has a relative density of 40% with a
solid specific gravity of 2.65. The minimum void ratio is 0.45
and the max. void ratio is 0.97.

a) Determine the void ratio of the sand at a relative density of

40%.
b) What is the density of this sand in a saturated condition
c) If the sand is compacted to a relative density of 65%, what
will be the decrease in thickness of a 4 ft. thick layer.

14. For a sandy soil, the following are given: emax = 0.66,
e
min = 0.36 and K at a relative density of 90% = 0.008
cm/sec. Determine the value of K at a relative density of
50%.

15. The moist unit of 0.00283 m3 of soil is 54.4 N. If the

moisture content is 12% and the specific gravity of soil solids
is 2.72, determine the following:

a) Moist unit weight

b) Dry unit weight
c) Void ratio
d) Porosity
e) Degree of Saturation

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 16. For a moist soil, the following are given: Vol. 1.2 m3 ,
weight = 23..04 kN, water content = 8.6% and Gs = 2.71.
Determine the following:

a) Unit weight
b) Dry unit weight
c) Void ratio
d) Porosity
e) Degree of saturation

17. For a saturated soil, the following are given: water

content = 23%, Gs = 2.67. determine the following:

a) Saturated unit weight

b) Dry unit weight
c) Moist unit weight when the degree of saturation becomes
70%

18. The dry density of a soil is 1750 kg/m3. Specific gravity

of soil is 2.66.Determine the following:

a) Moisture content when its saturated.

b) Saturated unit weight.
c) Effective unit weight of soil in kN/m3.

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 19. For a sandy soil, emax = 0.72, emin = 0.46 and Gs = 2.68.

a) What is the moist unit weight of compaction in the field if Dr =

78% and water content of 9%.
b) Compute the saturated unit weight.
c) Compute the degree of saturation.

20. A soil at a constant moisture content shows the

following when compacted

Degree of Saturation Dry unit Weight

40% 14.50 kN/m3
70% 17.89 kN/m3

a) Determine the specific gravity of soil

b) Determine the moisture content of soil
c) Determine void ratio of the 17.89 kN/m3 soil.

21. An undisturbed sample of fine sand is tested in the

laboratory and is found to have a dry weight of 35.67 N, a
total volume of 0.00198 m3 and a sp. gr. of 2.70. Other
laboratory test were performed to determine the maximum
and minimum density for the sand. At the maximum density,
it has a void ratio of 0.35, at the minimum density, the void
ratio is 0.95.

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 a) Determine the volume of voids.
b) Determine the void ratio.
c) Determine the relative density of the undisturbed sample.

22. A sample of sand above the water table was found to

have a natural moisture content of 15 per cent and a unit
weight of 120 pcf. Laboratory tests on a dried sample
indicated values of emin = 0.50 and emax = 0.85 for the
densest and loosest states repectively.

a) Compute the void ratio.

b) Compute the degree of saturation.
c) Compute the density index.

23. A granular soil (sand) was tested in the laboratory and

was found to have maximum and minimum void ratios of
0.84 and 0.38 respectively. The sp. gr. of the soil is 2.65. if
the moisture content is 9% and its moist unit weight is 18.64
kN/m3.

a) Compute the dry unit weight of soil.

b) Compute the void ratio.
c) Compute the relative density of the soil in the field.

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 24. A granular soil located in a borrow pit is found to have
an in place dry density of 1895 kg/m3. In the laboratory,
values of dry maximum density and minimum density are
determined as 2100 kg/m3 and 1440 kg/m3 respectively.

a) Compute the relative density of the soil in borrow pit.

b) Compute the void ratio of the soil in natural condition if the
maximum and minimum densities indicate void ratios of 0.28
at the max. density and 0.92 at minimum density.
c) Compute the specific gravity of this soil.

25. A cubic meter of soil in its natural state weighs 17.75

kN; after being dried, it weighs 15.08 kN. The specific gravity
of the soil is 2.70.

a) Compute the moisture content

b) Compute the dry unit weight
c) Compute the void ratio

26. Following are the results of a field unit weight

determination test using the sand cone method.

Dry unit weight of sand = 16.63 kN/m3

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Wt. of sand to fill the cone = 11.15 N
Wt. of jar + cone + sand (before use) = 58.9 N
Wt. of jar + cone + sand (after use) = 27.65 N
Wt. of moist soil from hole = 32.55 N
Moisture content of moist soil = 11.6%

a) Compute the weight of sand to fill the hole.

b) Compute the dry weight of soil from the field.
c) Compute the dry unit weight of compaction in the field.

27. The weight of the moist soil as excavated from a hole is

895 grams with a volume of 426 cm3. After drying its weight
was only 779 grams. Of the dried soil only 400 grams was
poured into a vessel in a very loose state, and its volume was
subsequently determined to be 276 cm3. That same 400
gram dried soil was then vibrated and tamped to a volume of
212 cm3.

a) Compute the minimum dry unit weight

b) Compute the maximum dry unit weight
c) Compute the relative density of the soil sample

28. A sample of soil weighing 2.62 kN is removed from a

test pit. 1.33 kN of water will just fill the pit. a sample of the
soil weighing 112.4 grams is dried in the oven and its weight
after drying is 103.6 grams. Assume the specific gravity of

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 the solids is 2.67. Max. attainable unit weight of the soil is
18.47 kN/m3.

a) Determine the wet unit weight of soil.

b) Determine the dry unit weight of soil.
c) determine the relative density of the soil sample

29. A hand carved sample of soft saturated clay has a

volume of 100 cu.cm. and weighs 175 grams. if the oven-dry
weight is to be 120 grams.

a) Compute the volume of voids

b) Compute the void ratio
c) Compute the specific gravity of soil

30. In a specific gravity test the following data were

recorded.

Mass of pycnometer jar = 530 g

Mass of pycnometer jar when full of clean water = 1560 g
Mass of pycnometer containing soil only = 980 g
Mass of pycnometer jar containing soil and topped with water =
1840 g

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 1.) Compute the specific gravity of the soil particles
2.) Compute the dry unit weight if the void ratio is 0.40
3.) Compute the degree of saturation if the moisture
content is 12%.

31. In a core-cutter test as steel cylinder having a mass of

1472 g, an internal diameter of 102 mm and a length of 125
mm was rammed into an in-situ soil mass. after removing it
and trimming the ends flat, Its mass was found to be 3482 g.
The moisture content of the soil was later found to be 16.4%.
If the sp. gr. of the soil is 2.70.

1.) Determine the bulk density

2.) Determine the dry density
3.) Determine the degree of saturation if the void ratio is 0.60

32. A sample of moist quartz sand was obtained by

carefully pressing a sharpened hollow cylinder with a volume
of 150 cu. cm. into the bottom of an excavation. The sample
was trimmed flush with the ends of the cylinder and the total
weight was found to be 325 g. In the laboratory the dry
weight of the sand alone was found to be 240 g. and the
weight of the empty cylinder 75 g. Laboratory tests on the
dry sand indicated emax = 0.80 and emin = 0.48. (Gs) = 2.66.
Compute the following:

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 1.) Water content (w)
2.) Voids ratio (e)
3.) Degree of saturation (Sr)
4.) Density index of the sand in the field (Id)

CE Board May 2003

33. A soil sample has a natural water content of 22.5% and

it is known to have a sp. gr. of 2.6. In order to determine the
moist density of the soil, a portion of soil weighing 224 g is
put in a 500 cm3 container. it is field with 382 cm3 of water to
fill the container.

1.) Determine the moist unit weight of soil.

2.) Determine the dry unit weight of soil.
3.) Determine the void ratio.

34. A large soil sample obtained from a borrow fit has a wet
mass of 26.50 kg. The in-place volume occupied by the
sample 0.013 m3. A small portion of the sample is used to
determine the water content, the wet mass is 135 g and after
drying in the oven, the mass is 117 g.

a.)Determine the soil water content.

b.) Determine the soil wet density for conditions at the
borrow pit.

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 c.)Determine the soil dry density for conditions at the borrow
pit.

35. A volume of undisturbed soil, 0.015 m3, obtained from a

construction site has a wet mass of 31kg. and a dry mass of
27.5 kg. Specific gravity of soil solids is 27.1.

a.)Determine the void ratio.

b.) Determine the water content.
c.)Determine the degree of saturation for the in-place condition.

36. A dry sand is placed in a container having a volume of

0.30 ft3 . The dry weight of the sample is 31 lb. water is
carefully added to the container so as not to disturbed the
condition of the sand. When the container is filled, the
combined weight of soil plus water is 38.2 lb.

a.)Compute the void ratio in the container.

b.) Compute the specific gravity of the soil particle.
c.)Determine the dry unit weight.

37. A 150 cm3 sample of wet soil has a mass of 250 g when
100 percent saturated. When oven dried, the mass is 162 g.

a.)Compute the volume of voids.

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 b.) Compute the void of ratio.
c.)Compute the specific gravity.

38. Undisturbed soil obtained from a test pit 0.0283 m3 in

volume is found to have a wet weight of 0.459 kN. The dry
weight of the sample is 0.376 kN. If the specific gravity of the
soil is 2.70.

a.)Compute the volume of the voids.

b.) Compute the void ratio.
c.)Compute the effective unit weight of such a soil if it were
submerged below the ground water table.

39. An undisturbed sample of fine sand is tested in the

laboratory and found to have a dry mass of 3.63 kg, a total
volume of 0.00198 m3 and a specific gravity of 2.70. Other
laboratory tests are performed to determine the maximum
density, it is determined that the void ratio is 0.35, at the
minimum density, the void ratio is 0.95.

a.)Compute the void ratio of the sand.

b.) Compute the relative density of the undisturbed sample.
c.)Compute the dry density in Mg/m3.

40. The in place density is determined for a soil at a

proposed construction site to plan the foundation design. the

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 in-place density test is performed using rubber-balloon
equipment with the following results.

Mass of soil sample obtained from test hole

= 1.45 kg.
Volume of test hole = 0.0008 m3

a.)For the foundation design, it is necessary to compute the in-

place unit weight in kN/m3
b.) Compute the specific gravity of the soil if it has a void
ratio of 0.80 and a water content of 25%.
c.)Compute the degree of saturation.

41. An in-place density determination (in-place unit weight)

is made for the sand in a borrow pit using a balloon-type
density apparatus. The dump sample dug from a test hole is
found to weigh 37.90 N. The volume of the test hole is
0.00184 m2.

a.)Compute the wet unit weight.

b.) This soil us to have a water content of 15%. Compute
the dry unit weight of the soil.
c.)Compute the sp. gr. of the soil if it has a void ratio of 0.423.

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 42. A soil excavated from a borrow pit has an in place dry
unit weight of 18.59 kN/m3. In the laboratory, the values of
dry maximum and minimum unit weighs are 20.60 kN/m3 and
14.13 kN/m3 respectively.

a.)Compute the relative density of the soil sample.

b.) Compute the void ratio in the natural condition if emax =
0.92 and emin = 0.28.
c.)Compute the specific gravity of the soil.

43. Sand-cone equipment is used to determine an in-place

unit weight (field density test) on a compacted earth fill. The
sand used in the cone is known to have a bulk density of
15.73 kN/m3.

Wet weight of soil Sample dug from test hole

= 2100 g
Dried weight of soil sample = 1827 g
Weight of sand (sand cone) to fill the test hole
=1636 g

a.)Compute the water content.’

b.) Compute the in-place dry unit weight of tested soil.

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 c.)Compute the percentage of compaction of the tested soil if
the laboratory moisture-unti weight curve indicates a dry unit
weight of 18.09 kN/m3 and an optimum moisture content of
13%.

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