Soil - Earth Weight and Composition
Typical weight and composition of soil.
Approximate Weight
Type of Soil | Approximate Weight | |
---|---|---|
(lb/ft3) | (kg/m3) | |
Loose earth | 75 | 1200 |
Rammed earth | 100 | 1600 |
Typical Composition
Element | Approximate Content (%) |
---|---|
Aluminum | 6 - 10 |
Calcium | 1 - 7 |
Iron | 2 - 10 |
Magnesium | 0.1 - 3 |
Oxygen | 44 - 49 |
Potassium | 1.5 - 3 |
Silicon | 22 - 36 |
Sodium | 2.4 - 2.5 |
Soil Classification
Soil | Seeve Size (mm) |
---|---|
Silt | 0.002 - 0.06 |
Sand | 0.06 - 2.0 |
Gravel | 2.0 - 60 |
Cobbles | 60 - 200 |
Boulders | 200 - |
Soil Volume Relationships
Void Ratio
e = Vv / Vs
= n / (1 - n) (1)
where
e = void ratio
Vv = Va + Vw = volume of water and air in soil (m3)
Va = volume of air in soil (m3)
Vw = volume of water in soil (m3)
Vs = volume of solids in soil (m3)
n = porosity
Porosity
n = Vv / V
= e / (1 + e) (2)
where
n = porosity
V = total volume of soil - inclusive water and air (m3)
Degree of Saturation
S = Vw / V (3)
where
S = degree of saturation
V = total volume of soil - inclusive water and air (m3)
Related Topics
-
Material Properties
Properties of gases, fluids and solids. Densities, specific heats, viscosities and more.
Related Documents
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Dirt and Mud - Densities
Densities - pound per cubic foot and kilograms per cubic metre - of dirt and mud. -
Earth Pressure Acting on Basement Walls
Calculate lateral earth pressure acting on basement walls. -
Excavation Slopes
Calculating excavation slope. -
Soil - Bearing Strength
Allowable loads on soil. -
Soil - Electrical Resistivity
Types of soil and resistivity. -
Soil - Water Content
Water or moisture content in soil. -
Soil and Rock - Bulk Factors
Soil and rock expansion - or swell - after mining. -
Solids - Densities
Densities of selected solids. -
Trigonometric Functions
Sine, cosine and tangent - the natural trigonometric functions.