Department of Earth Science |Northeastern Illinois University

INTRODUCTION TO GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
ESCI 340
Spring, 2007

Daily Objectives #6  (January 25, 2007)                                                                                  Dr. Sanders

By the end of today's class, you should be able to do the following:

Testing Your Knowledge

* Answer "Questions and Practice Problems", p. 32-33:  Problems 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5.
 
* Answer "Comprehensive Questions and Practice Problems", p. 45:  Problems 2.13 through 2.19.  In answering the problem assigned to you, discuss it first with a partner, then present to your colleagues the following information:
            --Location of the study site
            --Sketch of a geologic cross section, plan view map, or other representation of the important geological aspects of the situation.
            --A brief summary of the question/problem posed
            --Your response
            --Any further geologic considerations that might be important.

* Explain what the following quantities reveal about a soil, and using a soil phase diagram, define each one:
   -- moisture content (w)
   -- degree of saturation (S)
   -- unit weight (g): 
           ->  unit weight of the soil sample
           ->  unit weight of water
           ->  dry unit weight		    -- density (r):
           ->  density of the soil sample
           ->  dry density
           ->  density of water
   -- specific gravity of solids (Gs) 
   -- void ratio (e)
   -- porosity (n)
   -- relative density (Dr)

* Explain how to measure moisture content in the laboratory.  Assignment for next week: bring in a soil sample on Tuesday.  By Thursday, determine its moisture content using our laboratory equipment.

* Solve weight-volume problems that ask you to use the values of some soil properties to calculate the values of others.

Department of Earth Science | Northeastern Illinois University

© 2007 Laura L. Sanders.  Last updated January 25, 2007.