Soil Properties

Void Ratio, e
Void ratio is the ratio of volume of voids to the volume of solids.

e=VvVse=VvVs

Porosity, n
Porosity is the ratio of volume of voids to the total volume of soil.

n=VvVn=VvV

Degree of Saturation, S
Degree of saturation is the ratio of volume of water to the volume of voids.

S=VwVvS=VwVv

Water Content or Moisture Content, w

Moisture content, usually expressed in terms of percentage, is the ratio of the weight of
water to the weight of solids.

w=WwWs100%w=WwWs100%

Unit Weight,
Unit weight is the weight of soil per unit volume. Also called bulk unit weight (), and
moist unit weight (m).

=WV=WV

Dry Unit Weight, d

Dry unit weight is the weight of dry soil per unit volume.

d=WsVdryd=WsVdry

Saturated Unit Weight, sat

Saturated unit weight is the weight of saturated soil per unit volume.

sat=WsatVsatsat=WsatVsat

Effective Unit Weight, '

Effective unit weight is the weight of solids in a submerged soil per unit volume. Also
called buoyant density or buoyant unit weight (b).

=satw=satw

Specific Gravity of Solid Particles, G

Specific gravity of solid particles of soil is the ratio of the unit weight of solids (s) to the
unit weight of water (w).

G=swG=sw
- See more at: http://cereference.com/book/geotechnical-engineering/physicalproperties-soil#sthash.QL6HBXWz.dpuf