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Soil Young's modulus (E), commonly reffred to as soil elastic modulus, is an elastic soil
parameter and a measure of soil stiffness. It is defined as the ratio of the stress along an axis
over the strain along that axis in the range of elastic soil behaviour. The elastic modulus is often
used for estimation of soil settement and elastic deformation analysis.
Soil elastic modulus can be estimated from laboratory or in-situ tests or based on correlation with
other soil properties. In laboratory, it can be determined from triaxial test or indirectly
from oedometer test. On field, it can be estimated from Standard penetration test, Cone
penetration test ,pressuremeter or indirectly from dilatometer test.
Typical values of soil Young's molulus for different soils according to USCS
In general, the soil stiffness and elastic modulus depends on the consistensy and packing
(density) of the soil. Typical values of soil Young's modulus are given below as guideline.
Typical values of Young's modulus for granular material (MPa) (based on Obrzud & Truty
2012 complied from Kezdi 1974 and Prat et al. 1995)
USCS
Description
Loose
Medium
Dense
GW, SW
Gravels/Sand well-graded
30-80
80-160
160-320
SP
Sand, uniform
10-30
30-50
50-80
GM , SM
Sand/Gravel silty
7-12
12-20
20-30
Typical values of Young's modulus for cohessive material (MPa) (based on Obrzud & Truty
2012 compiled from Kezdi 1974 and Prat et al. 1995)
USCS
Description
Very soft to
Medium
soft
Stiff to
very stiff
Hard
ML
2.5 - 8
10 - 15
15 -40
40 - 80
ML, CL
1.5 - 6
6 -10
10 - 30
30 -60
CL
0.5 - 5
5 -8
8 - 30
30 - 70
CH
0.35 - 4
4 -7
7 - 20
20 - 32
OL
Organic silts
0.5 -5
OH
Organic clays
0.5 -4
REFERENCES
Soil friction angle is a shear strength parameter of soils. Its definition is derived from
the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion and it is used to describe the friction shear
resistance of soils together with the normal effective stress.
In the stress plane of Shear stress-effective normal stress, the soil friction angle is
the angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal axis of the Mohr-Coulomb shear
resistance line.
Typical values of soil friction angle for different soils according to USCS
Some typical values of soil friction angle are given below for different USCS soil types
at normally consolidated condition unless otherwise stated. These values should be
used only as guidline for geotechnical problems; however, specific conition of each
engineering problem often needs to be considered for an appropriate choice of
geotechnical parameters.
Description
USCS
GW
Reference
33
40
[1],[2],
32
44
[1],
(GW,
GP)
35
[3 cited in
6]
(GW,
GP)
50
[3 cited in
6]
GM
30
40
[1],
GC
28
35
[1],
SW
33
43
[1],
38
[3 cited in
6]
33
[3 cited in
6]
(SW)
45
[3 cited in
6]
SP
30
39
SP
[1], [2],
37
[3 cited in
6]
Uniform sand, round grains - Loose
(SP)
27
[3 cited in
6]
(SP)
34
[3 cited in
6]
Sand
SW, SP
37
38
[7],
Loose sand
(SW, SP) 29
30
[5 cited in
6]
Medium sand
(SW, SP) 30
36
[5 cited in
6]
Dense sand
(SW, SP) 36
41
[5 cited in
6]
Silty sands
SM
32
35
[1],
SM
SM
27
33
[3 cited in
6]
SM
30
34
[3 cited in
6]
Clayey sands
SC
30
40
[1],
SC
SM, SC
34
31
[3 cited in
6]
[3 cited in
6]
31
34
[7],
27
41
[1],
ML
27
30
[3 cited in
6]
ML
30
35
[3 cited in
6]
CL
27
35
[1],
CL
OL
22
32
[1],
MH
23
33
[1],
MH
25
[3 cited in
6]
ML
32
[3 cited in
6]
CH
28
17
31
[3 cited in
6]
[1],
[3 cited in
6]
CH
19
OH
17
35
[1],
Loam
ML, OL,
MH, OH
28
32
[7],
Silt Loam
ML, OL,
MH, OH
25
32
[7],
ML, OL,
CL, MH,
OH, CH
18
32
[7],
Silty clay
OL, CL,
OH, CH
18
32
[7],
Clay
CL, CH,
OH, OL
18
28
[7],
Pt
10
[2],
Correlation between SPT-N value and friction angle and Relative density
(Meyerhoff 1956)
SPT N3
[Blows/0.3 m - 1 ft]
Soi packing
Relative Density
[%]
Friction angle
[]
<4
Very loose
< 20
< 30
4 -10
Loose
20 - 40
30 - 35
10 - 30
Compact
40 - 60
35 - 40
30 - 50
Dense
60 - 80
40 - 45
> 50
Very Dense
> 80
> 45
REFERENCES
Citation :
Geotechdata.info, Angle of Friction, http://geotechdata.info/parameter/angle-offriction.html (as of September 14.12.2013).
Soil Cohesion
Geotechdata.info - Updated 31.10.2014
The cohesion is a term used in describing the shear strength soils. Its definition is
mainly derived from the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion and it is used to describe the
non-frictional part of the shear resitance which is independent of the normal stress.
In the stress plane of Shear stress-effective normal stress, the soil cohesion is the
intercept on the shear axis of the Mohr-Coulomb shear resistance line
Typical values of soil cohesion for different soils
Some typical values of soil cohesion are given below for different soil types. The soil
cohesion depends strongly on the consistence, packing, and saturation condition.
The values given below correspond to normally consolidated condition unless
otherwise stated. These values should be used only as guidline for geotechnical
problems; however, specific conition of each engineering problem often needs to be
considered for an appropriate choice of geotechnical parameters.
Cohesion [kPa]
Description
USCS
min
ma Specifi Reference
x
c value
[1],[2],[3],
GP
[1],[2], [3],
GM
[1],
GC
20
[1],
SW
[1],[2], [3],
SP
[1],[2], [3],
Silty sands
SM
22
[1],
SM
50
[3],
SM
20
[3],
Clayey sands
SC
[1],
SC
74
[3],
SC
11
[3],
SM,
SC
50
75
[2],
SM,
SC
10
20
[2],
SM,
SC
50
[3],
SM,
SC
14
[3],
ML
[1],
ML
67
[3],
ML
[3],
CL
[1],
CL
86
[3],
CL
13
[3],
ML-CL -
65
[3],
22
[3],
OL
[1],
10
[1],
MH
72
[3],
MH
20
[3],
CH
25
[1],
CH
103
[3],
CH
11
[3],
OH
10
[1],
Loam - Compacted
ML,
OL,
MH,
OH
60
90
[2],
Loam - Saturated
ML,
OL,
MH,
OH
10
20
[2],
ML,
OL,
MH,
OH
60
90
[2],
ML,
OL,
MH,
OH
10
20
[2],
60
105
[2],
ML,
OL,
CL,
MH,
OH,
CH
ML,
OL,
CL,
MH,
OH,
CH
10
20
[2],
OL,
CL,
OH,
CH
90
105
[2],
OL,
CL,
OH,
CH
10
20
[2],
Pt
REFERENCES
Citation :
Geotechdata.info, Cohesion, http://geotechdata.info/parameter/cohesion (as of
December 15, 2013).
The soil permeability is a measure indicating the capacity of the soil or rock to allow
fluids to pass through it. It is often represented by the permeability coefficient (k)
through the Darcys equation:
V=ki
Where v is the apparent fluid velocity through the medium i is the hydraulic
gradient , and K is the coefficient of permeability (hydraulic conductivity) often
expressed in m/s
K depends on the relative permeability of the medium for fluid constituent (often
water) and the dynamic viscosity of the fluid as follows.
K= (Gamma_w)*K/ (eta)
where Where Gamma_w is the unit weight of water Eta is the dynamic viscosity of
water K is an absolute coefficient depending on the characteristics of the medium
(m2)
The permeability coefficient can be determined in the laboratory using falling head
permeability test, and constant head permeability test. On the field, the permeability
can be estimated using Lugeon test.
Typical values of soil permeability
Some typical values of permeability coefficient are given below for different soil
types. It refers to normally consolidated condition unless otherwise mentioned.
These values should be used only as guidline for geotechnical problems; however,
specific conition of each engineering problem often needs to be considered for an
appropriate choice of geotechnical parameters.
max
(m/s)
Specific
value
(m/s)
Description
USCS
min
(m/s)
GW
5.00E-04 5.00E-02
[1],
GP
5.00E-04 5.00E-02
[1],
GM
5.00E-08 5.00E-06
[1],
(GM)
4.00E-04 4.00E-03
[2&3 in 4]
GC
5.00E-09 5.00E-06
[1],
SW
1.00E-08 1.00E-06
[1],
(SW)
8.40E-05 [5] ,
(SW)
2.23E-03 [5] ,
(SW)
3.69E-01 [5] ,
SP
2.55E-05 5.35E-04
[1], [2&3
in 4]
(SP-SW)
1.00E-05 1.00E-02
[5],
(SP-GP)
4.00E-03 4.00E-01
[2&3 in 4]
(GWSW)
4.00E-05 4.00E-03
[2&3 in 4]
Silty sands
SM
1.00E-08 5.00E-06
[1],
Reference
Clayey sands
SC
5.50E-09 5.50E-06
[1], [5]
5.00E-09 1.00E-06
[1],
CL
5.00E-10 5.00E-08
[1],
OL
5.00E-09 1.00E-07
[1],
MH
1.00E-10 5.00E-08
[1],
CH
1.00E-10 1.00E-07
[1],
Compacted silt
[2&3 in 4]
Compacted clay
(CL-CH)
[2&3 in 4]
1.00E-09
5.00E-10 1.00E-07
Pt
[1],
For Sands, the coefficient of permeability can be estimated from the Hazen's
equation:
REFERENCES
Citation :
Geotechdata.info, Soil void ratio,
http://geotechdata.info/parameter/permeability.html (as of October 7, 2013).