Saturated Unit Weight given Weight of Soil Prism Calculator

Saturated Unit Weight Formula:

\[ γ_{saturated} = \frac{W_{prism}}{z \times b \times \cos(i \times \frac{\pi}{180})} \]

Weight of Prism:

Depth of Prism:

Inclined Length:

Angle of Inclination:

Tolerance:

Saturated Unit Weight (N/m³):

1. What is Saturated Unit Weight of Soil?

Definition: Saturated Unit Weight is the ratio of mass of saturated soil sample to its total volume, including both solids and water-filled voids.

Purpose: It's crucial in geotechnical engineering for analyzing soil stability, bearing capacity, and slope stability under saturated conditions.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

\[ γ_{saturated} = \frac{W_{prism}}{z \times b \times \cos(i \times \frac{\pi}{180})} \]

Where:

\( γ_{saturated} \) — Saturated unit weight (N/m³)
\( W_{prism} \) — Weight of soil prism (N)
\( z \) — Depth of prism (m)
\( b \) — Inclined length of prism (m)
\( i \) — Angle of inclination to horizontal (°)

Explanation: The weight of the soil prism is divided by the volume (considering the inclined angle) to determine the saturated unit weight.

3. Importance of Saturated Unit Weight

Details: Knowing the saturated unit weight helps in designing foundations, retaining walls, and assessing slope stability when the soil is fully saturated with water.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the weight of prism in Newtons, dimensions in meters, and angle in degrees. The tolerance field (default ±5%) shows acceptable variation range.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the typical range for saturated unit weight?
A: Most soils range between 18-22 kN/m³ (18,000-22,000 N/m³) when saturated.

Q2: Why include angle of inclination?
A: The angle affects the effective volume calculation when measuring on slopes.

Q3: What does the tolerance percentage mean?
A: It shows the acceptable variation range (±5% by default) around the calculated value.

Q4: How to measure the weight of soil prism?
A: Use a scale to measure the weight of an undisturbed soil sample of known dimensions.

Q5: When would I change the tolerance value?
A: Adjust based on required precision - use lower values for critical structures.