Exam 1 Review Flashcards
What forces create/contribute to a soil’s consistence
Cohesion and adhesion; attraction between soil particles and pore water, attraction of soil particles to each other
What is soil consistence?
Degree to which a soil resists deformation or rupture due to external mechanical stressors
5 ways water affects soil consistence
- Strength; decreases as water increases
- Soils swell
- Liquefaction in fine textured soils
- Water content reduced, soils become plastic
- Soils can become semi solid at certain point of water reduction
What are the atterberg limits?
The point where water becomes liquid, LL
Point where no volume change in reduction of water, shrinkage limit SL
Point where soil behaves like plastic, PL
Four states of soil by atterberg are:
- Solid
- Semisolid
- Plastic
- Liquid
What is the plasticity index
The difference between a soils plastic limit and liquid limit. The greater the difference the greater its plasticity.
What is a non plastic soil
A soil with a plasticity index of zero. It is cohesionless.
What do we use the plasticity index for?
Classifying fine textured soils, mostly.
How is a soils firmness measured?
By the amount of pressure it can withstand before it falls apart.
Okay. Name qualitative degrees of firmness and how it is measured.
Very soft, soft, stiff, very stiff, hard.
Resistance to penetration by a blunt object.
Cohesion and adhesion. Go.
Cohesion: the force of attraction between water molecules
Adhesion: the force of attraction between water molecules and other particles (soil)
Name all the qualitative categories for describing soil’s consistency and qualifications therein.
Consistence (the dirty one)
Dry classes (loose to extremely hard)
Comparative dry and wet to stress put on specimen
Firmes classes (loose…friable…extremely firm)
Stickiness classes (non, slightly, moderately, or very sticky)
Plasticity classes (non, slightly, moderately or very sticky) measured by 4cm long wire width
What factors influence structure formation?
Pm type Environmental conditions such as local climate Amount and type of clay present Organic materials Recent site management history
What are the classifications of a soils structure?
Based on grade, form and size of particles. Structureless Weak Moderate Strong
How are peds separated
By lines of weakness