1.5. Percent Air Voids

Try these first

1. 1.

   What are air voids in a soil sample?

   Hint

   Think about the spaces between particles.

2. 2.

   Why is reducing air voids important during soil compaction?

   Hint

   Consider the effect on building foundations.

3. 3.

   What is the formula for calculating percent air voids?

   • (Volume of Air Voids / Total Volume of Soil) × 100
   • (Total Volume of Soil / Volume of Air Voids) × 100
   • (Volume of Soil / Total Volume) × 100

   Hint

   Look for the relationship between air voids and total soil volume.

4. 4.

   True or False: Higher air voids lead to better soil strength.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Consider the effects of reducing air voids.

5. 5.

   A construction project oversees a soil evaluation revealing 25% air voids. How will this affect the load-bearing capacity of the soil?

   Hint

   Evaluate how density is related to load-bearing capacity.

6. 6.

   Given a soil sample with a volume of 200 cm³ and 60 cm³ of air voids, calculate the percent air voids and determine if it's suitable for construction.

   Hint

   Are air voids above or below typical norms for construction soil?