Question

Assume you have 0.5 m3 of soil with a porosity of 40% and an oven-dry weight of 700 kg. Calculate the bulk density. Next, assume that I drive over the soil with heavy equipment, compact the soil, and reduce the total porosity to 20%. Calculate the bulk density after compaction.

Answer 1

bulk density = 1400 kg/m³

bulk density after compaction = 1750 kg/m³

Step-by-step explanation:

given data

volume = 0.5 m³

porosity = 40%

oven-dry weight = 700 kg

reduce the total porosity = 20%

to find out

bulk density and bulk density after compaction

solution

we know bulk density formula that is

bulk density =
`(weight)/(volume)` ...............................1

put here value we get

bulk density =
`(700)/(0.5)`

bulk density = 1400 kg/m³

and

if porosity decrease 20 % that mean volume change

so total volume = 0.5
`(80)/(100)`

total volume = 0.4 m³

so bulk density after compaction is from equation 1

bulk density =
`(700)/(0.4)`

bulk density after compaction = 1750 kg/m³