96 



kaye. PRINCIPLES OF SOIL MECHANICS 



TABLE 1 

 The Principal Problems of Soil Mechanics 



[Ch. 5 



where both the solid and the liquid phases of the system are of decided 

 importance. 



In soil mechanics theory all soils are considered to be granular ag- 

 gregates consisting of discrete solid particles and interspaced voids. 

 The solid particles are mutually supporting, each grain pressed against, 

 and kept in place by, neighboring grains. The voids, or pore spaces, 

 of soils are generally filled with water and air, and more rarely with 

 minor amounts of other gases. Beneath the water table the voids are 

 entirely filled with water except for dissolved and entrapped gases. 



The granular nature of soil structure is found in clays as well as in 

 the more obviously granular silts, sands, and gravels. However, the 



