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Explain the phase diagram of soil.

Soil mass  is defined as the uncemented aggregate of minerals grains and decayed organic matter with liquid and  gas in the empty spaces between the solid particles. The space between  the  soil particles is known as  voids and these voids may be filled with either air or water or both.

The soil will behave as a  two phase system when its space is filled with air or water alone. A two phase diagram either represent a dry or a completely saturated soil. When all void space is filled with water the soil mass is fully saturated and exist in two phases as solid and water . Similarly, when the soil mass is completely filled up by air, the soil mass becomes dry soil and exist in two phases is solid and air.

      Fig: saturated soil- Two phase diagram.

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Soil mass  is defined as the uncemented aggregate of minerals grains and decayed organic matter with liquid and  gas in the empty spaces between the solid particles. The space between  the  soil particles is known as  voids and these voids may be filled with either air or water or both.

The soil will behave as a  two phase system when its space is filled with air or water alone. A two phase diagram either represent a dry or a completely saturated soil. When all void space is filled with water the soil mass is fully saturated and exist in two phases as solid and water . Similarly, when the soil mass is completely filled up by air, the soil mass becomes dry soil and exist in two phases is solid and air.

      Fig: saturated soil- Two phase diagram.

      Fig: dry soil- two phase diagram 

When the soil mass is partially filled up by water as well as air, it will behave as a three phase system.
The diagrammatic representation of the different phases in a soil mass is called the Phase diagram.

      Fig: unsaturated soil: three phase diagram