Void ratio

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Void ratio, in materials science, is defined as the volume of voids in a mixture divided by the volume of solids. This figure is relevant in composites, in mining (particular with regard to the properties of tailings), and in soil science.

Engineering applications

• Volume change tendency control. If void ratio is high (loose soils) voids in a soil skeleton tend to minimize under loading - adjacent particles contract. The opposite situation, i.e. when void ratio is relatively small (dense soils), indicates that the volume of the soil is vulnerable to increase under loading - particles dilate.
• Hydraulic conductivity control (ability of water movement through the soil). Loose soils show high conductivity, while dense soils are not so permeable.
• Particles movement. In a loose soil particles can move quite easily, whereas in a dense one finer particles cannot pass through the voids, which leads to clogging.

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Last updated on Monday October 15, 2007 at 08:37:38 PDT (GMT -0700)
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