In geotechnical engineering, what is the ratio of the volume of water to the volume of voids known as?

The ratio of the volume of water to the volume of voids in geotechnical engineering is known as the degree of saturation. This term is crucial for understanding the water content in soil and its effects on the mechanical properties of the material. Degree of saturation is expressed as a percentage and indicates how fully the voids in the soil are filled with water. A degree of saturation of 100% means that the soil is fully saturated with water, while a lower percentage indicates that some void space is filled with air instead.

Porosity, on the other hand, refers to the ratio of the volume of voids to the total volume of soil, while water content represents the mass of water in relation to the mass of dry soil. Saturation level tends to refer to similar concepts but is less commonly defined in strict terms than the degree of saturation. By understanding these distinctions, one can accurately assess soil behavior in various engineering applications.