What does the term 'Degree of Saturation' relate to in soils?

The term 'Degree of Saturation' in soils is a critical concept that describes the relationship between the volume of water present in the soil and the volume of voids (the spaces between soil particles) that can potentially hold water. It is quantified as a ratio of the volume of water in the voids to the total volume of void space available. Therefore, the degree of saturation essentially tells us how much of the void space is filled with water, which can significantly influence the soil's physical properties and behavior, including its strength, compressibility, and permeability.

A high degree of saturation indicates that the soil is largely water-filled, which affects its engineering properties and its behavior during construction activities or in environmental studies. Understanding the degree of saturation is vital for civil engineers, particularly when dealing with foundations, earth dams, and other geotechnical applications. This concept is an essential aspect of unsaturated soil mechanics as well.

This answer focuses on the relationship of water volume to void space, which is the very essence of the degree of saturation, distinguishing it from other options that pertain to different soil characteristics.