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| NOTATIONS | MEANING | UNITS |
| A | Pore pressure parameter Activity of soils | Nil Nil |
| Av | Area of voids | m2 |
| Ao | Angostrom | 10-10 m or 10-7mm |
| Ac | Air content | % |
| av | Coefficient of permeability | |
| B | Pore pressure parameter | Nil |
| Cc | Compression index coefficient of curvature | Nil |
| Cu | Uniformity coefficient Coefficient of elastic uniform compression | Nil |
| c | Unit cohesion | kN/m2 |
| c1 | Effective unit cohesion | kN/m2 |
| cu | Apparent cohesion | kN/m2 |
| cv | Coefficient of consolidation | mm2/s |
| D10 | Diameter for 10% finer by weight | mm |
| D30 | Diameter for 30% finer by weight | mm |
| D50 | Diameter for 50% finer by weight | mm |
| D60 | Diameter for 60% finer by weight | mm |
| Df | Foundation depth | m |
| Dr | Relative density | Nil |
| E | Modulus of elasticity | kN/m2 |
| e | Void ratio | Decimal |
| FS | Factor of safety | Nil |
| f | Friction | |
| G | Specific gravity of particles | Nil |
| g | Acceleration due to gravity | m/s2 |
| h | Hydraulic head | m |
| I | Moment of inertia | |
| Ip | Plasticity index | % |
| i | Hydraulic gradient Angle of surcharge | o |
| K | Coefficient of absolute permeability | m2 |
| Ko | Coefficient of earth pressure at rest | Nil |
| Ka | Coefficient of active earth pressure | Nil |
| Kp | Coefficient of passive earth pressure | Nil |
| k | Coefficient of permeability Coefficient of subgrade reaction | m/s kN/m2/m |
| ks | Coefficient of subgrade reaction | kN/m2/m |
| kp | Coefficient of percolation | m3/m2/day |
| N | Number of blows (SPT) Percent finer Normal component | Nil % Nil |
| n | Porosity | % |
| na | Percentage air voids | % |
| P | Force | kN |
| Pa | Active pressure force | kN |
| Pp | Passive pressure force | kN |
| p | Pressure | kN/m2 |
| pa | Active pressure | kN/m2 |
| pp | Passive pressure | kN/m2 |
| Ph | Horizontal pressure | kN/m2 |
| Q | Force, load Total quantity of water | N m3 |
| Qa | Allowable load | kN/m2 |
| Qu | Ultimate load | kN/m2 |
| q | Surcharge Intensity of load Discharge | kN/m2 kN/m2 m3/s |
| qc | Static cone resistance | k/cm2 |
| qn | Net footing pressure capacity | kN/m2 |
| qns | Net safe bearing capacity | kN/m2 |
| qnp | Net safe settlement pressure | kN/m2 |
| qna | Allowable bearing pressure | kN/m2 |
| qu | Ultimate bearing capacity Unconfined compressive strength | kN/m2 kN/m2 |
| S | Degree of saturation Surface area | Nil m2 |
| Sn | Stability number | Nil |
| St | Sensitivity | |
| s | Shear strength Settlement | kN/m2 mm |
| T | Tangential component Temperature | oC or oK |
| Ts | Surface tension | N/m |
| t | Time | s |
| U | Degree of consolidation Total pore water pressure | % kN/m2 |
| u | Pore water pressure | kN/m2 |
| uˡ | Hydrostatic excess pore pressure | kN/m2 |
| V | Volume Total volume Velocity | m3 m3 m/s |
| Vd | Volume of dry soil | m3 |
| Va | Volume of air | m3 |
| Vw | Volume of water | m3 |
| Vv | Volume of voids | m3 |
| Vs | Volume of solids | m3 |
| v | Velocity | m/s |
| vc | Critical velocity | m/s |
| vs | Seepage velocity | m/s |
| W | Weight, total weight | kN |
| Ww | Weight of water | kN |
| Ws | Weight of solids | kN |
| Wq | Water table factor | Nil |
| Wγ | Water table factor | Nil |
| w | Water/moisture content | % |
| M | Mass or total mass | kg |
| Mw | Mass of water | kg |
| Ms | Mass of solids | kg |
| LL or wl | Liquid limit | % |
| LI or IL | Liquidity index | % |
| PL or wp | Plastic limit | % |
| S or ws | Shrinkage limit | % |
| γ | Bulk unit weight | kN/m3 |
| γd | Dry unit weight | kN/m3 |
| γsat | Saturated unit weight | kN/m3 |
| γˡ | Submerged unit weight | kN/m3 |
| γs | Unit weight of solids | kN/m3 |
| γw | Unit weight of water | kN/m3 |
| δ | Angle of wall friction | Degree (o) |
| ε | Strain | Nil |
| η | Coefficient of viscosity | Poise (mN-s/m2) |
| μ | Poisson’s ratio Micron Coefficient of viscosity | Nil Poise |
| ρ | Displacement Settlement | mm mm |
| ρf | Final settlement | mm |
| σ | Total stress | kN/m2 |
| σˡ | Effective stress | kN/m2 |
| σ1, σ2, σ3 | Principal stresses | kN/m2 |
| σ1ˡ, σ2ˡ, σ3ˡ | Effective principal stresses | kN/m2 |
| σc | Preconsolidation pressure | kN/m2 |
| σz, σv | Vertical stress | kN/m2 |
| σx, σh | Horizontal stress | kN/m2 |
| τ | Shear stress | kN/m2 |
| τm | Mobilized shear strength | kN/m2 |
| ϕ | Angle of shearing resistance | Degree |
| ϕˡ | Effective angle of shearing resistance | Degree |
| ϕu | Apparent angle of shearing resistance | Degree |
| ϕm | Mobilised angle of shearing resisitance | Degree |
| ρ | Bulk density | kg/m3 |
| ρd | Dry density | kg/m3 |
| ρˡ | Submerged density | kg/m3 |
