CIVL 311 – SOIL MECHANICS II – 2017

Module 1

One-dimensional Consolidation
of Fine-grained Soils

September 8 – Lecture 2
A. Lizcano
Department of Civil Engineering
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, B.C.
Canada
Introduction and definition of key terms
Strains in a Soil Mass
• Strain state in one infinitesimal 𝜀𝜀𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝜀𝜀𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝜀𝜀𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥
material element 𝜺𝜺 = 𝜀𝜀𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 𝜀𝜀𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 𝜀𝜀𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦
𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧 𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧 𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧
𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧

𝜀𝜀𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥
𝜀𝜀𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 𝜀𝜀𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 0 0
𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧 Triaxial
𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧 deformation
𝜺𝜺 = 0 𝜀𝜀𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 0
𝜀𝜀𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥
(Axial symmetric) 0 0 𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧
𝜀𝜀𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝜀𝜀𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦
𝜀𝜀𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦
𝜀𝜀𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 0 0
Biaxial deformation
(Plane strain)
𝜺𝜺 = 0 0 0
0 0 𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧
Volumetric strain: 𝜀𝜀𝑣𝑣 = 𝜀𝜀𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 + 𝜀𝜀𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 + 𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧
Strains in a Soil Mass
• Strain state in one infinitesimal One-dimensional 0 0 0
material element deformation 𝜺𝜺 = 0 0 0
(Oedometric) 0 0 𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧
𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧

𝜀𝜀𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝑠𝑠
𝜀𝜀𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦
𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧
𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧
𝜀𝜀𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 ∆𝑑𝑑0 ∆𝑑𝑑
𝑧𝑧
𝜀𝜀𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝜀𝜀𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦
𝑥𝑥, 𝑦𝑦
𝜀𝜀𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦

∆𝑑𝑑0 −∆𝑑𝑑
𝜀𝜀𝑣𝑣 = 𝜀𝜀𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧 = [-]
∆𝑑𝑑0
Vertical Compression

Vertical compression of the Vertical compression Vertical compression of

ground surface: Settlement of a soil layer: Strain a soil element: Strain

∆𝑑𝑑̇ ∆𝑑𝑑: Current thicknes instantaneos

𝜀𝜀̇ =
∆𝑑𝑑 ∆𝑑𝑑:̇ Thickness reduction per unit of time (velocity)

𝜀𝜀:̇ Strain rate

Vertical Compression
• For a reference time 𝑡𝑡0 ⟹ ∆𝑑𝑑0

• Since ∆𝑑𝑑 decreases with the compression, the equation is not

mathematically accurate. However, the equation is accurate
enough for practical uses.

• Compression: Rearrangement of the particles

• Compression: Volume decrease of a soil element from 𝑉𝑉0 to 𝑉𝑉

Strain (𝜺𝜺) – Void Ratio (𝒆𝒆) Relation

Air 𝑉𝑉0 − 𝑉𝑉
𝑉𝑉𝑣𝑣 𝜀𝜀𝑣𝑣 ≈ ⟹ 𝑉𝑉 ≈ 𝑉𝑉0 1 − 𝜀𝜀𝑣𝑣
𝑉𝑉0
𝑊𝑊 𝑊𝑊𝑤𝑤 Water 𝑉𝑉

𝑊𝑊𝑠𝑠 𝑉𝑉𝑠𝑠 𝑉𝑉 − 𝑉𝑉𝑠𝑠 𝑉𝑉

Solids
𝑒𝑒 = ⟹ 𝑉𝑉𝑠𝑠 =
𝑉𝑉𝑠𝑠 1 + 𝑒𝑒

𝑉𝑉𝑠𝑠 remaims constant during the deformation process ⟹

𝑉𝑉0 𝑉𝑉 𝑉𝑉0 𝑉𝑉0 1 − 𝜀𝜀𝑣𝑣
= ⟹ ≈ ⟹ 𝑒𝑒 ≈ 𝑒𝑒0 − 𝜀𝜀𝑣𝑣 1 + 𝑒𝑒0
1 + 𝑒𝑒0 1 + 𝑒𝑒 1 + 𝑒𝑒0 1 + 𝑒𝑒

𝑒𝑒0 : Initial void ratio ∆𝑒𝑒 = 𝑒𝑒0 − 𝑒𝑒 ≈ 𝜀𝜀𝑣𝑣 1 + 𝑒𝑒0

𝑉𝑉0 : Initial volume
Stresses in a Soil Mass
• Definition of stress

Normal Force
Normal Stress: 𝜎𝜎𝑛𝑛 = [kPa]
Area

Shear Force
Shear Stress: 𝜏𝜏 = [kPa]
Area

Stress vector 𝜎𝜎 and its

stress components 𝜎𝜎𝑛𝑛 and 𝜏𝜏
Stresses in a Soil Mass
• The stress state 𝜎𝜎𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝜎𝜎𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝜎𝜎𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥
𝝈𝝈 = 𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦
𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧

𝜎𝜎𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 0 0
Principal stresses
– Triaxial
𝝈𝝈 = 0 𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 0
0 0 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧

𝜎𝜎𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 0 0
Stresses in one infinitesimal State of principal
𝝈𝝈 = 0 0 0
material element stresses - Plane
Stresses 0 0 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧
Stresses in a Soil Mass
• The “stress field” concept • The balance of forces in the
infinitesimal volumetric element
leads to the stress field:

𝜕𝜕𝜎𝜎𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝜕𝜕𝜎𝜎𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝜕𝜕𝜎𝜎𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥

+ + =0
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕
∆𝑧𝑧
𝜕𝜕𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 𝜕𝜕𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 𝜕𝜕𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦
+ + =0
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

Infinitesimal material 𝜕𝜕𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧 𝜕𝜕𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧 𝜕𝜕𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧

element with the + + + 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌 = 0
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕
dimensions ∆𝑥𝑥, ∆𝑦𝑦 and ∆𝑧𝑧
Stresses in a Soil Mass
• Common stress field in geotechnical engineering: stress distribution in a
semi space with an unloaded horizontal surface and without
groundwater
o Two dimensional case
𝜎𝜎𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 0
𝝈𝝈 =
0 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧

o 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧 = 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧 , 𝜎𝜎𝑥𝑥 = 𝜎𝜎𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 : Principal stresses

(𝜎𝜎𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 = 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧 = 0)
o 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧 = 𝛾𝛾𝛾𝛾
o 𝛾𝛾: Soil unit weight (𝛾𝛾 = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌)
o 𝜎𝜎𝑥𝑥 = 𝐾𝐾𝑜𝑜 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧
o 𝐾𝐾𝑜𝑜 : Coefficient of lateral earth
pressure at rest
Stresses in a Soil Mass
• Vertical total stress 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧 , pore water pressure 𝑢𝑢 and vertical effective stress 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧′

Total Stress Pore Water Pressure

Effective Stress
(Overburden Stress) (Hydrostatic Pressure)

GW GW GW
𝑧𝑧𝑤𝑤

− =

Special case 𝑧𝑧𝑤𝑤 at the ground surface (𝑧𝑧 = 𝑧𝑧𝑤𝑤 ): 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧′ = 𝑧𝑧 𝛾𝛾 − 𝛾𝛾𝑤𝑤 = 𝑧𝑧𝛾𝛾 ′
Forces Connected to the Vertical Compression
∆𝐹𝐹
𝜎𝜎 =
∆𝐴𝐴
∆𝑢𝑢⁄𝛾𝛾𝑤𝑤 • 𝜎𝜎: Total vertical stress
• ∆𝐹𝐹: Resultant vertical force on
the surface of the cross section

′
∆𝐹𝐹
𝜎𝜎 ′ =
∆𝐴𝐴
Cross section forces in the soil • 𝜎𝜎 ′ : Effective vertical stress
skeleton and pore water • ∆𝐹𝐹 ′ : Resultant vertical force from
the components of vertical forces
at the particle contact points
Forces Connected to the Vertical Compression
∆𝑢𝑢⁄𝛾𝛾𝑤𝑤
Cross section forces in the soil
skeleton and pore water
• Excess of pore water pressure ∆𝑢𝑢
due to the applied load ∆𝐹𝐹 (or
total stress 𝜎𝜎)
• Total pore water pressure 𝑢𝑢𝑡𝑡 =
𝑢𝑢 + ∆𝑢𝑢
• Total pore water pressure acts on
∆𝐴𝐴 except for the material
contact points (∆𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠 )
∆𝐹𝐹𝑢𝑢 = 𝑢𝑢𝑡𝑡 ∆𝐴𝐴 − ∆𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠
∆𝐹𝐹 = ∆𝐹𝐹 ′ + ∆𝐹𝐹𝑢𝑢 = ∆𝐹𝐹 ′ 𝑢𝑢𝑡𝑡 ∆𝐴𝐴 − ∆𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠
Forces Connected to the Vertical Compression
• Dividing by ∆𝐴𝐴
∆𝐹𝐹 ∆𝐹𝐹 ′ ∆𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠 ∆𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠
= + 𝑢𝑢𝑡𝑡 1 − 𝜎𝜎 = 𝜎𝜎 ′ + 𝑢𝑢𝑡𝑡 1−
∆𝐴𝐴 ∆𝐴𝐴 ∆𝐴𝐴 ∆𝐴𝐴

∆𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠
≈0 ⟹ 𝜎𝜎 ′ = 𝜎𝜎 − 𝑢𝑢𝑡𝑡
∆𝐴𝐴
Principle of Effective Stresses (Terzaghi, 1925)

𝑝𝑝𝑤𝑤 0 0
Hydrostatic stress: 𝒖𝒖𝒕𝒕 = 0 𝑝𝑝𝑤𝑤 0
0 0 𝑝𝑝𝑤𝑤