St.

Peter’s College
Sabayle St., Iligan City
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department

Foundation Engineering
Activity 1
Soil Settlement

Instructions: Solve the following problems. Write and show your solutions on the answer sheet
provided. Box your final answer.

1. Figure 1 shows a soil profile. The uniformly distributed load on the ground surface is Δσ. Given: Δσ
= 1000 lb/ft2, H1 = 8 ft, H2 = 15 ft, and H3 = 17 ft. Also, for sand: γdry = 110 lb/ft3, γsat = 115 lb/ft3 ; for
clay: γsat = 120 lb/ft3 , LL = 50, e = 0.9. Estimate the primary consolidation settlement if:
a. The clay is normally consolidated
b. The preconsolidation pressure is 2500 lb/ft2 (Cs = 1/6 Cc)

2. Refer to figure 1. Given: H1 = 2.5 m, H2 = 2.5 m, H3 = 3 m, and Δσ = 100 kN/m2. Also, for sand: e =
0.64, Gs = 2.65; for clay: e = 0.9, Gs = 2.75, LL = 55. Estimate the primary consolidation settlement of
the clay layer assuming that it is normally consolidated.

3. Refer to figure 1. Given: H1 = 5 ft, H2 = 7 ft, H3 = 6 ft, and Δσ = 3000 lb/ft2. Also, for sand: e = 0.58,
Gs = 2.65; for clay: e = 1.1, Gs = 2.72, LL = 45. Estimate the primary consolidation settlement if the
preconsolidation pressure is 3500 lb/ft2. Assume Cs = 1/5 Cc.

4. A normally consolidated clay layer, 3 m thick, has the following properties:

Initial void ratio: 0.8
Compression index, Cc = 0.25
Average effective pressure, σo = 125 kPa
Expected pressure increase, Δσ = 45 kPa
Secondary compression index, Cs = 0.02
Time for completion of primary settlement = 1.5 years

What is the total settlement of the clay layer five years after the completion of primary consolidation
settlement?

Name: I.D. #
 St. Peter’s College
Sabayle St., Iligan City
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department

Foundation Engineering
Activity 2
Time Rate of Consolidation

Instructions: Solve the following problems. Write and show your solutions on the answer sheet
provided. Box your final answer.

1. The time for 50% consolidation of a 1-in thick clay layer (drained at top and bottom) in the
laboratory is 2 min, 20 sec. How long (in days) will it take for a 8-ft thick layer of the same clay in the
field (under the same pressure increment) to reach 30% consolidation? In the field, there is a rock layer
at the bottom of the clay.

2. The time for 50% consolidation of a 25-mm thick clay layer (drained at top and bottom) in the
laboratory is 225 sec. How long (in days) will it take for a 2-m thick layer of the same clay in the field
(under the same pressure increment) to reach 50% consolidation? In the field, there is a rock layer at the
bottom of the clay.

3. For a normally consolidated clay, the following are given:

σ’ = 2 ton/ft2
σ’ + Δσ’ = 4 ton/ft2
e = eo = 1.21
e = 0.96

The hydraulic conductivity k of the clay for the preceding loading range is 1.8 x 10-4 ft/day.
a. How long (in days) will it take for a 9 ft thick clay layer (drained on one side) in the field to reach
60% consolidation?
b. What is the settlement at that time (that is, 60% consolidation)?

4. A 3-m thick layer of saturated clay (two-way drainage) under a surcharge loading underwent 90%
primary consolidation in 100 days. The laboratory test’s specimen will have two-way drainage.
a. Find the coefficient of consolidation of clay for the pressure range.
b. For a 25 mm. thick undisturbed clay specimen, how long will it take to undergo 80% consolidation
in the laboratory for a similar pressure range?

5. A normally consolidated clay layer is 3 m thick (one way drainage). From the application of a given
pressure, the total anticipated primary consolidation settlement will be 80 mm.
a. What is the average degree of consolidation for the clay layer when the settlement is 25 mm?
b. If the average value of cv = for the pressure range is 0.002 cm2/sec, how long will it take for 50%
settlement to occur?
c. How long will it take for 50% consolidation to occur if the clay layer is drained at both top and
bottom?

Name: I.D. #
 St. Peter’s College
Sabayle St., Iligan City
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department

Foundation Engineering
Activity 3
Stresses in Soil - Mohr’s Circle

Instructions: Solve the following problems. Write and show your solutions on the answer sheet
provided. Box your final answer.

Using the principles of Mohr’s circles for the soil elements shown below, determine the following:
a. Maximum and minimum principal stresses
b. Normal and shear stresses on the plan AB
c. Maximum shear stress.

1. 3.

2. 4.

Name: I.D. #
 St. Peter’s College
Sabayle St., Iligan City
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department

Foundation Engineering
Activity ___
______________________________________________

Name: I.D. #