CHAPTER 4

CONCEPT OF EFFECTIVE STRESS

INTRODUCTION

Stress intensity of loading Strain measurement of deformation 2 types of loading : ~ __________________ ~ __________________ Stress changes cause by selfweight of soil, changes of water capillary and water level. 3 types of soil stresses : ~ ___________________ ~ ___________________ ~ ___________________

VERTICAL STRESS,

The total vertical stress acting at a point below the ground surface is due to the weight of everything lying above: soil, water, and surface loading. Total stresses are calculated from the unit weight of the soil. Any change in vertical total stress (v) may also result in a change in the horizontal total stress (h) at the same point.
Vertical stress, v = Weight / Area (kN/m2) = gh Where, g = (unit weight of soil) So that,

v = h

HORIZONTAL STRESS, h
- Horizontal stress is the product of horizontal stress coefficient (k) with the vertical stress (v)
Horizontal stress, h = kv Where, k is determine using Rankine Formula : K = 1+ sin 1 sin Where, = angle of soil friction

EFFECTIVE STRESS

Ground movements and instabilities can be caused by changes in total stress (such as loading due to foundations or unloading due to excavations), but they can also be caused by changes in pore pressures (slopes can fail after rainfall increases the pore pressures). In fact, it is the combined effect of total stress and pore pressure that controls soil behaviour such as shear strength, compression and distortion. The difference between the total stress (vertical stress) and the pore pressure is called the effective stress:
effective stress = total stress - pore pressure

= v - u

PORE PRESSURE, U

The water in the pores of a soil is called porewater. The pressure within this porewater is called pore pressure (u). The magnitude of pore pressure depends on: ~ the depth below the water table ~ the conditions of seepage flow Under hydrostatic conditions (no water flow) the pore pressure at a given point is given by the hydrostatic pressure: u = w .h

Where, h = depth below water table or overlying water surface w = unit weight of water (1000kg/m3 or 9.81 kN/m3)

Example 1
1) A soil profile has a depth and unit weight as shown in the diagram below. Determine the vertical stress, pore pressure and effective stress at a depth of 10 meters.
Sand, = 17 kN/m3 G.W.L 4m

Clay, = 20 kN/m3

6m

2) 5 meters thick river bed consists of sand with a saturated unit weight of 19.5 kN/m3. At point 5 m below the surface of the sand, calculate : a) effective stress and b) horizontal stress if the coefficient of horizontal stress, k is 0.27

Principal of Effective Stress

Was introduced by Terzaghi on 1923. Principal of effective stress is applied for saturated soil. There are three types of stress related to each other, which are : ~ vertical stress ~ Pore pressure ~ Effective stress

Example 2

a)

b)

On a certain site, a surface layer of sand is 4 m thick and this overlies a layer of clay 6 m thick. Groundwater level was located at 1.5 meters under the ground surface. Above the water table, unit weight of sand is 18.4 kN/m3, while the unit weight of saturated sand and clay are respectively 21.1 and 18.1 kN/m3. Calculate vertical stress, pore pressure and effective stress at a depth of 10 m under the ground surface. Draw the stress distribution for vertical stress, pore pressure and effective stress.

Exercise 1

A layer of clay soil has a depth 5m which is lapped with the sandy soil depth 4m. The ground water level is located 2m under the ground surface. The unit weight of dry sand is 18kN/m3 while unit weight of saturated sand and clay soil is 21kN/m3 and 19kN/m3. a) calculate the normal stress, pore water pressure at 9m under the ground level. b) Draw the distribution diagram of normal stress, pore water pressure and effective stress.

CHANGES IN STRESS

INTRODUCTION

Factors that affected soil stress ; ~ soil types ~ human activities ~ construction ~ soil water

Determine stresses due to Changes of G.W.L

Changes of G.W.L depend on weather. Rain G.W.L Drought G.W.L Effect on soil stress

Example 1
1) A surface layer of sand is 5 m thick and this overlies a layer of clay 4 m thick. Draw a stress distribution for vertical stress and effective stress against of these cases : ~ Ground Water level at 2 m from ground surface. ~ Ground water level (G.W.L) at the top of clay layer. Given : Unit weight of saturated sand, sand = 20.9 kN/m3 Unit weight of dry sand, dry = 17.4 kN/m3 Unit weight of clay, clay = 17.8 kN/m3

Example 2
2) A surface layer of sand is 9 m thick and this overlies a layer of clay 6 m thick. Ground-water level is located at 6 meters from ground surface . In a short period of time, water table rise 3 meters and is expected to remain at this new level. Determine the effective stress at a depth of 8 m and 12 m from ground surface. Given : Unit weight of saturated sand, sand = 19 kN/m3 Unit weight of dry sand, dry = 16 kN/m3 Unit weight of saturated clay, clay = 20 kN/m3

Example 3 On a certain site a surface layer of silty sand is 5 m thick and overlies a layer of peaty clay 4 m thick, which turn is underlain by impermeable rock. Draw effective/ normal stress profiles for the following conditions : a) Water table at the surface. b) Water table at a depth of 2.5 m, Unit weight; silty sand = 18.5 kN/m3 clay = 17.7 kN/m3

Determine stressed due to changes of loading (Soil Embankment)

Increases of loading on ground will cause high pressure on soil. Soil embankment influence of soil stress, normal stress and effective stress.

Example 4
1) A surface layer of sand is 5 m thick and this overlies a layer of clay 6 m thick. Ground-water level is located at ground surface. Saturated unit weight of sand and clay is 19 kN/m3 and 20 kN/m3 respectively. The soil embankment ( = 20kN/m3) of 4 m depth were laid over the existing layer of sand. Find the effective stress at the mid point of clay layer : ~ Immediately after the embankment has been placed. ~ A few years after the embankments has been placed.

2) In site reclamation project, 2.5 m of graded fill ( = 22 kN/m3) were laid in compacted layers over an existing layer of silty clay ( = 18 kN/m3) which was 3 m thick. This was underlain by a 2 m thick layer of gravel ( = 20 kN/m3). Assuming that the water level remains at the surface of the silty clay, draw up the stress distribution for : ~ before the fill is placed ~ Immediately after the fill has been filled.