Texas Tech University

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Chapter 3: Part II
Soil Mechanics/Review
Priyantha Jayawickrama,
Ph.D.
Associate Professor
 Chapter 3: Soil Mechanics

Lecture No.1
3.1 Soil Composition

Soil-a 3-phase material

Soil Characterization (particle size,
soil plasticity)
3.2 Soil Classification
3.3 Groundwater
3.4 Stress (Total vs. Effective)
CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design
 Chapter 3: Soil Mechanics

Lecture No.2
3.5 Compressibility and

settlement
Lecture No.3
3.6 Strength

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

3.5 Compressibility &
Settlement
Settlement requirements often
control the design of foundations
This chapter provides a general
overview of principles involved in
settlement analysis
The subject will be dealt with in
greater detail in Chapter 7.

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Case Study
Settlement must be within
acceptable limits ..

Palacio de las
Bellas Artes,
Mexico City
Built 1932-1934
CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design
Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City
Settled 3m!

Lacustrine Clay deposited in former

Lake Texcoco
Av. Water content 281%, Void Ratio
6.90
Groundwater withdrawal; increase
in effective stress
Resulting Consolidation
43-story Tower Latino Americana
CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design
 Case Study
Tower of Latino
Americana, Mexico
City
Built ihn 1956
44 stories; 597-ft

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Increase in Vertical Effective Stress

Due to a Placement of a fill

zf z 0 fill H fill
Due to an external load

zf z 0 z induced

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

 Consolidation
z0
z
c
z0
} zf

z0 z0
z
} zf

e
Vv = eVs Voids
Vv = (e - e)Vs Voids

Before Vs Solids Vs Solids After

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Before Loading

Point, P
u0

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Immediately
After Loading

0 +

Point, P
u0+u

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Shortly after Loading
No settlement
0 +
Long after Loading
Settlement Complete
0 +

u0+u

u0

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Settlement
Distortion Settlement (Immediate)
Consolidation (Time Dependent)
Secondary Compression time

Settlement
CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design
Laboratory Consolidation Test

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

 Consolidation Test

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Test Results

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

 Consolidation Plot

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

 Idealized
Test Results Data

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Compression Index and
Recompression Index
ea eb
Cc
(log z ) b (log z ) a

ec ed
Cr
(log z ) d (log z ) c

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Compression Ratio and
Recompression Ratio

Cc ( z ) a ( z ) b
Cc
1 e0 (log z ) b (log z ) a

Cr ( z ) d ( z ) c
Cr
1 e0 (log z ) d (log z ) c

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

 Normally and
Over-Consolidated Soils

zo c .. Normally
consolidated
zo c .. Over consolidated

zo c .. Under consolidated

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Normal vs. Over-Consolidation

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Normal vs. Over-Consolidation

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

 Over-Consolidation Margin &
Over-consolidation Ratio

m c zc .. Over-
consolidation
Margin
c
OCR .. Over consolidation
zo ratio

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

 Typical Range of OC Margins

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Compressibility of Sand and
Gravels (Table 3.7)

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Example 3.3

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

 Settlement Predictions
N.C. Clays

Cc zf
c H log
1 e0 z 0

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

 Settlement Predictions
O.C. Clays Case I

Cr zf
c H log
1 e0 z 0

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Settlement Predictions
O.C. Clays Case II

Cr c Cc zf
c H log H log
1 e0 z 0 1 e0 c

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Ex. 3.4

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

 Example 3.4

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

Ex. 3.5

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design

 Example
3.5

CE 4321: Geotechnical Engineering Design