CE 261

Problem Set No. 1

1. A very loose sand has the following stresses at a point in the ground

a. Draw the Mohrs circle.

b. Clearly label and give the coordinates for the pole.
c. What are the magnitudes and orientations of the principal stresses?
d. What are the stresses on the horizontal and vertical planes?
e. Is the state of stress reasonable for a very loose sand? Why?
2. A loose dry sand has a dry unit weight of d , of 100 lbs/ft3. At a point in the
ground 10 feet below the horizontal ground surface, what are the stresses on a 45
plane both above and below the horizontal axis. Assume an at-rest state of stress
in the ground with a lateral earth pressure coefficient K o equal to 0.5.
3. A sample of loose sand was tested in a direct shear machine with a normal
pressure of 1 ton/ft2. The angle of internal friction was determined to be 35.
a. Draw both the initial and final Mohrs circles.
b. Clearly label and give the coordinates of the pole for both circles.
c. Show both the initial and final orientations of the principal stresses.
4. A sand sample failed on a 45 plane. (measured counterclockwise from the
horizontal) with a normal stress of 1 ton/ft2. The effective angle of internal
friction of the sand was 37.
a. Draw the Mohrs circle.
b. Clearly label and give the coordinates for the pole.
c. What are the magnitudes and orientations of the principal stresses?
5. Shown below are stresses that exist in sand.

a. Draw the Mohrs circle.

b. Clearly label and give the coordinates for the pole.
c. What are the magnitudes and orientations of the principal stresses?
d. What are the stresses on the horizontal and vertical planes?
e. If this material has a cohesion intercept of zero, what are the stresses on
the failure plane?
f. What is the orientation of a plane having the stresses of the pole?