CE 261

Problem Set 4

1) Using the laboratory test data given on the accompanying sheets, plot the stress-strain
curves, volume change curves and Mohr diagrams for the sandy gravel from Costa
Rica, and determine the values of the parameters 0 and , where the variations of
with 3 is given by an equation of the form:

3
= 0 log10
Pa

where:

= angle of internal friction at confining pressure 3

0 = value of at 3 = 1 atmosphere
= reduction in per order of magnitude increase in 3
3 = confining pressure
Pa = atmospheric pressure = 1.033 kg/cm2

To determine 0 and , calculate for each test using the relationship

1
= tan 2 ( 45D + 2 )
3

And plot the value of against 3 on a semi-log plot

2) Several saturated samples of sand ( = 34D ) were consolidated in a triaxial cell to an

effective pressure of 1.5 kg/cm2. All samples had the same void ratio after
consolidation, and had a critical confining pressure of 3.5 kg/cm2. Unconsolidated-
undrained tests were then conducted having increases of cell pressure of 0.2, 0.5,
0.75, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 kg/cm2. For these tests:
a) Draw the total stress and effective stress Mohrs circles;
b) Draw the total and effective stress failure envelopes.

3) The critical confining pressure of a sand ( = 34D ) follows the relationship

3 = 3 + 0.6 3
crit con

where 3con is the effective consolidation stress in kg/cm2. Three series of

consolidated-undrained tests (CU) were conducted with backpressures ( ub ) of 0.0,
1.0, and 2.0 kg/cm2. The effective consolidated stresses used; 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0,
6.0, 8.0 and 10.0 kg/cm2; were the same for each series of test. Using this data:
a) Plot the effective stress circles and the effective stress envelope.
b) Plot the total stress circles and the total stress envelope.
c) Comment about the influence of backpressure on the total stress envelopes.
d) What would be the minimum backpressures to use if cavitation were to be
prevented?
 Drained Triaxial Compression Test

Confining Pressure, 3 = 2 kg/cm2

Axial Dial Gauge Corrected d

Load 0.001 in V V/V Area
kg/cm2
kg Read cm3 % % cm2
0.0 900 0 0.0 0.00 0.00 39.73 0.00
31.44 888 12 0.21 0.17 0.03 39.79 0.79
105.74 871 29 1.13 0.41 0.16 39.83 2.65
238.25 834 66 2.68 0.94 0.38 39.96 5.96
357.14 783 117 3.60 1.67 0.51 40.20 8.88
421.98 710 190 3.53 2.71 0.50 40.63 10.38
435.63 680 220 3.04 3.14 0.43 40.84 10.67
435.20 636 264 2.40 3.77 0.34 41.15 10.58
415.73 563 337 1.55 4.81 0.22 41.65 9.98
411.45 490 410 1.06 5.86 0.15 42.14 9.76
402.05 416 484 0.64 6.91 0.09 42.64 9.44
391.55 343 557 0.21 7.96 0.03 43.15 9.07
383.33 226 674 0.42 9.63 0.06 43.94 8.72
 Drained Triaxial Compression Test

Confining Pressure, 3 = 4 kg/cm2

Axial Dial Gauge Corrected d

Load 0.001 in V V/V Area
kg/cm2
kg Read cm3 % % cm2
0.0 900 0 0.0 0.00 0.00 39.74 0.00
64.87 888 12 0.57 0.17 0.08 39.77 1.63
197.11 871 29 1.70 0.41 0.24 39.80. 4.95
374.63 834 66 3.46 0.94 0.49 39.90 9.39
353.87 782 118 5.16 1.69 0.73 40.10 13.36
681.79 709 191 6.22 2.73 0.88 40.50 16.80
724.06 635 265 6.57 3.79 0.93 40.90 17.70
781.56 562 338 6.43 4.83 0.91 41.40 18.88
792.92 518 382 6.22 5.46 0.88 41.70 19.01
794.81 488 412 6.08 5.89 0.86 41.90 18.97
794.46 415 485 5.79 6.93 0.82 42.30 18.78
804.01 341 559 5.51 7.99 0.78 42.85 18.76
798.06 229 676 4.94 9.66 0.70 43.70 18.26
789.92 19 881 4.29 12.59 0.61 45.20 17.48
 Drained Triaxial Compression Test

Confining Pressure, 3 = 8 kg/cm2

Axial Dial Gauge Corrected d

Load 0.001 in V V/V Area
kg/cm2
kg Read cm3 % % cm2
0.00 900 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
89.55 888 12 0.28 0.17 0.04 39.79 2.25
228.63 871 29 1.20 0.41 0.17 39.84 5.74
500.97 833 67 3.32 0.96 0.47 39.94 12.54
775.47 782 118 5.51 1.69 0.78 40.11 19.34
1057.61 708 192 7.56 2.74 1.07 40.42 26.16
1213.39 635 265 8.62 3.79 1.22 40.80 29.74
1330.06 560 340 9.04 4.86 1.28 41.24 32.26
1402.13 487 413 9.18 5.90 1.30 41.68 33.63
1444.97 413 487 9.18 6.96 1.30 42.16 34.28
1476.23 339 561 9.04 8.01 1.28 42.65 34.61
1511.19 251 649 8.83 9.27 1.28 43.26 34.94
1528.68 133 767 8.55 10.96 1.21 44.58 34.29
1552.23 15 885 8.41 12.64 1.19 45.44 34.16