CIVL 311 SOIL MECHANICS II 2017

Module 1

One-dimensional Consolidation
of Fine-grained Soils

September 8 Lecture 2
A. Lizcano
Department of Civil Engineering
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, B.C.
Canada
Introduction and definition of key terms
Strains in a Soil Mass
Strain state in one infinitesimal
material element =

0 0
Triaxial
deformation
= 0 0

(Axial symmetric) 0 0


0 0
Biaxial deformation
(Plane strain)
= 0 0 0
0 0
Volumetric strain: = + +
Strains in a Soil Mass
Strain state in one infinitesimal One-dimensional 0 0 0
material element deformation = 0 0 0
(Oedometric) 0 0

0


,

0
= = [-]
0
Vertical Compression

Vertical compression of the Vertical compression Vertical compression of

ground surface: Settlement of a soil layer: Strain a soil element: Strain

: Current thicknes instantaneos

=
: Thickness reduction per unit of time (velocity)

: Strain rate
Vertical Compression
For a reference time 0 0

Since decreases with the compression, the equation is not

mathematically accurate. However, the equation is accurate
enough for practical uses.

Compression: Rearrangement of the particles

Compression: Volume decrease of a soil element from 0 to

Strain () Void Ratio () Relation

Air 0
0 1
0
Water

Solids
= =
1 +

remaims constant during the deformation process

0 0 0 1
= 0 1 + 0
1 + 0 1 + 1 + 0 1 +

0 : Initial void ratio = 0 1 + 0

0 : Initial volume
Stresses in a Soil Mass
Definition of stress

Normal Force
Normal Stress: = [kPa]
Area

Shear Force
Shear Stress: = [kPa]
Area

Stress vector and its

stress components and
Stresses in a Soil Mass
The stress state
=

0 0
Principal stresses
Triaxial
= 0 0
0 0

0 0
Stresses in one infinitesimal State of principal
= 0 0 0
material element stresses - Plane
Stresses 0 0
Stresses in a Soil Mass
The stress field concept The balance of forces in the
infinitesimal volumetric element
leads to the stress field:

+ + =0



+ + =0

Infinitesimal material
element with the + + + = 0

dimensions , and
Stresses in a Soil Mass
Common stress field in geotechnical engineering: stress distribution in a
semi space with an unloaded horizontal surface and without
groundwater
o Two dimensional case
0
=
0

o = , = : Principal stresses
( = = 0)
o =
o : Soil unit weight ( = )
o =
o : Coefficient of lateral earth
pressure at rest
Stresses in a Soil Mass
Vertical total stress , pore water pressure and vertical effective stress

Total Stress Pore Water Pressure

Effective Stress
(Overburden Stress) (Hydrostatic Pressure)

GW GW GW

Special case at the ground surface ( = ): = =

Forces Connected to the Vertical Compression

=

: Total vertical stress
: Resultant vertical force on
the surface of the cross section

=

Cross section forces in the soil : Effective vertical stress
skeleton and pore water : Resultant vertical force from
the components of vertical forces
at the particle contact points
Forces Connected to the Vertical Compression

Excess of pore water pressure

due to the applied load (or
total stress )
Total pore water pressure =
+
Total pore water pressure acts on
except for the material
contact points ( )
Cross section forces in the soil =
skeleton and pore water
= + =
Forces Connected to the Vertical Compression
Dividing by

= + 1 = + 1

0 =

Principle of Effective Stresses (Terzaghi, 1925)

0 0
Hydrostatic stress: = 0 0
0 0