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CV6311

NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

SEMESTER 1 EXAMINATION 2009-2010

CV6311 – SOIL BEHAVIOUR AND ENGINEERING PROPERTIES

November/December 2009 Time Allowed: 3 hours

INSTRUCTIONS

1. This paper contains FOUR (4) questions and comprises FIVE (5) pages.

2. Answer ALL questions.

3. An Appendix of ONE (1) page is attached to the Question Paper.

4. This a closed-book examination.

5. All questions carry equal marks.

1. (a) (i) What are the stress state variables for unsaturated soils and for
saturated soils?

(ii) How would stress state variables for a soil be proven experimentally?

(iii) Briefly explain the difference between stress state variables and
constitutive equations.
(5 Marks)

(b) An unsaturated soil specimen is removed from a location in a field and

placed in a null-type pressure plate. At equilibrium the chamber air
pressure and the water pressure in the water compartment below the high-
air entry disk are 300 kPa and – 20 kPa, respectively.

(i) What is the magnitude of matric suction in the soil specimen as

measured by the null type pressure plate?

(ii) If a tensiometer is installed at the same location in the field, what

would be the measured pressure in the tensiometer?
(5 Marks)

Note: Question No.1 continues on page 2.

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CV6311

(c) On a plane in an unsaturated soil, the total normal stress is equal to

150 kPa, the pore-air pressure is atmospheric and the pore-water pressure
is – 100 kPa. The soil has an effective cohesion of 10 kPa, an effective
angle of internal friction Φ’ of 30o and a Φb angle of 15o. Calculate the
change in the shear strength of the soil on the plane when the soil becomes
saturated to a pore-water pressure of 100 kPa while the total normal stress
remains constant.
(5 Marks)

(d) Briefly explain the difference in the boundary condition that commonly
controls seepage in unsaturated zone above water table and the boundary
condition that commonly controls seepage in saturated zone below water
table. Give some examples.
(5 Marks)

(e) (i) Briefly explain why water is always attracted to clay surfaces.

(ii) Using a sketch of the structure of montmorillonite, briefly explain why

montmorillonite swells upon contact with water.
(5 Marks)

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CV6311

2. (a) Derive the following Terzaghi’s one-dimensional consolidation equation by

considering the continuity of water flow and the volumetric constitutive
equation for a saturated soil:
2

where: = coefficient of consolidation

= excess pore-water pressure
= depth or position relative to drainage boundary
= time
(10 Marks)

(b) One-dimensional consolidation tests are conducted on two cylindrical

saturated specimens, P and Q, which are obtained from an identical,
normally consolidated soil. The height of specimen P is 2 cm and the
specimen is consolidated under a single drainage condition where water
drains to the top of the specimen. The height of specimen Q is 100 cm and
the specimen is consolidated under a double drainage condition.

For a pressure increment from 50 kPa to 100 kPa, specimen P reaches

90% average degree of consolidation in 3,800 seconds. Calculate the time
required for specimen Q to reach 50% average degree of consolidation.
Information related to theory of consolidation is given in the Appendix.

(5 Marks)

(c) Briefly explain how sampling disturbance causes the swelling pressure
determined from the constant volume oedometer test to underestimate the
insitu stress state of an unsaturated soil. Use the stress-deformation paths
in your explanation.
(5 Marks)

(d) A site consists of 2 m thick unsaturated swelling soil deposit with the
following properties: total unit weight γ = 20 kN/m3, initial void ratio eo = 0.9,
swelling index Cs = 0.25, corrected swelling pressure Ps' = 100 kPa.
Calculate the total amount of heave for the entire thickness when the final
pore-water pressure is equal to zero throughout the deposit. The air
pressure is atmospheric in the field. Treat the entire thickness of soil as
one layer, i.e., subdivisions are not required. The heave can be computed
using the following equation:
Cs Pf
Δh = h log
1 + e0 P0

where: Δh = heave of an individual soil layer

h = thickness of the layer under consideration
e0 = initial void ratio of the soil layer
P0 = initial stress state in the soil layer
Pf = final stress state in the soil layer
(5 Marks)

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CV6311

3. (a) An isotropically consolidated undrained (CIU) triaxial test was conducted on

a normally consolidated (NC) clay under an effective consolidation stress of
100 kPa. The specific volume of the clay after consolidation, v, was 1.7.
The principal stresses obtained at failure were 75 and 33 kPa, respectively.
The compression index Cc of this clay was 0.6 as determined from an
oedometer test.

(i) Determine the equation for the normal consolidation line (NCL) and
the equations of the critical state line (CSL) on both the q versus p′
plane and the v versus lnp′ plane, where q = σ1 – σ3, p′ = (σ′1 + 2σ′3)/3.
Illustrate the NCL and CSL using a sketch.

(ii) Sketch schematically the total and effective stress paths for the CIU
test and calculate the excess pore water pressure at failure obtained
from this test.

(iii) If an isotropically consolidated drained (CID) test is to be conducted

under the same effective consolidation stress of 100 kPa, what will be
the principal stresses and the specific volume change at failure?

(20 Marks)

(b) The peak friction angle and the critical state friction angle of a sand is 38o
and 32o, respectively. Determine the maximum dilatancy ratio dεv/dε1 which
could possibly be obtained from a consolidated drained triaxial test.

(5 Marks)

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CV6311

4. (a) A Ko consolidated undrained triaxial compression (CKoUC) test was

conducted on an undisturbed saturated clay sample. The sample at its in-
situ state had an effective vertical stress σv0’ of 100 kPa and a
preconsolidation stress of 150 kPa. The sample was Ko consolidated until
the effective axial stress reached 100 kPa. The effective cell pressure at
the end of Ko consolidation was 62 kPa. The deviator stress obtained at
failure during the undrained shearing was 82 kPa.

(i) What is the Ko value?

(iii) What is the undrained shear strength ratio cu/σv0’ obtained from this
CKoUC test?

(iv) Sketch schematically the effective stress path formed by this CKoUC
test in a q versus p′ plot.

(v) If this soil sample were Ko consolidated until the effective axial stress
reached 200 kPa, estimate the failure deviator stress obtained from
this test by making suitable assumption regarding the undrained
shear strength ratio and OCR relationship.
(12 Marks)

(b) Explain the soil parameters that can be determined directly by the field
vane shear test (FVT) and why the (FVT) can only be used for cohesive soil.
Are the FVT results affected by plasticity index of the soil? If yes, explain
how this factor is taken into consideration.
(7 Marks)

(c) Explain the differences between the cone penetration test (CPT) and the
piezocone test (CPTu) and the soil types that each of the two in-situ tests
can be used.
(6 Marks)

END OF PAPER

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Appendix to CV6311

Consolidation for any Location and Time factor in a Doubly Drained Layer
(after Taylor, 1948)

Average Degree of Consolidation versus Time Factor