SCHOOL OF VOCATIONAL ENGINEERING, HEALTH AND SCIENCES

EASC1081 – SOIL MECHANICS, SEMESTER 1, 2018

WEEK 13 (May 07 – May 11, 2018) TUTORIAL

DUE DATE: Friday, May 18, 2018 (complete, get signed by the teacher and submit on CANVAS)

PROBLEM 1
At a vertical effective stress of 200 kPa, the void ratio of a saturated soil sample tested in a consolidation test
is 1.52. The combination of the vertical effective stress and void ratio was found to lie on the virgin
compression line. A further increase of vertical effective stress of 150 kPa compresses the sample to a void
ratio of 1.43.

A. Determine the compression index, Cc, of the soil.

ANSWER:
Cc is the slope of the compression curve in the normal compression stress range.
∆e
Cc =
log[σ′2 ] − log[σ1′ ]
1.52 − 1.43
Cc = = 0.37
log[200 + 150] − log[200]

B. The sample was unloaded from the vertical effective stress of 350 kPa to 190 kPa, and the void ratio
increased to 1.45. Determine the recompression index, Cr of the soil.

ANSWER:
Cr is the slope of the compression curve in the normal re-compression stress range
∆e
Cr =
log[σ′2 ] − log[σ1′ ]
1.45 − 1.43
Cc = = 0.075
log[350] − log[190]

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C. What is the over-consolidation (OCR) ratio of the soil when the soil was unloaded to 190 kPa from 350
kPa?
Maximum past stress 350
ANSWER: OCR = Current effective stress = 190 = 1.84

D. If the soil were reloaded back from a vertical effective stress of 190 kPa to a vertical effective stress of
500 kPa, what would be the void ratio of the soil at the vertical effective stress of 500 kPa?

ANSWER:
For the soil at 190 kPa stress, the maximum past stress is 350 kPa. The soil will follow the re-
compression line up to a stress value of 350 kPa. At 350 kPa, the void ratio of the soil will be 1.43.

From 350 kPa to 500 kPa, the soil will follow the normal compression line.

On the normal compression line,

ef = e0 − Cc [log(σ′f ) − log(σ′0 )]
ef = 1.43 − 0.37[log(500) − log(350)] ≈ 1.37

E. If the soil is again unloaded from 500 kPa to achieve an over-consolidation ratio 5, what would be the
void ratio of the soil when an OCR of 5 is achieved?

ANSWER:
σ′c 500 kPa
OCR = 5 = ′ =
σ0 σ′0
σ′0 = 100 kPa
∴ The soil needs to be unloaded to 100 kPa to achieve an OCR value of 5.

During the unloading process, the soil will follow the re-compression line
e100 kPa = e500 kPa + Cr [log(500) − log(100)]
e100 kPa = 1.37 + 0.075[log(500) − log(100)] = 1.42

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PROBLEM 2
A net foundation pressure of 150 kPa is applied at a depth of 2.0 m through a mat foundation of 10 m x 10 m
size (refer to Figure 1 below). Water table is located at a depth of 2.0 m from the ground surface. Take unit
eight of water as 10 kN/m3. All other relevant data are given in the figure.

Calculate the void ratios at the middle of each of the layers at the end of the consolidation due to the applied
foundation load. Assume 2:1 vertical to horizontal load distribution over depth.

Notations:
σ’c = pre-consolidation pressure
Cc = compression index
Cr = re-compression index,
e0 = initial void ratio
dry = dry density and
sat = saturated density

Figure 1 – Soil profile at a building site

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ANSWER:
The applied load = 150 x 10 x 10 kN = 15000 kN

Void ratio at the middle of CLAY 1

Initial effective stress at the middle of CLAY 1, 0’ = 2 x 19 + 3 x 20 - 3 x 10 = 68 kPa
Increase in stress at the middle of the CLAY 1, ’ = 15000/[(10+3) x (10+3)] = 88.76 kPa
Final effective stress at the middle of the CLAY 1, f’ = (68 + 88.76) kPa = 156.76 kPa

Given, c’ = 200 kPa

0’ (68 kPa) < c’ (80 kPa) < f’ (156.76 kPa)
Therefore, the deformation takes place at both the recompression range and the normal compression range.

Given, e0 = 0.8
Void ratio at pre-consolidation pressure =
ec = e0 − Cr [log(σ′c ) − log(σ′0 )]
ec = 0.8 − 0.05[log(80) − log(68)] ≈ 0.8

Void ratio at σ′f = ef = ec − Cc [log(σ′f ) − log(σ′c )]

ef = 0.8 − 0.15[log(156.76) − log(80)] = 0.76

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Void ratio at the middle of CLAY 2

Initial effective stress at the middle of CLAY 2, 0’ = 2 x 19 + 6 x 20 +3 x 20 – 9 x 10 = 128 kPa
Increase in stress at the middle of the CLAY 2, ’ = 15000/[(10+9) x (10+9)] = 41.55 kPa
Final effective stress at the middle of the CLAY 2, f’ = (128 + 41.55) kPa = 169.55 kPa

Given, c’ = 200 kPa

0’ (128 kPa) < f’ (169.55 kPa)  c’ (200 kPa)
Therefore, all the deformation takes place in the recompression range of the soil

Given, e0 = 0.6
Void ratio at σ′f = ef = e0 − Cr [log(σ′f ) − log(σ′0 )]
ef = 0.6 − 0.03[log(169.55) − log(128)] ≈ 0.6

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