Soil Mechanics I

CE - 222
Lecture 12

In-situ Stresses

Dr Kamran Akhtar
 Example 2

(Dry Conditions)

5
m

6
m
X X

Stress at Line X-X ,when

no water
 Example 3

(Partial Saturated Conditions)

5
m

6
m
X X

Stress at Line X-X ,when

water at the bottom of
First Layer
 Example 4

(Fully Saturated Conditions)

5
m

6
m
X X

Stress at Line X-X ,when

water at the Top of First
Layer
 Example 5

(Flooding Conditions)

2
m

5
m

6
m
X X

Stress at Line X-X ,when

water at the Top of First
Layer
ffective Stress with Flowing Wate 6

Construction of Basement where

Water table is high enough to effect
the construction
ffective Stress with Flowing Wate 7

Remedy Install series of wells to

lower the water level surrounding the
Basement

Series of Well
Points
ffective Stress with Flowing Wate 8

Water is flowing
downward the Dam
On Upstream side its
flowing
DOWNWARDS
On Downstream side
Effect on
Soil its Flowing
Grains ? UPWARDS

Gravity + Drag =
Increase on
Effective Stress
ffective Stress with Flowing Wate
9

No Flow / Hydrostatic
conditions

What if both
container not at one
level and water
flows?
ffective Stress with Flowing Wate 10

(Upward Flow)

hcr = . Z / w --------------------------- Eq 1
(Critical Hyd Gradient)

cr = '/ w --------------------------- Eq
2
(Critical Hyd Gradient / Flow at which soil will loose its
Quick Condition Quick Sand
11

Is it possible to
sink in Quick
Sand?
ffective Stress with Flowing Wate
12

(Downward Flow)
Upward flow will
reduce Effective
Stress
Downward flow will
increase the Effective
Stress
Downward flow will
take out the water
from Soil particles
ffective Stress with Flowing Wate 13

(Downward Flow)

Moving water downward will induce

denser composition of soil and
ultimately SETTLEMENT
Insitu/geostatic stress 14

Geostatic stresses are caused by gravity

acting on the soil or rock, so the direction
result is a vertical normal stress z.
This stress has a significant impact on the
engineering behavior of soil, and is needed
to be computed.
This vertical stress indirectly produces
horizontal normal stress and shear
stresses, which are important to
geotechnical engineer.
 Insitu/geostatic stress 15

Vertical stresses
Ground surface
Consider a column of soil that Area = A
extends from ground surface
down to a point where we wish
H1
to compute z. Its weight is 1st stratum
= 1
W 1 H1dxdy 2 H 2 dxdy 3 H 3 dxdy
H2
2nd stratum
W dxdy H = 2

The geostatic stress, z at H3

3rd stratum
bottom of column is = 3
W dxdy H
z H
A dxdy
dy dx
Insitu/geostatic stress 16

Ground surface
Area = A

The total vertical stress H1

1st stratum
at any point in the soil = 1
mass is due solely to
H2
the weight of soil and 2nd stratum
water above it. = 2

H3
3rd stratum
= 3

dy dx
Total and effective stress 17

In saturated conditions, the normal stress

is carried partially by the solid particles and
partially by the pore water present in voids.

It is called the total stress because it is sum of

the stresses carried by two phases in the soil:
The effective stress , which is the portion carried
by the solid particles, and

The pore water pressure, u, which is the portion

carried by the pore water.

Karl Terzaghi was first to recognize the

importance of effective stress.
 Submerged sphere analogy 18

To understand the physics of soil particles under

groundwater table and difference between total and
effective stresses, consider the sphere resting on a
scale as shown below. Buoyancy
FB V w force FB on the sphere
in water tank is = (0.1 m3)(9.8 kN/m3)
The contact force = 0.98 kN
between sphere and
scale is reduced to
F = 2.60 kN 0.98 kN
= 1.62 kN Volume
0.1 m3
The weight of sphere Scale
Scale
has not changed, but is 2.60 kN 1.62 kN
now supported partially
by scale and partially
The principle of effective stress 19

The principle of effective stress is most important

principle in soil mechanics.
Deformations of soils are a function of
effective stresses not total stresses.
The principle of effective stresses applies only to
normal stresses and not to shear stresses. Why?
u Principal of effective stress (first recoganized by
Terzaghi in mid-1920s.

Pore-water
pressure

Effective stress

Total stress
Example - 1 20

Compute total vertical stress, pore water pressure, effective

vertical stress at mid height of clay layer.

sat = 19.62 kN/m3

sat = 18.36 kN/m3

Example - 1 21

Compute total vertical stress, pore water pressure, effective

vertical stress at mid height of clay layer.

Solution:

Total stress
= .H
= (18.363.66/2) + (19.627.92) + (9.813.05) = 218.9
kN/m2
Pore water pressure is due to total water column above the
midpoint

u = w.H
= (9.813.66/2) + (9.817.92) +
(9.813.05)
= 125.6 kN/m2
sat = 19.62
Effective stress kN/m3
= u
= 218.9 125.6
= 93.3 kN/m2 sat = 18.36
3
Example - 2 23

Calculate the total stress, pore pressure, and effective

stresses at A, B, C, and D.

3m B Dry sand
dry = 16.5 kN/m3
3m C

13 m Clay
sat = 19.25
kN/m3
D

Impermeable layer
Example - 2 24

Calculate the total stress, pore pressure, and effective

stresses at A, B, C, and D.
Solution: A
At point A
3m B Dry sand
A = 0, u A= 0, A = 0
dry = 16.5
3m C
At point B kN/m3
B = 3x16.5 = 49.5 kN/m2
u B= 0,
B = 49.5 - 0 = 49.5 kN/m2 13 m Clay
sat = 19.25
At point C kN/m3
C = 6x16.5 = 99 kN/m2 D
u C= 0
C = 99 - 0 = 99 kN/m2
Impermeable
layer
At point D
D = (6x16.5) + (13x19.25) = 349.25 kN/m2
u D= 13x9.81 = 127.53 kN/m2
2
 Example - 2 25

Total stress Pore pressure Effective A

stress
B Dry sand
dry = 16.5
99.0 0.0 99.0 C kN/m3

Clay
sat = 19.25
kN/m3
349.2 127.5 221.7 D
5 3 2
Impermeable
layer
Z (m) Z (m) Z (m)
 Example - 3 26

The soil profile is shown below. Calculate the total

stresses effective stresses at point A
 Example - 4 27

The soil profile is shown below. Plot effective stress,

total stress and pore pressure with depth for the
entire profile.
Stresses in sat. soil without 28

seepage
Quick condition 29

The effect of upward-flowing water in a soil mass

in creating a seepage pressure on the particles is
to reduce the intergranular or effective stress.

If a sufficiently high enough flow rate is achieved,

the seepage pressure can cancel out the effective
stress completely causing a quick condition.

This is essentially a condition in which the soil has

no shear strength, since the intergranular stress
has been reduced to zero.
 Quick condition & critical hydraulic 30gradient
At the quick condition, the flow will cause a seepage
force at C-C which will be equal and opposite to the
effective stress. (Note: effective stress is due to the
weight of soil). O O
Area = Reservoir
hS
Equating forces at Valve A
C-C: A A
w L h hs A sat L w h A h
B B

w hs sat w L

Flow
L

hs
w sat w Soil
L C C

wic sat w
 Quick condition & critical hydraulic 31gradient
wic sat w where ic is termed the critical hydraulic
gradient, i.e., the hydraulic gradient at
sat w which the quick condition occurs
ic
w O O
Area = Reservoir
hS
As we know Valve A
that A A

sat
Gs e w
B B
h

1 e
1 Gs e w

Flow
L
ic w
w 1 e
Soil
C C
Gs 1
ic
1 e
Quick condition & critical hydraulic 32gradient

In cohesionless soils, particularly in medium to fine

sands, the quick condition is likely to occur at
hydraulic gradients of about 1.0.
Contrary to popular belief, however, this is not a
sinking sand condition.
Quicksand lacking shear resistance, is really a
liquid, but its density is roughly twice that of water:
a human body would, therefore, float half-
submerged.
In soils possessing a significant amount of cohesion,
such as silts and clay, the critical hydraulic gradient
criterion does not apply, since they have some
shear strength at zero normal stress
Seepage velocity 33

The movement of water

through a soil mass is
generally termed seepage.
On a microscopic scale, the
water when flowing follows a
tortuous route through the
voids in the soil.
From a practical point of view,
however, it is assumed to
follow a straight line path.
In Darcys equation, the Discharge velocity is
velocity v is interpreted as the the velocity of flow
apparent, or superficial, or relative to a soil
discharge velocity. cross-section area A
Seepage velocity 34

The actual velocity through pores will be

greater, and this is termed the seepage
velocity (vs).
v
vs
n
Seepage force 36

O O
Area =
hS Reservoir
A Valve

A A
h
B B
Flow
L

Soil
C C
 Seepage force 37

The work done by water

O O
during seepage results Area = Reservoir
in a seepage force, J, hS
Valve A
being exerted on the
A A
particles. h
J w hs A B B

Since, flow velocity is

Flow
L
constant, therefore, the
seepage force acting on Soil
the soil will also be C C
constant between C-C
and B-B.

Therefore, seepage force

per unit volume, j, is
w hs A hs
i hydraulic gradient
j i w where
L
LA
Seepage pressure 38

O O
Area = A Reservoir
hS
Valve

j i w A A
h
B B
The seepage
force per unit

Flow
volume, j, is L
usually
referred to as Soil
the seepage C C
pressure.
 Seepage force & safety of sheet
39

pile
The seepage force per
unit volume of soil is
equal to i w, and in
isotropic soils, the force
acts in the same
direction as the
direction of flow.

The concept of seepage

force can be effectively
used to obtain the
factor of safety against
heave on the
downstream side of a
hydraulic structure.
 Seepage force & safety of sheet
40

pile

Terzaghi (1922)
concluded that
heaving generally
occurs within a
distance of D/2 from
the sheet piles (when
D equals the depth of
embedment of sheet
piles into the
permeable layer)
 Seepage force & safety of sheet 41

pile
where
FS = factor of safety
W = submerged weight of soil in the
heave zone per unit length of sheet pile
= (Vol) = D(0.5D)(1)() = 0.5D2
U = uplifting force caused by seepage
on the same volume of soil
= (iavew )(Vol) = 0.5D2wiave
where
iave = average hydraulic gradient at the
bottom of the block of soil.
Seepage force & safety of sheet
42

pile

W =
0.5D2
U =
iave0.5D2
w

For the case of flow

around a sheet pile in a
homogeneous soil, it
can be demonstrated
that
Seepage force & safety of sheet
43

pile

where Co is a function of
D/T.

Hence FS can be written

as
 Soil migration and filtration 44

Geotechnical engineers
intentionally place highly
pervious soils in key
locations to capture and
drain groundwater. Uniformly
(or poorly) graded gravels
are especially useful in this
regard because they have
high hydraulic conductivity.

The Soil migration of fine

soil may take place through
coarse gravel drainage layer.
 Soil migration and filtration 45

The soil migration has two detrimental results.

1) The drainage layer becomes clogged and no longer
functions properly.
2) Migration of soils leaves voids in upstream strata. In
some cases, these voids can propagate for long
distances, creating underground channels leading to
piping failure.
Migration problems can be avoided by providing filters
which are intended to pass water but retain potentially
migration soils. There are two principal types of filters:
graded soils filters and geosynthetic filters.
 Selection of filter material 46

Terzaghi and Peck (1948) filter material selection criterion

<== to prevent the movement of soil particles of the

base material (i.e., the soil to be protected) through
filter
 47

a
(Dia)a =
6.5(Dia)b

a a
 48

QUIZ
 Quiz 49

A flow net for flow around a single row of sheet piles in a

permeable soil layer is shown. Given that kx = kz = k = 4.2
106 cm/sec, determine
1) How high (above
the ground
surface) the water
will rise if
piezometers are
placed at points a,
b, c, and d.

2) The rate of
seepage through
flow channel II per
unit length
(perpendicular to
the section shown.