INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MADRAS, CHENNAI

Department of Civil Engineering

CE 3350 Geotechnical Engineering
Tutorial # 0: Phase Relationships, Seepage and Compressibility
Note: Make suitable assumptions wherever necessary.
1. For a moist soil sample, the following are given: (a) Total volume: V = 1.2 m3 (b) Total mass: M =
2350 kg (c) Moisture content: w = 8.6% (d) Specific gravity of soil solids: Gs = 2.71. Determine
the following: a. Moist density, b. Dry density, c. Void ratio, d. Porosity, e. Degree of saturation,
and f. Volume of water in the soil sample.
2. A sample of soil was tested in the laboratory and the following grain-size analysis results were
obtained:
Sieve No.
4
10
20
40
60
100
200
Pan

Sieve Opening
(mm)
4.75
2.00
0.85
0.425
0.25
0.15
0.075

Percent Coarser by
Weight
37
52
64
69
71
77
90
100

LL = 60, PL = 26. Classify this soil according to the IS, providing the group symbol for it.
3. The dam shown in section in Fig. 1 is located on anisotropic soil. The coefficients of permeability
in the x- and z- directions are 5.0 10-7 and 1.8 10-7 m/s, respectively. Determine the quantity
of seepage under the dam.

Fig. 1
4. The dam and flow net are shown in Fig. 2. The dam is 120 m long and has two 10 m sheet piles
driven partially into the granular soil layer. Datum is at tail water elevation. Determine (a) The
quantity of seepage loss under the dam when k = 20 10 4 cm/s (b) The exit gradient (at point X)
(c) The pressure distribution on the base of the dam (d) The FS with respect to piping.
5. Soil has been compacted in an embankment at a bulk density of 2.15 Mg/m3 and a water content
of 12%. The value of Gs is 2.65. Calculate the dry density, void ratio, degree of saturation and air
content. Would it be possible to compact the above soil at water content of 13.5% to a dry
density of 2.00 Mg/m3.
6. A proposed embankment fill requires 8000 m3 of compacted soil. The void ratio of the compacted
fill is specified as 0.7. Four borrow pits are available as described (see Table 1), which lists the
respective void ratios of the soil and the cost per cubic meter for moving the soil to the proposed
construction site. Make the necessary calculations to select the pit from which the soil should be
bought to minimize the cost. Assume Gs to be the same at all pits.
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Fig. 2
Table 1

7. A 10 m depth of sand overlies an 8 m layer of clay, below which is a further depth of sand. For the
clay, mv = 0.83 m2/MN and Cv = 4.4 m2/year. The water table is at surface level but is to be
lowered permanently by 4 m, the initial lowering taking place over a period of 40 weeks.
Calculate the final settlement due to consolidation of the clay, assuming no change in the weight
of the sand, and the settlement 2 years after the start of lowering.
8. A layer of saturated clay is 10 m thick, the lower boundary being impermeable; an embankment is
to be constructed above the clay. Determine the time required for 90% consolidation of the clay
layer. If 300 mm diameter sand drains at 4 m centres in a square pattern were installed in the
clay, in what time would the same overall degree of consolidation be reached? The coefficients
of consolidation in the vertical and horizontal directions, respectively are 9.6 and 14.0 m2/year.
9. As part of a construction project, a 7.5 m thick layer of clay is to be loaded with a temporary 3 m
thick sand layer (refer to the figure below). The figure shows the water-table location, soil unit
weights, and the compression-curve properties for the clay. Assume the sand layer remains dry.
(a) Calculate the value of 'v in the middle of the clay layer (at 3.75 m below the water table)
before the sand layer is applied, and after consolidation is complete.
(b) Based on your answer in part (a), and the compression curve characteristics, calculate the
settlement that will occur under these conditions.
(c) How much will the clay layer heave when the 3 m sand layer is removed?

10. For a normally consolidated clay layer in the field, the following values are given: (a) Thickness
of clay layer = 2.6 m, (b) Void ratio (eO) = 0.8, (c) Compression index (Cc) = 0.28, (d) Average
effective pressure on the clay layer ('o) = 127 kN/m2, (e) ' = 46.5 kN/m2, and (f) Secondary
compression index (C) = 0.02. What is the total consolidation settlement of the clay layer five
years after the completion of primary consolidation settlement? (Note: Time for completion of
primary settlement 1.5 years.)
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