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Stresses in

Soil
Chapter 6
Stresses in Soil Mass

This chapter discusses the


principles of estimation
of vertical stress
increase in soil caused
by various types of
loading, based on the
theory of elasticity
Intergranular Stress

Intergranular or effective
stress is the stress
resulting from particle-to-
particle contact of soil.
Intergranular Cracking found in the Soil
Pore Water Pressure

Pore water pressure or


neutral stress is the
stress induced by water-
pressures.
Total Stress

Total stress is the sum of


the effective and neutral
stresses.
Stress in Soil Without Seepage
Consider the soil layer shown in Figure 04.1

4.4 Stress in Soil Without Seepage


4.4 Stress in Soil Without Seepage
Upward Seepage

4.5 Stress in Saturated Soil With Seepage


4.5 Stress in Saturated Soil with Seepage
Downward Seepage

4.5 Stress in Saturated Soil with Seepage


4.5 Stress in Saturated Soil With Seepage
6. EFFECT OF CAPILLARY RISE
TO SOIL STRESS
Capillary rise in soil is
demonstrated on the
following figure. A
sandy soil is placed in
contact with water.

Degree of saturation (%)


100%

h2

h1
The degree of saturation is about 100% up to height h1. Beyond the
height h1, water can occupy only the smaller voids, hence the degree
of saturation is less than 100%

The approximate height of capillary rise is given by Hazen as

h2 = C
eD10
Where D10 = effective grain size, e = void ratio, and C = a constant that
varies from 10 to 50mm2
The pore water pressure pw at a point in the layer of soil fully
saturated by capillary rise is:

Pw = - ϒw h

Where h is the height of the point under consideration measured


from the ground water table.
If a partial saturation is caused by capillary action, the pore water
pressure pw can be approximated as:

pw = -S ϒw h
Where S is the degree of saturation at the point under consideration.
Consider the soil layer shown in Figure 04.5:

4.6 Effect of Capillary rise to Soil Stress


4.6 EFFECT OF CAPILLARY RISE TO SOIL STRESS
Sample problems
Sample Problem:
A clay layer 25 feet thick
is overlain with 50 feet
thick of sand (G= 2.71).
The water table is 20 feet
below the sand (ground)
surface. The saturated unit
weight of clay is 141 pcf.
The sand below the water
table has a unit weight of
128 pcf. The sand above the
water table has average
moisture content of 20%.
After drying, the sand was
found to have a dry unit
weight of 92 pcf. Determine
the effective stress at the
mid-height of the clay
layer.
Sample Problem:
A clay layer 4 m thick
rests beneath a deposit
of submerged sand 8 m
thick. The top of the
sand is located 3 m below
the surface of a lake.
The saturated Unit weight
of sand is 25 Kn/cu. m
and of clay 20 kN/cu. m.
Determine the total
vertical Pressure (P) at
mid-height of the clay
layer.
Additional Problem:
1. For the system shown in Figure 04.13, L=1.2m, h=2.3m, and
y=1.9m. What is the effective stress at point A where z=0.7m

Additional Problems
Additional Problems
Additional Problems
Additional Problems
Additional Problems
Reference:
Gillesania, Diego Inocencio T.,
Fundamentals of Geotechnical
Engineering

Group 3
Llagas, Ralph Renzo
Mesiano, Jherom
Hibaya, Niqiel Chandler
Resurreccion, Elvhin Grace
Rodriguez, Angel Gabrielle That’s all, folks.
Yangao, Dessa Carmela

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