GEOTECHNICS 2C

CENG21220 Special Paper

May/ June 2013 Exam solutions

SECTION A

Q1 (a)

Effect of loading and unloading in soils of low permeability

1. Loading (foundations,
embankments on soft ground) fill
Ground
End water level
construction P
mob
Total stress
mob
time
p.w.p. p.w.p p.w.p
Excess p.w.p dissipation equilibrium
unchanged Long term
uP

f unchanged f time
FoS Most critical End constr.
condition (short term)
f Most stable
FoS = Long term
mob time condition

(7 marks)

(b)

= 3.662 + 13.662 = 14.14

L=/2*R=22.21 m
3.66 m 13.66 m
2 2 2
W=A= ( /4*R -R /2)=16*( /4*14.14 -
14.142/2)=913.27 kN/m 90
3.66 m

e=0.8259R*sin
30=0.8259*14.14*0.5=5.84m 10 m
soft clay
=16 kN/m3
C
FoS=CuLR/(We)=21*22.21*14.14/913.27/5.8 W L= arc length
Cu=21 kPa
30
4=1.236
5m
e

Bedrock

(5 marks)
(c) using Taylors stability chart

D=1.5 and =30 Ns=0.16

FoS=Cu/(NH)=21/(0.16*16*10)=0.82

(5 marks)

Taylor chart identifies critical slip surface with lowest factor of safety (Fos). There are presumably
other circles which have lower FoS than that calculated in part (b). (3 marks)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q2) (a)

i) u=b(p+aq) u=98 kPa, p=100kPa, q=0 kPa, thus b=B=0.98 (2 marks)

ii) u=b(p+aq) b=0.98, p=(1+2 3 )/3=(72-2*72)/3=-24 kPa

q=(1- 3 )=(72-(-72))=144 kPa u=81-98=-17kPa

a= (u/b- p)/ q=(-17/0.98-(-24))/144=0.046

A f =a+1/3=0.379 (3 marks)

Sample is OC (1 mark)

b) (i) 160

140

120
Sample 2
100
(tot and eff
t (kPa)

80

60

40 Sample 1
Sample 1 (tot stress
20 (eff stress path)
path)
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
s,s' (kPa)

(6 marks)

(ii) sin =tan thus =asin(0.431)=25.5

c=20.72/cos =23 kPa (4 marks)

c) third sample: after consolidation 1 = 3 =150 kPa, u=0 kPa. s=150 kPa, t=0kPa.

During shearing first assume 1 =100 kPa, thus t=50kPa, s=50 kPa, u= b(p+aq)=b( 1 +2
3 )/3+a( 1- 3 )= 0.98*(100/3+0.046*100)=37.2 kPa

which corresponds to s=s-u=150+50-37.2=162.8, and t=50 kPa.

Plot the effective stress path on the s-t graph and extend the line to reach the failure line
(Alternatively, the effective stress path of sample 3 is parallel to that sample one). The deviatoric
strength is twice the value of t from the graph, thus 1- 3 =193 kPa by inspection.

160

140
Sample 3
120
(effstress path)
100
t (kPa)

80 Sample 3
(tot stress
60 path)

40
Sample 1
20 (eff stress
path)
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
s,s' (kPa)
(4 marks)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q3

(a) (i) Difference in total head H=Y

k1 H 1 k 2 H 2 H 2 k1 L2 2 10 4 8 16 4
From Darcys law: = R= = = = = = 0.571
L1 L2 H 1 k 2 L1 7 10 4 4 28 7
H =H1 + H2 = H1 (1+R) thus H1= Y/(11/7) =Y/1.571

Considering the datum at the bottom of the gravel: H A =(27-Y)+H1=(27-Y)+ Y/1.571=27m-0.364 Y

(6marks)

Hp A = Hp A z A =27m-0.363 Y-16m=11m-0.364 Y

(2 marks)

(ii) Q=k eq AH/L= k 1 AH 1 /L 1 = 2*10-4 m/s*30m*1m*2/1.571/4=1.91 l/s/m (4 marks)

Inside cofferdam
dbgl(m) v (kPa) u (kPa) 'v (kPa) 'h (kPa) h (kPa)
0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0
3 0 0 0 0 0
8 50 50 0 0 50
12 130 102.7273 27.27273 13.63636 116.3636
20 290 200 90 45 245
28 458 280 178 89 369

stresses or pore water pressure (kPa)

0 100 200 300 400 500
0
depth below ground level (m)

5 sigma v
u
10
sigma'v
15 sigma'h
sigma h
20

25

30

(4 marks for vertical stresses and 4 for horizontal stresses)

Q4

(a)

From graph y = 80 kPa ( 2 marks)

so OCR = 80/33 = 2.42( 2 marks)

Compression Index = (1.83 -1.04)/log(1000/90) = 0.755 ( 2 marks)

Recompression index = (1.97 -1.87)/log(75/2) = 0.063( 2 marks)

2.2
2.1 initially (33 , 1.90)
2 finally (113 , 1.76)
1.9
1.8
1.7
1.6
Void ratio

1.5
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.1
1
0.9
0.8
1 10 80 100 1000
Eff stress (kPa)

(b) Embankment applies 4*20 = 80 kPa. Initially at 4m depth v0 = 33 kPa. Finally vf = 113 kPa

e 0 = 1.9, ef = 1.76 from graph

strain = e/(1+e 0 ) = (1.9-1.76)/(1+1.9) = 0.0483 so settlement = 0.0483*8000 = 386 mm.( 7 marks)

(c) T=cv*t/d^2 thus t=2*4^2/4=8years (5 marks)

Q5

(a) Mohr-Coulomb
failure line

Pole is at P
Angle of failure planes to
horizontal:
S = 45 + /2

P 2
O pa A v

v + pa
OA = v - pa 1 - sin
2 sin = pa = v
v + pa 1 + sin
v - pa
SA =
2 or pa = KaR v
SA
sin = 1 - sin Coefficient of active earth
OA KaR =
Pressure (Rankine value) (5marks)
1 + sin

(b)

solutions

80
Centre 100.0 kPa
circle (kPa)
Radius 44.7 kPa 1 marks 60
'p 140.0 kPa 2 marks
Pole 40
p 20.0 kPa
20
Principal '1 144.7 kPa 2 marks Pole
stresses '3 55.3 kPa 0
Principal orient 1-1 -76.7 2 marks 0 50 100 150 200
-20
planes orient 3-3 13.3
-40 ' (kPa)
Positive orientations are anticlockwise from horizontal
-60

50 max /'
40
(kPa)
30
max /' 0.500 1 marks 20
orientation 1 -18.435 2 marks 10
Pole
orientation 2 45.000 2 marks 0
-10 0 50 100 150 200
-20
' (kPa)
-30
-40
-50

The soil is at failure (3 marks)