CVG

4108
 CVG 4108
Geotechnical Design

Instructor: Julio Ángel (Jules-Ange) Infante Sedano

e-mail: [email protected]
office: CBY A116
discord: https://discord.gg/6xVY4WZD

Teaching Assistants:
Mengxi Tan [email protected]
Junjie Wang [email protected]

Online Material: Available on Blackboard

Mid-Term: October 21st

CVG
4108
 Soil Phases
●
Soils are combination of:
– Solid Particles (grains)
– Voids which can be filled in whole or in part
with:
●
Gas (usually air)
●
Liquid (usually water)
●
The solid/air/water are called the 3
phases of the soil

CVG
4108
 Phase Relationships
Densities
Mt
t =Total Density=
Vt
Ms
d = Dry Density=
Vt
Ms
 s= Density of Solids= (after Fellenius, 2006)
Ratios
Vs
Mw
Mw w=Water Content=
w =Density of Water= Ms
Vw Vv
e=Void Ratio=
Vs
M sw⋅Vv Vv
 sat =Saturated Density= n= Porosity=
Vt Vt Vw
S = Degree of Saturation=
Vv
CVG
4108
 Common Densities
●
The reported density of soil is a function
of the solid density, the water content,
and the porosity (or void ratio) of the soil.
●
In calculations, solid density is often
assumed to be 2670 kg/m³. This is
reasonable for silica minerals. Other
minerals may have various solid density
(2,800 kg/m³ for calcareous minerals).
●
Water density is assumed to be
1000 kg/m³, but it is affected by
temperature and by salt content.
CVG
4108
 Solid Density Table

Solid Denstity
Mineral Type
kg/m³ pcf
Amphibole 3 000 190
Calcite 2 800 180
Quartz 2 670 165
Mica 2 800 175
Pyrite 5 000 310
Illite 2 700 170

(after Fellenius, 2006)

CVG
4108
 Soil Classificaton
●
Soils are often generalized as coarse
grained and fine grained soils.
●
Coarse grained soils include boulders,
gravel and sand.
●
Fine grained soils are composed of silt
and clay.
●
Particle (grain) size is the key
determinant of a soil classification.

CVG
4108
 Soil Classification by
Particle Size

(after Fellenius, 2006)

(after Fellenius, 2006)

D 60
Coefficient of Uniformity C u =
D 10 Well Graded Criterion:
For Gravel: Cu>4 and 1 < Cc < 3
2
D 30 For Sand: Cu≥6 and 1 < Cc < 3
Coefficient of Curvature C c =
D 60 D10
Where Di is the diameter corresponding to the ith percent passing.
CVG
4108
 Measuring the Grain
Size Distribution

(after Gunaratne, 2006) (after Gunaratne, 2006)

Sieves Hydrometer
CVG
4108
 Soil Description

“Noun” (Clay, Sand, Silt Gravel). 35% < 100%

“and” Noun 20% < 35%
“Adjective” (clayey, silty, sandy) 10% < 20%
“trace” (clay, sand, silt, gravel) 1% < 10%

(after Fellenius, 2006)

CVG
4108
 Atterberg Limits
●
LL = water content
to close std. gap at
25 blows.
●
PL = water content
at which rolled soil
crumbles.
●
PI = LL - PL
(after Gunaratne, 2006)

CVG
4108
Unified Soil Classification
System (USGS)

(after Gunaratne, 2006)

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4108
 Example

Coefficient of Uniformity

D 60
C u=
D 10

Coefficient of Curvature

D 230
C z=
D60⋅D10

(after Gunaratne, 2006)

CVG
4108
 Example:
Solution

Soil A: Coarse-Grained soil is 70% (soil A is coarse-grained)

The % of sand in the coarse fraction is given by (70%-30%)/70% = 57%

Based on the USCS Soil A is Sand.

Cc = (0.075)²/(2 × 0.013) = 0.21 (< 1 therefore does not meet well graded criteria)
Cu=(2)/(0.013) = 153.85 (> 4 therefore meets criterion for well graded)

Soil A is a poorly graded sand, or SP

Soil B: % of coarse-grained soil is 32%, and the soil is fine-grained. Assuming LL and PL are 45 and 35, respectively,
PI = 10 ( that is: LL - PL), using Casagrande's plasticity chart, soil B is silty sand with clay (ML, or lean clay)

(after Gunaratne, 2006)

CVG
4108
Effective Stress Concept
●
Effective Stress is defined as:

CVG
4108
Effective Stress Concept
●
Effective Stress is defined as:

 ' =−u
Where

σ' is the effective stress,

σ is the total stress,
u is the pore water pressure

CVG
4108
 Effective Stress
Importance
●
Importance of Effective Stress

CVG
4108
 Effective Stress
Importance
●
Importance of Effective Stress
– Change in effective stresses causes volume
change of soil (settlement).
– Shear strength of soil is directly proportional
to the magnitude of the effective stress (Mohr
Coulomb Failure Criterion)
τ =c ' + σ ' tan ϕ '
Where:
τ is the shear strength
σ is the normal stress
c' is the cohesion intercept
CVG
4108
 Consolidation

1
e Cc

1
Ccr

CVG Log p
4108
Laboratory Shear Tests
●
Direct Shear Test
●
Triaxial Test
●
Some specialized tests:
– Simple Shear Test
– Ring Shear Test
– Hollow Cylinder Test

CVG
4108
 Field Tests
●
Standard Penetration Test (SPT)
●
Cone Penetration Test (CPT)
●
Vane Test
●
Plate Load Bearing Test

CVG
4108
 SPT

CVG
4108
 SPT

https://youtu.be/zU2soDkSk_ https://youtu.be/Fml7LWA809U?t=197
k?t=253

http://youtu.be/6NT6mH7NRns

CVG
4108
 SPT
●
The energy delivered through SPT is
highly variable.
●
A “standard” level of 60% is used to
represent the historical average
● The conversion of N number to N60 is given
by:
ER
N 60=N ( )
60

CVG
4108
 SPT
●
Where the energy rating, ER, is a function
of the hammer, and mode of operation.
●
The Canadian Foundation Manual has
tables of relations to obtain ER.

CVG
4108
 SPT
●
In granular soils N-values is affected by
overburden pressure, σ'v
– Therefore:
N corrected =C N N field
Liao and Whitman (1986) proposed:
1/ 2
kN 1
C N =9.78 2
m ( ) √ σv '

CVG
4108
 SPT
Source CN
Liao and Whitman (1986) √ 1/σ '
Skempton (1986) 2 /(1+σ ' )
Seed, Arango, and Chan σ'

Peck, Hanson, and Thronburn (1974)

1−1.25 log
(( ) )
1 2

ton
ton
ft

0.77 log ( )
20 2

σ'
ft

Empirical Relationships for CN (after DAS 1998)

CVG
4108
 SPT
●
Hanson and Thornburn (1974) correlated
Ncorrected and ϕ in graphic form
(approximated by Wolff, 1989):
2
ϕ(° )=27.1+0.3 N corrected −0.00054 N corrected
● Schmertmann (1975) correlated Nfield and
ϕ' approximated by Kulhawy and Mayne,
1990: 0.34
NF

CVG
4108
tan ϕ=
[ 12.2+20.3
σ'
( )
pa ]
 SPT
●
For clay, a common correlation given
between qu and N is given by (Kulhawy
and Mayne, 1990):

qu
=0.58 N 0.72
pa

CVG
4108
 SPT
Consistency of clays and
approximate correlation to Relation between N values,
the Standard Penetration relative density, and angle of
Number friction in sands
Unconfined Approximate Approximate
Standard compression Standard relative angle of
penetration strength, qu penetration density, Dr friction of soil,
number ,N Consistency (kN/m²) number ,N (%) φ (°)
0-2 Very soft 0-25 0-5 0-5 26-30
2-5 Soft 25-50 5-10 5-30 28-35
5-10 Medium stiff 0-100 10-30 30-60 35-42
10-20 Stiff 100-200 30-50 60-95 38-46
20-30 Very stiff 200-400
>30 Hard >400 (after Das, 1990)
(after Das, 1990)

NOTE:
1. The equations are aprpoximate
2. The soil is not homogeneous and the N value may vary widely
3. Where boulders and gravel are present, N values may be erratic and unreliable.

CVG
4108
 CPT
More info on CPT in the
Fugro CPT Handbook
https://tinyurl.com/ynkhk3e5

(Various penetrometers: Mayne et. al 1995)

Typical equipment used in CPT Testing (wikipedia)

CVG
4108
 Typical CPT Log

(from ConeTec website: http://goo.gl/5BtQH )

CVG
4108
CPT Soil Classification
Robertson, 1990

Soil Classification by Robertson (1990)

From the Red Book (
https://tinyurl.com/FelleniusRedBook2021)

CVG
4108
CPT Soil Classification
Eslami-Fellenius, 1997

Soil Classification by Eslami-Fellenius (1997)

From the Red Book (
https://tinyurl.com/FelleniusRedBook2021)

CVG
4108
 Vane Shear Test

D
CVG
4108
 Vane Shear Test
Component of Torque From
Side Resistance
L= π D
Side Area:
A=π D H
H
Force:
F =c u × A=c u⋅π⋅D⋅H

Torque:
D 1
T = F⋅ = ⋅c u⋅π⋅D 2⋅H
2 2

CVG
4108
 Vane Shear Test
Component of Torque From
Cap Resistance
r
Incremental Area:
r dθ
dA=r d θ×dr=r dr d θ

Incremental Force:
dF =cu dA=cu (r dr d θ)
Incremental Torque:
2
dT =r dF dA=c u r dr d θ
Torque for 2 Sides:
2π D/2

( 2
T =2×T 1 side =2× c u ∫ ∫ r dr d θ
0 0
)
1 D 3 3 D3
CVG
4108
T =4 π c u⋅
3 (( ) )
2
−0 =c u π
6
 Vane Shear Test
Combined side and cap Torques:
2 H D
T =c u π D +
2 6 ( )
or
T
cu =
H D
π D2 (+
2 6 )
Bjerrum (1972) recommended that for design, cu be
corrected as:
cu (corrected )=λ⋅c u( field )

CVG
4108
 Vane Shear Test

(from the
Canadian
Foundation
Manual, 4th
Edition)

CVG
4108
 Vane Shear Test
●
The shear around the vane is complex
●
It is usually assumed to be a weighted
combination of horizontal and vertical
shear strength on the “shear cylinder”
●
Using vanes of different height to width
ratios, it is possible to discriminate
between the two.

CVG
4108
 Borehole Log
●
The information about the soil at one
location is conventionally summarized in
a borehole log.
●
Typically, the log contains information
about the location of the borehole,
SPT/Vane test results if available,
identification of samples taken, rock
cored RQD (if available) and a description
of the soil, as well as GWT.

CVG
4108
 Borehole Log

CVG
4108