Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

1. Stresses within a soil mass are caused by the self-weight of the soil and the external applied
load. The stress patterns due to these effects are complicated. The magnitude of the
subsurface stresses is affected by the presence of groundwater. Stresses induced by the
overburden pressure are called geostatic stresses.
Hence, the vertical stress caused by the soil at a point below the surface is equal to the
weight of the soil lying directly above the point. Considering the unit weight, γ, to be
constant with depth, the vertical stress, σv due to overburden at a depth z from the ground
surface is given as: σv = γ z

Fig: Vertical stress distribution in uniform and layered soils

A 3m layer of sand, of saturated unit weight 18kN/m3, overlies a 4m layer of clay, of

saturated unit weight 20kN/m3. If the groundwater level occurs within the sand at 2m below
the ground surface, determine the total and effective vertical stresses acting at the center of
the clay layer. The sand above groundwater level may be assumed to be saturated.
Solution
For this sort of problem it is usually best to draw a diagram to represent the soil conditions.
Total vertical stress at center of clay = Total weight of soil above
σv = 2 m saturated clay + 3 m saturated sand
= × 2 20 3 + ×18 = 94 kPa
Effective stress = Total stress - Water pressure
σv′ = 94 – 9.81 (2 + 1) = 64. 6 kPa

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Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

2. Calculate the effective overburden stress at Point A:

a) by computing σ and u individually, and
b) by directly using γt above the water table and γ′ below the water table.

Solution
(a): individual computations of σ and u, then σ′:

(b): direct computation of σ′:

3. A concentrated load of 1000 kN is applied at the ground surface. Compute the vertical pressure by
using Boussinesq‘s equation:
a) at a depth of 4 m below the load,
b) at a distance of 3 m at the same depth.
Solution:

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4. An overhead water tank is supported at a depth of 3 m by four isolated square footing of

sides 2 m each placed in a square pattern with a center-to-center spacing of 8 m (Fig.).
Compute the vertical stress at the foundation level
i. at the center of the four footings and
ii. at the center of one footing. Adopt Boussinesq’s point load approximation.
The load on each footing is 700 kN.

Solution

Boussinesq vertical stress

The stress at the center of any corner footing

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5. A rectangular raft of size 30 x 12 m founded at a depth of 2.5 m below the ground surface is
subjected to a uniform pressure of 150 kPa. Assume the center of the area is the origin of
coordinates (0, 0). and the corners have coordinates (6, 15). Calculate stresses at a depth of
20 m below the foundation level by the methods of (a) Boussinesq, and (b) Westergaard at
coordinates of (0, 0), (0, 15), (6, 0) (6, 15) and (10, 25). Also determine the ratios of the
stresses as obtained by the two methods. Neglect the effect of foundation depth on the
stresses

The stresses at the various locations at z = 20 m may be calculated by using the equations
given above. The results are tabulated below for the given total load acting at (0, 0)
coordinate:

Q = qBL = 150 x 12 x 30 = 54000 kN

Q/z2 =135

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6. Two railway wagon lines in a harbour yard are located at 6 m centre-to-centre. The average
loads per metre run in the lines are 100 and 80 kN/m. Find the vertical stress induced by this
loading at a depth of 2 m beneath each load and halfway between them. If a 100 kN crane is
installed exactly midway between the lines, what additional stress is caused below the crane
at the same depth.
Solution
Consider the railway wagon load as a line load of infinite extent. The vertical stress is given
as:

The stress below the 100 kN/m load

The stress below the 80 kN/m load

The stress midway between the two loadings

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Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

The additional stress below the crane, considering the crane load as a vertical concentrated load,
is given as

7. If a 200 kN load is applied on a square foundation with dimension of 2x2 m, located at top of
soil surface, what would be the increase in stress at 5 m depth of soil? Use the 2:1
approximate slope method.

Solution

Load = 200 kN
Area at depth of 5 m = 7 X 7 m2 = 49 m2
Stress at depth of 5 m: Load / Area at depth of 5 m = 200/49
Stress = 4.08 kN/m2

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Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

8. A rectangular concrete slab, 3 m x 4.5 m, rests on the surface of a soil mass. The load on the slab is
2025 kN. Determine the vertical stress increase at a depth of 3 m

a) under the center of the slab, point A;

b) under point B; and
c) at a distance of 1.5 m from a corner,
point C.

Strategy The slab is rectangular and the equations for a uniformly loaded rectangular area are for the corner
of the area. You should divide the area so that the point of interest is a corner of a rectangle(s). You may have
to extend the loaded area if the point of interest is outside it (loaded area). The extension is fictitious, so you
have to subtract the fictitious increase in vertical stress for the extended area.

Solution

The increases in vertical stress below the corner of a rectangular area of width B and length L is:

 Identify the loading type. It is a uniformly loaded rectangle.

 Divide the rectangle so that the center is a corner.
a) In this problem, all four rectangles, after the subdivision, are equal (point C is excluded for
simplicity), so you only need to find the vertical stress increase for one rectangle of size B =
1.5 m, L = 2.25 m and multiply the results by 4.

From the chart Iz = 0.107.

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 Find the vertical stress increase at the center of the slab (point A, Figure b).

Note: The approximate method gives:

which is about 30% less than the elastic solution.

b) Find the vertical stress increase for point B.
Point B is at the corner of two rectangles, each of width 3 m and length 2.25 m. You need to
find the vertical stress increase for one rectangle and multiply the result by 2.

From the chart, Iz = 0.158.

You should note that the vertical stress increase at B is lower than at A, as expected.
Step 5: Find the stress increase for point C. Stress point C is outside the rectangular slab.
You have to extend the rectangle to C (Figure c) and find the stress increase for the large
rectangle of width B = 4.5 m, length L = 4.5 m and then subtract the stress increase for the
smaller rectangle of width B = 1.5 m and length L = 4.5 m.
Large rectangle

Small rectangle

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Figure: Influence factor for calculating the vertical stress increase under the corner of a rectangle

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Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

Exercise
1. 100 and 120 kN point loads are applied on the ground surface as seen in the figure. Compute
the vertical stress increment under Point A down to the depth z = 20 m. Plot the results with
the depth z.

2. 50, 100, and 150 kN point loads are applied at Points A, B, and C, respectively, on the
ground surface as seen in the figure. Compute the vertical stress increment under Point D
down to the depth z = 20 m. Plot the results with the depth z.

3. A load of 500kN is uniformly distributed through a pad foundation of dimensions 1.0m ×

1.5m. Determine the increase in vertical stress at a depth of 2.0m below one corner of the
foundation.

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