New Design Procedure for Stability of Soft Clay1
1
Ladd, C.C., and Foott, R., 1974,” New Design Procedure for Stability of Soft Clay”, Journal of Geotechnical
Engineering Division, Proceeding of ASCE, Vol. 100. No. GT7, July 1974, pp. 763-786.
The limit equilibrium method is usually used for
stability analysis that assume φ = 0 and c = su. At
that time, the design presumed that the su is a
function of water content so that the determination
for shear strength of soil can be obtained from
performing any shear test at insitu water content.
For design and stability analysis, the su values
would vary with difference test type and
conditions. Using those values, the design often
result an highly over-conservative or unsafe as
presented in Table 3 in the paper. Combination of
the design or analysis using field and laboratory
test is also not sufficient to give an adequate
design. The method described in the paper, NSP
(Normalized Soil Parameter) and SHANSEP
(Stress History and Normalized Sol Engineering
Properties) method, basically proposes a model to
compensate those inaccuracy for design. The
former method is then developed to more reliable
technique and suffers for practical design.
Principle of SHANSEP Method
The method involves the concepts of NSP and
stress history of clay. In the normalization
behavior, the sample was reconsolidated to its
virgin compressive line (VCL) under the insitu
stress (Figure 1) and gives a known OCR values.
The stress history is represented as OCR that
evaluating from σ'vm and σ'vo that obtained from
good lithology data. It should be noted that the
method is highly dependent on the how well the
knowledge and stress history and σ'vm are obtained.
The basic step of SHANSEP method can be
derived as follows:
1. Evaluating stress history (OCR) of the clay
deposit by evaluating the σ'vm and σ'vo.
2. Selecting the proper test type to evaluate the
NSP, and whether NSP can be applied or not.
Note: the NSP is obtained by means before
test, the sample is reconsolidated (anisotropic
consolidation) back to VCL and then the stress
is reduced to give a known OCR. The
confining pressure of 1.5~2σ'vm is satisfied.
3. Applying the NSP values to the soil profiles.
MIT procedure notes that to obtain su/σ’vc vs.
OCR, the minimum value of σ’vc is applied for
giving normalized behavior.
Obtaining a reliable su value from laboratory
test needs a good knowledge of the potential
factors influences e.g. sample disturbance effect,
strength and soil isotropy, and strain rate during
test.
Brief Discussion on SHANSEP Method
The SHANSEP method is noteworthy technique to
evaluate the su and factor of safety of foundation
that consider NSP and stress system. This method
could present more and more data for different
effective overburden stress and OCR. So, it is most
practical to check the parameter of a new soil.
However, the method would not work well if the
well-stress history data can not be obtained and the
random clay deposits were found.
According to data presented in the paper,
Fig. 7 to 9, choose of the laboratory tests type is
need a good understanding of isotropic of strength.
Comparison the SHANSEP with field vane (FV)
test result, the most common test type for soft clay,
for sensitive marine clay, su from the SHANSEP
method (derived from direct shear test) is in good
agreement with FV (Figure 7) but giving a lower
than FV for organic clay (Figure 9). The same as
organic clay, the su from SHANSEP (derived from
plane strain test) show lower values estimation
compare to FV. So, for stability analysis, it
indicated that the su from FV is overestimate and a
correction factor of 0.5±0.05 is satisfied to apply.
Overall of the stability analysis, as presented in
Table 3, stability analysis by using the SHANSEP
method give a factor of safety more reliable
(1.01~1.5) compared to others (FV: 0.88~2.06).
So far, the paper remains dubious senses
regarding the procedure of consolidating
specimens.
1. Refer e vs. log σ’ curve (Fig. 6, in the paper),
reconsolidation procedure would not overcome
the disturbance problem as stated in lecture
note that consolidation erases the disturbance
effect. The samples will be always below the
insitu curve.
2. Reconsolidation, possible, will ruin other
important aspect e.g. degradation of strain
peak, pre-failure stress.