CONCEPTS IN SOIL

MECHANICS RELEVANT
TO SOILS
INVESTIGATION
Soils Investigation – Planning, Execution
and Interpretation
ITiDI, 18th – 19th September 2018

Ir Jimjali Ahmed
Kumpulan Ikram Sdn Bhd
 LECTURER DETAILS

JIMJALI
AHMED

Facebook: Engineer /
Jimjali Trainer /
Ahmed Student

Level 1, Civil &

Block 5, KISB Structural
DL: +603-8738.3341 / KIIC Department
HP: +6012-209-7760
Email: jimjali@ikram.com.my
 OBJECTIVE
• After attending and participating in this lecture,
participants should be able to:

Be aware of the Recall some basic

importance of soil concepts in soil
mechanics mechanics

Understand some
applications of soil
mechanics in
geotechnical
engineering
 INTRODUCTION
• Soil Mechanics is one of the youngest disciplines of Civil
Engineering involving the study of soil, its behavior and
application as an engineering material.

• According to Terzaghi (1948): "Soil Mechanics is the

application of laws of mechanics and hydraulics to
engineering problems dealing with sediments and other
unconsolidated accumulations of solid particles
produced by the mechanical and chemical disintegration
of rocks regardless of whether or not they contain an
admixture of organic constituent."
 INTRODUCTION
• Geotechnical Engineering – The application of
soil mechanics in civil engineering
 INTRODUCTION
• Typical process in geotechnical engineering
Geotechnical
Model
• Layering of Soil
and Groundwater
Analysis
level from
by Manual
exploratory holes, Results of
Calculation or
geophysical of Investigation,
Numerical Methods
survey, and Study or Design –
using Geostudio
knowledge in Conclusions and
(Sigma/W, Seep/W,
geology Recommendations
or Slope/W) , Plaxis,
• Soil properties
GEO5 or Wallap
from in-situ & lab
tests, and
knowledge in soil
mechanics
Remember: Garbage In Garbage Out (GIGO)
 INTRODUCTION
• Slope failure contributory or preparatory factors
(NSMP, 2009)
World Malaysia
Human Cause
2%
Human Improper Geological/
Causes Design Construction Ground Condition
25% 3% Errors 8%
21%
Maintenance
6%
Physical
Causes Geological/
7% Ground
Condition
43%

Morphologic
al Causes Hydrogeologi
12% cal Causes
10% Design Errors
63%
 APPLICATION
• Scope of Soil Mechanics – Sediments &
Residual Soils

Residual Soil

Parent Rock
(Rock Mechanics)
Alluvium
 APPLICATION
• Soil distribution for
Peninsular Malaysia

What are the geotechnical issues with

regards to:
• Alluvium
• Residual Soil (Sedimentary)
• Residual Soil (Granite)

Ting & Ooi

 APPLICATION
• Typical Design & Issues for Soft Ground
Differential
Settlement After
Software: Construction
Spreadsheet or
Plaxis Lateral Movement
or Deep Seated
Embankment Fill Failure During
Drainage Layer Construction

Geotextile
Separator

Vertical Drains
 APPLICATION
• Typical Design Issues of Excavation

Excessive Movement
of Wall

Software: Wallap or Plaxis

 APPLICATION
• Typical Design & Issues for Hilly Terrain

Cut Slope
Differential
Settlement &
Slope Failure
Leakage of
Water Carrying
Services
Drainage
Layer
Embankment Fill

Failure at the Cut Fill

Interface
Software: Slope/W + Seep/W
 APPLICATION
• Typical Design Issues for Dams

Rainfall
Rapid Infiltration
Drawdown
?

Software: Slope/W + Seep/W

 BASIC PROPERTIES
• Soil Phase Definition
 BASIC PROPERTIES
• Basic Soil Properties
 BASIC PROPERTIES
• Typical Specific Gravities or Particle Density

Note: Gs for Malaysian soft clay normally ranges from 2.4 to 2.7
 BASIC PROPERTIES
• Saturation

Note: Classical Soil Mechanics is based on saturated soil

BASIC PROPERTIES
 BASIC PROPERTIES
• Representative range of unit weight (Look, 2007)
 BASIC PROPERTIES

Note: Obtaining undisturbed sample from cohesiveless material

improbable.
Dr normally estimated from SPT N-Value
 BASIC PROPERTIES
• Particle Size Distribution
 BASIC PROPERTIES
• Typical shapes of coarse-grained
(cohesiveless) soil
 BASIC PROPERTIES
• Scanning electron micrograph of clay mineral
(cohesive soil)

Kaolinite Montmorillonite

Which force (with water) is higher? Gravity or surface?

 BASIC PROPERTIES
• Cohesive Soil - Atterberg Limits Definition
 BASIC PROPERTIES
• Example of results from boreholes
 HYDRAULIC PROPERTIES
• Permeability (Darcy’s Law)
• Flow rate, Q = V x A
• V is proportional to Dh
• V is inversely proportional with L
• V= k x (Dh/L) where (Dh/L) is hydraulic gradient I
• Therefore, Q = k i A, where k is permeability
HYDRAULIC PROPERTIES
 HYDRAULIC PROPERTIES
• Range of Permeability Values (Braja M Das)

With a hydraulic gradient of 1, how long will it take to travel 1cm for:
• Gravel
• Silty Sand
• Clay
 HYDRAULIC PROPERTIES
• Range of Permeability Values (Look, 2007)
 STRESSES IN SOIL
• Definition of Normal and Shear Stresses

A A

• Normal Stress, s = Load N / Area A

• Shear Stress, t = Load F / Area A
• Shear Strength, tf at certain σ
• Stress unit normally in kN/m2 or kPa
 STRESSES IN SOIL
• Effective Stress Equation (Karl Terzhagi 1183-
1963)

“All measurable effects of a change of stress, such as

compression, distortion and a change of shearing
resistance are exclusively due to the changes in the
effective stresses”
 STRESSES IN SOIL
• How to plot effective overburden pressure?
γw = 10 kN/m3 σ’O (kN/m2)
1.0m 1
Ground Water Level
Medium Dense Sand: 5.0m
γ = 19 kN/m3
γsat = 20 kN/m3 2

Depth (m)
Soft Clay:
γsat = 15kN/m3 10.0m

Point 1: σ’0 = 1(19) = 19 kN/m2

Point 2: σ 0 = 1(19) + 4(20) - 4(10) = 59 kN/m2
Point 3: σ’0 = 1(19) + 4(20) + 10(15) - 14(10) = 109 kN/m2
 STRESSES IN SOIL
• Effect of water table changes on a soil element
γw = 10 kN/m3 Water Level 1
1.0m
Water Level 2
Medium Dense Sand:
γ = 19 kN/m3
γsat = 20 kN/m3
5.0m
Water Level 3

Soft Clay:
γsat = 15kN/m3
10.0m

Water Level 1: σ’0 = 1(10) + 5(20) + 5(15) - (1+5+5)(10) = 75 kN/m2

Water Level 2: σ’0 = 5(20) + 5(15) - (5+5)(10) = 75 kN/m2
Water Level 3: σ’0 = 5(19) + 5(15) - (5)(10) = 120 kN/m2
 STRESSES IN SOIL
• Effective stress example for different water head

Prof Jim Graham

 STRESSES IN SOIL
• Effective stress example for different water
head

Prof Jim Graham

 STRESSES IN SOIL
• Stress distribution in a soil mass (pressure bulb)
 STRESSES IN SOIL
• Stress due to a Point Load -
Boussinesq (1885) developed the
formula for stresses at any point
inside homogeneous, elastic and
isotropic medium due to a point load. • Stress below a Circular Area
STRESSES IN SOIL
• Newmark’s
Chart
 STRESSES IN SOIL
• Newmark Equation based on Boussinesq
In radians

−1
I= [ x + tan ( )]

where, If v < v1, + Π

v = m2 + n2 + 1

v1 = m2n2

v2 = 2mn x v1/2
STRESSES IN SOIL
 CONSOLIDATION
• Principles of Primary Consolidation

= ∆σ/γω
 CONSOLIDATION
• Spring & Piston Analogy for Consolidation

Load Load taken up Load

taken up by soil taken up
by water skeleton by soil
progressively skeleton
 CONSOLIDATION
• Piston Spring & Valve Analogy for Consolidation

σ’o
σ’o = Initial Stress

uo = Initial Pore Pressure

σ’ = σo − uo
uo
 CONSOLIDATION
• Piston Spring & Valve Analogy for Consolidation

σ’o + ∆σ
∆σ = Additional Stress
∆u= Increase in Pore Pressure
∆σ = ∆u

uo + ∆u
Is there any increase in
effective stress?
σ’ = σo + ∆σ − (uo + ∆u)

σ’ = σo − uo
 CONSOLIDATION
• Piston Spring & Valve Analogy for Consolidation

σ’o + ∆σ

S = Settlement
½S Dissipation = 50%

uo + ½∆u
 CONSOLIDATION
• Piston Spring & Valve Analogy for Consolidation

σ’o + ∆σ
Settlement = 100%
Dissipation = 100%
S

uo
Why is sand stronger
than clay?
 SHEAR STRENGTH
• Strength Properties – • Typical friction angle for
What is internal friction angle? cohesionless soils

Does clay has friction angle?

f = Angle of Repose
 SHEAR STRENGTH
• Failure Criteria
Coulomb (1776) failure criteria
 SHEAR STRENGTH
• Direct Shear Box Assembly
 SHEAR STRENGTH
• Shear Box Test - Example Result

Max shear stress = shear

strength
s’ = 150 kPa

s’ = 100 kPa

s’ = 50 kPa
 SHEAR STRENGTH
• Mohr’s Circle from Triaxial Test
Shear Stress

Major
Principal
Stress

τf
τf Minor
Principal
Stress

Minor Major
Principal Principal
Stress Stress

Normal Stress
 SHEAR STRENGTH
Stress Deviator:
• Triaxial Test - ∆σ = σ1 - σ3
Schematic

Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria

 SHEAR STRENGTH
• Principal of Shearing Resistance

1 ton

F
T

• T Increases when N Increases

• Box Will Not Slide when T > F

Ir Rozi
 SHEAR STRENGTH
• Effect of Positive Pore Water Pressure

1 ton

F
T

• Pore Water Pressure Reduces N & Reduces T

• Sliding Occurs when F > T
Ir Rozi
 SHEAR STRENGTH
• Effects of Pore Pressure on Slope Stability

Increase in Pore Pressure REDUCES “T”

i.e. Slope May Slide

F
T

Ir Rozi
 SHEAR STRENGTH
• Effects of Negative Pore Pressure (Suction)

1 ton

T
F F

• Suction Increases N & Increases F

Ir Rozi
 SHEAR STRENGTH
• Unsaturated Soil Mechanics (Freudland, Rahardjo,
1993)

Played Sand
Castle
Before?
 SHEAR STRENGTH
• Curvilinear Any software could model soil
Failure behaviour accurately?
Envelope (u a − u w )

(σ − ua )
 SHEAR STRENGTH
• Types & Stages of Triaxial Test

Type Saturation Consolidation Drained During

Shearing
Consolidated Yes Yes Yes
Drained (CD)
Consolidated Yes Yes No
Undrained (CU)
Unconsolidated No or Yes? No No
Undrained (UU)

Note:
Permeability could also be determined after saturation stage
Different pressure range will yield different values of c’ and φ’ for especially
for UU and CU tests
 SHEAR STRENGTH
• Consolidated Drained

• Very applicable to
Slope Engineering
• Require long duration
of testing especially
for clayey material
• Normally effective
stress parameters is
from CU is used
 62

SHEAR STRENGTH
• Applications – Short or long term more critical?
 63

SHEAR STRENGTH
• Applications – Short or long term more critical?
 64

SHEAR STRENGTH
• Consolidated Undrained

• Used to determine
strength in terms of
both total and
effective stresses
• Used when soil has
fully consolidated and
suddenly loaded
 65

SHEAR STRENGTH
• Unconsolidated Undrained
• Applicable when
loading takes place
rapidly that there is
no time for pore
pressure to dissipate
• Change in total stress
does not effect the
undrained shear
strength
 66

SHEAR STRENGTH
• Applications – Short or long term?
 CLOSING REMARKS
Soil Mechanics is the youngest discipline in civil
engineering with theories still being developed.
It is necessary for civil engineers to be updated
on the latest development.
It deals not only with the strength and
deformation characteristics of soil but also its
hydraulic properties.
Strength, deformation and hydraulic properties
depend on many factors, i.e. soil type, effective
stresses, stress history and rate of loading.
It is crucial to understand the concepts of soil
mechanics to plan for a proper soil investigation.