In Situ Stresses

Dr. Rithy Ouch

Date: March 20 2017
 Contents
1. Introductions
2. Stresses in Saturated Soil without Seepage
3. Stresses in Saturated Soil with Upward Seepage
4. Stresses in Saturated Soil with Downward Seepage
5. Seepage Force
Introduction

3
Stresses in Saturated Soil without Seepage (granular soil)

a) Effective stress consideration for a saturated soil column without seepage;

b) forces acting at the points of contact of soil particles at the level of point A
 u: pore water pressure
σ‘: effective stress
γ‘= γsat- γwater

Or

In summary, effective stress is approximately the force per unit area carried by the soil skeleton.
The effective stress in a soil mass controls its volume change and strength
Layer of soil in a tank where there is no seepage
For Clay
Stresses in Saturated Soil with Upward Seepage
where icr: critical hydraulic gradient (for zero effective stress). Under such a situation, soil
stability is lost. This situation generally is referred to as boiling, or a quick condition.
Stresses in Saturated Soil with Downward Seepage
Seepage Force

Seepage force/unit volume

Force due to (a) no seepage; (b) upward seepage; (c) downward seepage on a volume of soil
 Heaving in Soil Due to Flow around Sheet Piles
• Terzaghi (1922) concluded that heaving generally occurs within a distance of D/2 from the
sheet piles.
Use of Filters to Increase the Factor of Safety against Heave

W 'W ' f
SF 
U
 Effective Stress in Partially Saturated Soil

χ: represents the fraction of a unit cross-sectional area of the

soil occupied by water. For dry soil χ=0, and for saturated
soil χ=1

Bishop et al. (1960)

 Capillary Rise in Soils

Hazen (1930) gave a formula for the approximation of

the height of capillary rise in the form,

(a) Rise of water in the capillary tube; (b) pressure within

the height of rise in the capillary tube
Stresses in a Soil Mass
Normal and Shear Stresses on a Plane
 n   x sin 2    y cos 2   2 xy sin  cos 
  x (cos 2   cos 2 )   y cos 2    xy sin 2 ; (cos 2 x  cos 2 x  sin 2 x)
 ( x   y ) cos    x cos 2   xy sin 2
2

1  cos 2
 ( x   y )( )   x cos 2   xy sin 2 ; (cos 2 x  2 cos x  1)
2

2
( x   y ) ( x   y )
  cos 2   x cos 2   xy sin 2
2 2
( x   y ) ( y   x )
  cos 2   xy sin 2
2 2
Normal and Shear Stresses on a Plane
 Mohr’s circle
Compressive normal stresses are taken as positive, and shear stresses : positive for
counterclockwise, and σy > σx.
No shear stress on plane
The Pole Method of Finding Stresses along a Plane
 Stresses Caused by a Point Load

Boussinesq (1883) solved the problem of stresses

produced at any point in a homogeneous, elastic,
and isotropic medium as the result of a point load
applied on the surface of an infinitely large half-
space.
Variation of I1 with r/z
Vertical Stress Caused by a Vertical Line Load
Vertical Stress Caused by a Horizontal Line Load
Vertical Stress Caused by a Vertical Strip Load
Vertical Stress Due to Embankment Loading
Vertical Stress below the Center of a Uniformly Loaded Circular Area
Vertical Stress Caused by a Rectangular Loaded Area