Settlement

Immediate settlement Caused by elastic deformation of dry and moist soil without any change in moisture content Primary Consolidation Settlement Volume change caused by expulsion of water from voids in saturated cohesive soils Secondary Consolidation Settlement Volume change after primary consolidation as a result of plastic adjustment of soil matrix
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Consolidation Settlement
We will focus on consolidation settlement

h h

Consolidation Settlement
Lets look at how a saturated clay reacts to an applied load, starting at time = 0 (immediately after load was applied). Assuming some clay layer of thickness H with drainage both above and below (sand layers)

u v

+ H

Consolidation Settlement
Now at some time > 0 The water slowly is squeezed out of soil and takes the path of least resistance Pore pressure is decreasing while the effective stress increases

u v

+ H

Consolidation Settlement
Finally at time = Pore water is in equilibrium and the soil skeleton is carrying the entire load This process will take time weeks, months, even years Why and what might this depend on?

u v

+ H

Laboratory Consolidation Test

In the lab a soil consolidation test is used to determine settlement characteristics of a soil

All settlement will occur in voids

HsA = Vs HsA = Ws/Gsw Hs = Ws/AGsw Hv = H Hs eo = Vv/Vs = HvA / HsA = Hv/Hs eo = void ratio at time 0 e = H1/Hs e1 = eo e
e1 = void ratio at time > 0
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Hv Hs A

Consolidation Curve
Plotting e vs. Log p (void ratio on a linear scale vs the load on a log scale)
Cr = Recompression Index = Slope of line

e
Cr also (called Cs in book)

Cc = Compression Index = Slope of line

Log p

Consolidation Curve
Consolidation Test Data
Ws (g)
128

A (cm2)
30.68

Gs
2.75

w
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Hs = W s / AGsw e = Hv / Hs
Effective Stress 0 0.5 1 2 4 8 16 32 Final Height of specimen after consolidation (cm) Hv = H-Hs 2.540 1.023 2.488 0.971 2.465 0.948 2.431 0.914 2.389 0.872 2.324 0.807 2.225 0.708 2.115 0.598 e 0.674 0.640 0.625 0.602 0.575 0.532 0.467 0.394

Consolidation Curve
Consol Curve
0.700

0.600

Void Ratio - e

0.500 Series1 0.400

0.300

0.200 0.1 1 Log p 10 100

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Overconsolidated Normally Consolidated

Overconsolidated Some past stress was greater than current stress Normally Consolidated Current stress is max
At the break in the curve, this value of is called:

c The PreConsolidation Pressure e

This is the max pressure this soil has ever felt

c
Log p
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Overconsolidated Normally Consolidated

Overconsolidated Some past stress was greater than current stress Normally Consolidated Current stress is max

c
Log p

Once c is found from the curve It is compared to the actual in the field (z) If c= v Normally Consolidated If c > v Overconsolidated ie Sample depth 10, no water table, = 120 pcf, the actual = 1200 psf Compare that to c from consol 12 curve

Overconsolidation Ratio
v = OC The OCR is the ratio of past effective stress to present effective stress OCR = c / v

c
Log p

OCR = 1 means what?

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Finding Pc Casagrandes Method

Consol Curve
0.700

4
0.600

2
Void Ratio - e

0.500

1
0.400

Series1

0.300

5
0.200 0.1 1 Log p 10 100

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Calculation of Settlement
Consider a layer of clay under an external load H V e = eo-e1

Voids Soil H = V0

Vv=e

Voids
V1

Vv=e

Solids

Vs=1

Solids

Vs=1

V = V0-V1 = HA (H-H)A = HA
We know e=Vv/Vs Also e =Vv/Vs as Vs does not change

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Calculation of Settlement
V = V0-V1 = HA (H-H)A = HA

We know e = Vv/Vs

Also e =Vv/Vs as Vs does not change

Solve for Vv = e Vs

Therefore V = Vv = HA now HA = e Vs

Equation 1 Equation 2

Vs = V0 / (1+e0) = AH / (1+e0)

Solve Both Equations for Vs

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Calculation of Settlement
HA / e = HA / (1 + e0) We get

H = H e / (1+e0)
The General Settlement Equation We will show how this is the slope of the consol curve rise / run
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Calculation of Settlement
Normally Consolidated Soil v= c H = Cc H / (1 + e0) log [(v+ v) / v]
Soil stress due to its own weight is here prior to application of load (OCR = 1)

Stress is here after application of load

c
Log p
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Calculation of Settlement
Normally Consolidated Soil H = Cc H / (1 + e0) log [(v+ v) / v] Review this equation It is simply rise / run H / (1 + e0) is from the general settlement eq. derived earlier

Cc log [(v+ v) / v] is the slope * e

Why?
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Calculation of Settlement
Over Consolidated Soil If (v+ v) > c
H = Cr H / (1 + e0) log c / v + CcH / (1+e0) log [(v+ v) / c] Soil stress due to its own weight is here prior to application of load (OCR = 1)

Stress is here after application of load

c
Log p
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Calculation of Settlement
Over Consolidated Soil If (v+ v) < c H = Cr H / (1 + e0) log [(v+ v) / v]
Soil stress due to its own weight is here prior to application of load (OCR = 1)

Stress is here after application of load

c
Log p
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Calculation of Settlement
The text covers several methods for determining the values of Cr and Cc. Take a look at those v
Recall the plot at left Now consider a layer of clay to be analyzed for settlement Now look at the settlement equations Given an H How do you determine the values of the stresses in that layer?
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Settlement
Lets plot all the stresses v
v+ v z v

> c < c c
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Settlement
To solve any settlement problem with an overconsolidated soil you MUST do this plot (or at least calc the data points) to solve v v+ v z v c
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> c < c

Suggested Problems
10.3 10.5 10.8 10.13

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