Stress at Soil Mass

YUSTIAN HERI SUPRAPTO

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 1

Layout
Normal Stress and Shear Stress

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 2

Introduction
In a given volume of soil, the solid particles are distributed randomly with
void spaces in between.
The spaces are occupied by water, air, or both.
To analyze the compressibility, bearing capacity, and other geotechnical
problems, engineers need to know the nature of distribution of stress
along the soil profile.

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 3

 Normal and Shear Stresses on a Plane
2D element that is subjected to normal stress and
shear stress. (y > x).
From freebody diagram (EBF) :
EB = EF cos  ; and ; FB = EF sin
Summing the components of forces that act on the
element in the direction of N and T,
n(EF) = x(EF) sin2+ y(EF) cos2+ 2xy(EF) sincos
Or
 y + x  y − x
n = + cos 2 +  xy sin 2
(a). Soil element with normal shear stress acting on it 2 2
(b). Freebody diagram of EFB from (a)
4
STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS)
 Normal and Shear Stresses on a Plane
n = y sin cos  - x sin cos  - xy (cos2-sin2)
 y − x
n = sin 2 −  xy cos 2
2
Subsituting n = 0 :
2 xy
tan 2 =
 y − x
Major principal stress

 y + x  y −  x 
2

 n = 1 = +   +  2
xy
(a). Soil element with normal shear stress acting on it 2  2 
(b). Freebody diagram of EFB from (a)

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 5

 Normal and Shear Stresses on a Plane
Minor principal stress :

 y + x  y −  x 
2

n = 3 = −   +  xy
2

2  2 

(a). Soil element with normal shear stress acting on it

(b). Freebody diagram of EFB from (a)

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 6

 Mohr’s Circle
Mohr’s circle → compressive normal
stresses are taken as positive and shear
stress are considered positive if they act
on opposite faces of the element.
Points R and M → stress conditions
Point O → point of intersection the
normal stress axis with the RM line.
The radius of the circle:

 y −  x 
2

  +  2
xy
 2 
Principles of the Mohr’s Circle

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 7

 Mohr’s Circle
The ordinates of points N and S are zero, the abscissa of
point N is equal to 1 :
 y + x  y −  x 
2

 n = 1 = +   +  2
xy
2  2 

And the abscissa for point S is 3 :

 y + x  y −  x 
2

n = 3 = −   +  2
xy
2  2 

Principles of the Mohr’s Circle

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 8

Example
The magnitudes of stresses are x = 120 kN/m2 ;  = 40 kN/m2 ; y = 300 kN/m2, and
 = 20o. Determine:
(a). Magnitude of the principal stresses
(b). Normal and shear stresses on plane AB

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 9

Solution (a)
 y + x  y −  x 
2

 n = 1 = +   +  2
xy
2  2 

300 + 120  300 − 120 

2

 n = 1 = +   + ( −40 ) 2
= 308 . 5 kN / m 2

2  2 

 y + x  y −  x 
2

n = 3 = −   +  xy
2

2  2 

300 + 120  300 − 120 

2

n = 3 = −   + ( −40 ) 2
= 111 . 5 kN / m 2

2  2 

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 10

Solution (b)
 y + x  y − x
n = + cos 2 +  sin 2
2 2
300 + 120 300 − 120
n = + cos(2 x 20) + (−40) sin( 2 x 20)
2 2
 n = 252.23kN / m 2
 y − x
n = sin 2 −  cos 2
2
300 − 120
n = sin( 2 x 20) − (−40) cos(2 x 20)
2
 n = 88.49kN / m 2

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 11

Stress 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.
Boussinesq solution :
P  3x 2 z  x2 − y2 y 2 z 
 5 − (1 − 2  ) 2
 x = + 3 2  Where:
2  L  Lr (L + z ) L r   r= (x2+y2)
P 2 y2z  y2 − x2 x2 z  L= (x2+y2+z2) = (r2+z2)
 y =  5 − (1 − 2  ) 2 + 3 2 
2  L  Lr (L + z ) L r    = Poisson’s ratio
3Pz 3 3P z3
 z = =
2L5
( )
2 r 2 + z 2 5 / 2

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 12

 Stress Caused by a Point Load
The relationship for the vertical normal stress,
z can be rewritten as:

P  3 1  P
 z = 2  5/ 2 
= 2 I1
z  
 2 (r / z ) + 1  z
2

where
3 1
I1 =

2 (r / z )2 + 1 5 / 2 
Stresses in an elastic medium caused by point load

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 13

Variation of I1 for Various Values of r/z

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 14

Example
Consider a point load P = 5 kN, calculate the vertical stress increase (z) at z = 0
m, 2m, 4m, 6m, 10 m, and 20 m. given x = 3 m and y = 4 m.

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 15

Solution
R = (x2+y2) = (32+42) = 5 m.
r (m) z (m) r/z I1 z = (P/z2)I1
5 0  0 0
2 2.5 0.0034 0.0043
4 1.25 0.0424 0.0133
6 0.83 0.1295 0.0180
10 0.5 0.2733 0.0137
20 0.25 0.4103 0.0051

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 16

Vertical Stress Caused by a Line Load
The vertical stress increase → z can be determined:

2qz 3
 z =
 (x + z
2
)
2 2

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 17

Variation of z/(q/z) with x/z

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 18

Vertical Stress Caused by a Line Load
This equation can be rewritten as:
2q
 z =
 
z ( x / z ) + 1
2 2

or
 z 2
=
 
(q / z )  (x / z )2 + 1 2

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 19

Example
Two line loads and a point load acting at the
ground surface. Determine the increase in
vertical stress at point A which located at a depth
1.5 m.

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 20

Solution
z = z(1) + z(2) + z(3)
2q1 z 3 2q2 z 3 3P z3
 z = + +
 (x + z )
2 2
 (x22 + z 2 ) (
2 r 2 + z 2 )
2 2 5/ 2
1

2(15)(1.5) 3 2(10)(1.5) 3 3(30) (1.5) 3

 z = + +
 (2 + (1.5)
2
)
2 2
 (4 + (1.5)
2
)
2 2
( 
2 (3) 2 + (4) 2 2 + (1.5) 2 )
5/ 2

 z = 0.825 + 0.065 + 0.012 = 0.902kN / m 2

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 21

Vertical Stress Caused by a Strip Loading
(Finite Width and Infinite Length)
z =

Calculate z /q from 2z /B and 2x /B

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 22

Vertical Stress Due to a Vertical Strip Load

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 23

Vertical Stress due to Embankment Loading

I2 is a function of B1/z and B2/z

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 24

Vertical Stress due to Embankment Loading

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 25

Example
Determine the stress increase under
the embankment at points A1 and A2

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 26

Solution
H = 17.5 kN/m3 x 7 m = 122.5 kN/m2
At A1
B1 = 2.5 m and B2 = 14 m ;
B1/z = 2.5 / 5 = 0.5
B2/z = 14 / 5 = 2.8
From the curve, we obtain I2 = 0.445
Due to symmetrical form, the I2 is equal at the left side and the right side.
z = z(1) + z(2) = q0 [I2 left + I2 right] = 122.5 [0.445 + 0.445] = 109.03 kN/m2

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 27

Solution

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 28

 Solution
Stress increase at A2 : For the right side;
B2 = 5 m and B1 = 0 B2/z = 9/5 = 1.8 ; B1/z = 0/5 = 0 → I2 = 0.335
B2/z = 5/5 = 1 z = 78.75 (0.335) = 26.38 kN/m2
B1/z = 0/5 = 0
From the curve, we obtain I2 = 0.25 Total Stress Increase at Point A2 is:
z = 43.75 (0.25) = 10.94 kN/m2 z = z(1) + z(2)-z(3)
For the middle section; z = 10.94 + 60.64 – 26.38
B2/z = 14/5 = 2.8 ; B1/z = 14/5 = 2.8 → I2 = 0.495 z = 45.2 kN/m2
z = 122.5 (0.495) = 60.64 kN/m2

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 29

Vertical Stress Below Center of Uniform
Loaded Circular Area
 
 
 
 
 1 
z = q 1 -
 

 
3/ 2 
 2 
 

R/z 

+1



 
   

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 30

Vertical Stress at Any Point Below a Uniformly
Loaded Circular Area

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 31

Vertical Stress at Any Point Below a Uniformly
Loaded Circular Area

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 32

Vertical Stress at Any Point Below a Uniformly
Loaded Circular Area

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 33

Vertical Stress Caused by Rectangular
Load (Under corner of the loading area)
 = q  I
3

B
m=
Z
L
n=
Z

I3 is a function of m and n

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 34

Vertical Stress Caused by Rectangular
Load

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 35

Vertical Stress Caused by
Rectangular Load

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 36

Vertical Stress Caused by Rectangular
Load
z = q  (I + I + I + I )
2(1) 2(2) 2(3) 2(4)

1 2

3 4

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 37

 Influence Chart for Vertical Pressure
The procedure for obtaining vertical pressure at
any point below a loaded area is follows:
1. determine the depth (z) below the uniformly
loaded area at which the stress increase is
required.
2. plot the plan of the loaded area with a scale of z
equal to the unit length of the chart.
3. place the plan (plotted at 2) on the influence
chart in such way that the point below which the
stress is to be determined is located at the center
of the chart.
4. count the number of elements (M) of the chart
enclosed by the plan of the loaded area.

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 38

 Example
3 m → 25 mm


660 
z = (IV) q M = 0.005 
 48.5 = 17.78kN / m
2

3x3 


STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 39

Newmark Chart
Determine the depth, z, where you wish to
calculate the stress increase
Adopt a scale as shown in the figure
Draw the footing to scale and place the point
of interest over the center of the chart
Count the number of elements that fall inside
the footing, N
Calculate the stress increase as:

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 40

THANK YOU

STRESS AT SOIL MASS (SOIL MECHANICS) 41