PROBLEM SET

1. A soil deposit is shown in Figure 1. The ground water table, initially at the ground surface, was lowered to a
depth of 25 ft below the ground. After such lowering, the degree of saturation of the sand above water table
was lowered at 20%.
a. What is the vertical effective pressure at the mid-height of the clay layer before lowering of the water
table, in psf.
b. What is the vertical effective pressure at the mid-height of the clay layer after lowering of the water
table, in psf.
c. What is the vertical effective pressure when there is no water in the sand layer, in psf.
2. Consider the upward flow of water through a layer of sand in a tank shown in Figure 2. For the sand, the
following properties are given: e = 0.40, G = 2.67.
a. Calculate the effective stress at point A
b. Calculate the effective stress at point B
c. Calculate the upward seepage force per unit volume of soil.
3. Consider the downward flow of water through a layer of sand in a tank shown in Figure 3. For the sand, the
following properties are given: e = 0.48, G = 2.7.
a. Calculate the effective stress at point A
b. Calculate the effective stress at point B
4. For the system shown in Figure 4, L = 1.2m, h = 2.3m, and y = 1.9m. What is the effective stress at point A
where z = 0.7m.

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Figure 1 Figure 2

Figure 4

Figure 3