Stresses in Saturated Soil without Seepage

Water level is the same on both sides, no flow, static

case

• At point X:

𝝈 = 𝜸𝒘𝒉𝒘 + 𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒛

𝒖 = 𝜸𝒘(𝒉𝒘 + 𝒛)

𝝈’ = 𝝈 – 𝒖

= 𝜸’𝒛
Stresses in Saturated‐Downward Seepage
𝝈 = 𝜸𝒘𝒉𝒘 + 𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒛 (𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒆)

𝒖 = 𝜸𝒘𝒉𝒘 + 𝜸𝒘(𝑳‐ 𝒉𝑳)(𝒛/𝑳)

𝒖 = 𝜸𝒘𝒉𝒘 + 𝜸𝒘(𝒛 – 𝒊𝒛)

= 𝜸𝒘( 𝒉𝒘 + 𝒛) ‐ 𝜸𝒘𝒊𝒛 )

Reduction due to flow

𝝈’ = 𝝈 – 𝒖
Water level is not the same on both
sides, upward flow

• At point X:
𝝈 = 𝜸𝒘𝒉𝒘 + 𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒛

𝒖 = 𝜸𝒘𝒉𝒘 + 𝜸𝒘 (𝑳 + 𝒉𝑳 )(𝒛/𝑳)

= 𝜸𝒘𝒉𝒘 + 𝜸𝒘(𝒛 + 𝒊𝒛)

= 𝜸𝒘(𝒉𝒘 + 𝒛) + 𝜸𝒘𝒊𝒛

Increase due to flow

𝝈’ = 𝝈 – 𝒖
Quick Condition

𝝈’ = 𝝈 – 𝒖
= 𝜸’𝒛 – 𝜸𝒘 𝒊𝒛
= 𝜸𝒘 𝒛 (𝜸’/𝜸𝒘– 𝒊)

Critical hydraulic gradient 𝒊𝒄

• If i > ic, σ’ negative, no inter‐granular contact, failure.

Quick Condition
 Boiling in sands
 Heave in clays
 Force equilibrium (Seepage force)
𝒉𝒘 𝜸𝒘 𝑨

𝑳𝑨𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕

Type equation here.

𝑭

(𝒉𝑳 +𝒉𝒘 + 𝑳)𝜸𝒘 𝑨

A- total weight +boundary water force

𝝈A -uA = 𝝈′ 𝑨
𝑭 = 𝒉𝒘 𝜸𝒘 𝑨 + 𝑳𝑨𝜸𝒔𝒂𝒕 − (𝒉𝑳 +𝒉𝒘 + 𝑳)𝜸𝒘 𝑨
= 𝑳𝑨𝜸𝒃 − 𝒉𝑳 𝜸𝒘 𝑨 = (𝑳𝜸𝒃 − 𝒉𝑳 𝜸𝒘 )𝑨
𝑭 = 𝝈′ 𝑨
B- Submerged weight + Seepage force

𝑭 = 𝑳𝜸𝒃 𝑨 − 𝒉𝑳 𝜸𝒘 𝑨
𝑳𝑨𝜸𝒃
𝑭 = 𝝈′ 𝑨

𝒉𝑳 𝜸𝒘 𝑨 𝑭
Hence: Total weight +boundary water force = submerged weight + seepage force

Quick Condition (Boiling)

𝝈′ = 𝝈 − 𝒖 Boiling occurs when 𝝈′ = 𝒛𝒆𝒓𝒐

∴𝝈=𝒖
𝒉𝑳 𝜸𝒃
𝑳𝑨𝜸𝒃 = 𝒉𝑳 𝜸𝒘 𝑨 (÷ 𝑳𝜸𝒘 ) = =𝒊
𝑳 𝜸𝒘
∴ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 = 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕 (𝒊𝒄 )
No Seepage
Upward Seepage
Downward Seepage