Foundation Engineering CIVL3411, 5 August 2008

Tutorial 1: Stresses, Mohr Circles, and laboratory strength

Problem 1: A particular soil failed under a major principal stress of 288 kPa with a corresponding
minor principal stress of 100 kPa. If, for the same soil, the minor principal stress had been 200 kPa,
determine graphically and analytically what the major principal stress at failure would have been if:
(a)   0o
(b) c  0 kPa

Problem 2: The following results were obtained from an undrained shear box test carried out on a set
of undisturbed soil samples:

Normal load (kN) 0.2 0.4 0.6

Strain Proving ring dial gauge readings
(%) (no. of devisions)
1 8.5 16.5 28.0
2 16.0 27.0 39.0
3 22.5 34.9 46.8
4 27.5 39.9 52.3
5 31.3 45.0 56.6
6 33.4 46.0 59.7
7 33.4 47.6 61.7
8 33.4 47.6 62.7
9 47.6 62.7
10 62.7
The cross sectional area of the box was 3600 mm^2 and one division of the proving ring dial gauge
equalled 0.01 mm. The calibration of the proving ring was 0.01 mm deflection equalled 8.4 N.
Determine the strength parameters of the soil in terms of total stress.

Problem 3: The following results were obtained from shear box tests on specimens of a sand
compacted to the in-situ density.
Normal stress (kPa) 50 100 200 300
Shear stress at failure (kPa) 36 80 154 235
(a) Determine the value of the shear strength parameter ', and suggest thoughts regarding
determination of c?
(b) In post-mortem analysis of a failed point in this sand, it was found that a normal stress of 100
kPa and a shear stress of 50 kPa act on a horizontal plane. What are the principal stresses, and
in which direction does the failure plane crosses the soil mass at this point? [NOTE 7/08/08:
in the original question, I’ve missed information, which completes this question: assume that
the stress conditions belong to passive failures, i.e., take the bigger Mohr Circle]
Problem 4:
The results shown the Table below were obtained at failure in a series of triaxial tests on specimens
of a saturated clay initially 38mm in diameter by 76mm long. Determine the values of the shear
strength parameters with respect to
(a) total stress
(b) effective stress.

Type of test All-round pressure Axial load Axial deformation Volume change
(kPa) (N) (mm) (ml)
(a) UUndrained 200 222 9.83 --
400 215 10.06 --
600 226 10.28 --
(b) CDrained 200 403 10.81 6.6
400 848 12.26 8.2
600 1265 14.17 9.5

Problem 5: Results from a three-stage, consolidated, undrained triaxial shear test on a clay soil.
Stage Number Deviator stress at Cell Pressure at Pore pressure at
‘nominal failure’ (kPa) failure (kPa) failure (kPa)
1 89 230 205
2 126 260 219
3 161 290 226
Notes:
(1) All consolidation carried out with 200 kPa back pressure.
(2) ‘Stages’ 2 and 3 refers to three sub-phases of unloading from previous stage,
consolidation to the designated back pressure, and undrained shearing till ‘nominal
failure’. ‘Stage’ 1 refers to the two sub-phases of consolidation and undrained shear.
(3) Cell pressure kept constant during undrained shearing.
(4) Undrained shearing with drainage valves closed and pore pressure measured.
(5) Undrained shearing rate slow enough to allow redistribution of generated pore pressure.
Using the above results estimate the drained strength parameters for the clay soil.
1. Find the initial principal effective stresses, 1’ and 3’ (i.e., immediately after consolidation)
2. Find the principal total stresses 1 and 3 at failure.
3. Find the principal effective stresses 1’ and 3’ at failure.
4. Sketch Mohr’s circle of stress for each stage using effective stresses.
5. Estimate strength parameters c’ and ’.