SI5221 - Advanced Soil Mechanics

Lecturer: Prof. I Wayan Sengara, Ph.D

Assistant: Ahmad Sulaiman, MT

1. A CU triaxial test is performed on a cohesive soil. The effective consolidation stress was
750 kPa. At Failure, the principal stress difference was 1250 kPa, and the major
effective principal stress was 1800 kPa. Compute Skempton’s pore pressure coefficient
A at failure?

Penyelesaian :
Uji triaksial CU pada tanah cohesive.
- σ'c = σ3f = 750 kPa
- (σ1 – σ3)f = (σ’1 – σ’3)f = 1250 kPa
- σ'1 = 1800 kPa

Maka,
- σ'3 = σ'1 – 1250 kPa = 1800 kPa – 1250 kPa = 550 kPa
- Δu = σ3f - σ'3f = 750 – 550 = 200 kPa
∆ u−∆ σ 3 200−0
- Af = = = 0,16
∆ σ 1−∆ σ 3 1250
2. Two samples of a slightly overconsolidated clay were tested in triaxial compression, and
the following data at failure were obtained. The preconsolidation stress for the clay was
estimated from oedometer tests to be about 400 kPa.

a. Determine the Skempton’s pore pressure parameter A at failure for both tests.
b. Plot the Mohr circles at failure for both total and effective stresses.
c. Estimate φ’ in the normally consolidated range, and c’ and φ’ for the
overconsolidated range of stresses.

Penyelesaian :
a. Determine the Skempton’s pore pressure parameter A at failure for both tests.
- Test X =
∆ u−∆ σ 3 −5−0
Af = = = - 0.0189 (Heavily overconsolidated)
∆ σ 1−∆ σ 3 265
- Test Y =
∆ u−∆ σ 3 450−0
Af = = = 0.726 (Normally consolidated)
∆ σ 1−∆ σ 3 620
b. Plot the Mohr circles at failure for both total and effective stresses.
- Test X =
σ'c = σ3f = 75 kPa
σ1f = 265+75 = 340 kPa
σ'3f = σ3f - ∆ u = 75 – (-5) = 80 kPa
σ'1f = σ1f - ∆ u = 340 – (-5) = 345 kPa
- Test Y =
σ'c = σ3f = 750 kPa
σ1f = 620+750 = 1370 kPa
 SI5221 - Advanced Soil Mechanics
Lecturer: Prof. I Wayan Sengara, Ph.D
Assistant: Ahmad Sulaiman, MT

σ'3f = σ3f - ∆ u = 750 – 450 = 300 kPa

σ'1f = σ1f - ∆ u = 1380 – 450 = 920 kPa
Dari hasil perhitungan, dapat digambarkan lingkaran Mohr nya sebagai berikut :
 SI5221 - Advanced Soil Mechanics
Lecturer: Prof. I Wayan Sengara, Ph.D
Assistant: Ahmad Sulaiman, MT

c. Estimate φ’ in the normally consolidated range, and c’ and φ’ for the

overconsolidated range of stresses.
- Untuk range normally consolidated (Test Y)

σ '1 920
( ) =
σ ' 3 f 300
=3.067

φ’ = 2 x [ tan−1 ( √ 3.067 )−45 ]=30.5 °

- Untuk range overconsolidated (Test X)

(σ’1 – σ’3)f = 265 kPa

(σ’1 + σ’3)f = 425 kPa

φ’ = sin
−1
( 265
425 )
=38,57 °
untuk nilai c’ didapatkan dari lingkaran Mohr dengan :

αf = 45 ° + ( 38.57
2 )
=64,285 °

Sehingga didapatkan nilai c’ = 2 kPa.

 SI5221 - Advanced Soil Mechanics
Lecturer: Prof. I Wayan Sengara, Ph.D
Assistant: Ahmad Sulaiman, MT

3. An undrained triaxial compression test was performed on saturated sample of normally

consolidated clay. The consolidation pressure was 100 kPa. The specimen failed when
the principal stress difference was 85 kPa and the induced pore water pressure was 67
kPa. A companion undrained test was performed on an identical sample of the same
clay, but at a consolidation pressure of 250 kPa. What maximum principal stress
difference would you expect at failure for this second test specimen? What are φ’ and
φtotal? Predict the angle of the failure planes for the two undrained tests. Determine Af
for this clay.
Penyelesaian :
Dari soal, diketahui bahwa :
- Test 1 :
σ'c = σ3f = 100 kPa
(σ1 – σ3)f = (σ’1 – σ’3)f = 85 kPa
uf = 67 kPa
σ1f = 85 + 100 = 185 kPa
σ’1f = 185 – 67 = 118 kPa
σ’3f = 100 – 67 = 33 kPa

What are φ’ and φtotal?

( σ 1−σ 3)f (118−33)
φ ’=arc sin =arc sin =34.26°
(σ 1 +σ 3 )f (118+ 33)
( σ −σ ) (185−100)
φ T =arc sin 1 3 f =arc sin =17.35 °
(σ 1 +σ 3 )f (1 85+100)

Predict the angle of the failure planes for the two undrained tests
φT
- α T =45 ° +
2
17,35 °
α T =45 ° +
2
α T =53,66°

φ'
- α '=45° +
2
34.26 °
α '=45° +
2
α '=62.13 °

What maximum principal stress difference would you expect at failure for this second
test specimen?
- Test 2
σ 3 f = 250 kPa
σ1f φT 17 . 35
( )
σ3f f
2
(
=tan 45 ° +
2 ) 2
(
=tan 45 ° +
2 )
=1. 85
 SI5221 - Advanced Soil Mechanics
Lecturer: Prof. I Wayan Sengara, Ph.D
Assistant: Ahmad Sulaiman, MT

σ1f = σ3f x 1,85 = 250 x 1,85 = 462.5 kPa

(σ1 – σ3)f = 462.5 – 250 = 212.5 kPa

Determine Af for this clay :

∆ u = 67 kPa
∆ σ 3= 0 kPa
∆ σ 1= (σ’1 – σ’3)f = 85 kPa
∆ uf −∆ σ 3 f
Af=
∆ σ 1 f −∆ σ 3 f
67−0
Af= =0,788
85−0
( Normally Consolidated according ¿Values of Af after Skempton 1954)