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1 Effective Stress Concept: CE 304-CE31S8 - Geotechnical Engineering 1

4.1 Effective Stress Concept

c
Effective Stress Concept
Introduction to the Topic:

Understanding the principles on which stress determinations are based is very essential. This is for the reason that
the properties and behavior of Soil Engineering are strongly influenced by stresses and Stress History. Here we will
discuss what is the differences among total pressure, pore or effective soil pressure and water pressure.
 

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the session the students should be able to:

1. familiar with total pressure and pore or effective soil pressure; and
2. solve problems related to effective stress.

EFFECTIVE STRESS 
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The sum of the vertical components of the forces developed at the points of contact of the solid particles per
unit cross-sectional area of the soil mass.

where:

At the bottom.

PT = γ1 h 1 + γ2 h 2

Pw = γw h w

Po = γ1 h 1 + (γ2 − γw ) h 2

Po = PT − Pw

PT − Total pressure

Pw − Water pressure

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Po − Effective soil pressure

 

Example 1:

The soil profile consist of  10 m layer of sand underlain by a 20 m layer of clay. The location of water table is 4 m
from the ground surface. The unit weight of sand above the water table is 19.05 kN/m^3 and below the saturated
unit weight of sand is 20.11 kN/m^3. The clay has a saturated unit weight of 18.73 kN/m^3.

a. Find the total stress at the bottom of clay

b. Compute the effective stress at the bottom of clay

c. If the effective pressure at the bottom of sand is 81.9 kpa, what height above this point the water will rise in
the piezometer?
 

Solution:

Graph.

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a. At point A

PT = γ1 h 1 + γ2 h 2 + γ3 h 3

PT = 19.05 (4) + 20.11 (10 − 4) + 18.73 (20)

PT = 571.46 kpa

b. At point A
Po = γ 1 h1 + (γ 2 − γ w ) h2 + (γ 3 − γ w ) h3

Po = 19.05 (4) + (20.11 − 9.81) (6) + (18.73 − 9.81) (20)

Po = 316.4 kpa

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OR
Po = PT − Pw

Po = 571.46 − 9.81 (6 + 20)

Po = 316.4 kpa

c. At point B
Pw = γ w h w = PT − Po

PT = γ 1 h 1 + γ 2 h 2

PT = 19.05 (4) + 20.11 (6)

PT = 196.86 kpa

Thus,

Pw = 196.86 − 81.9

Pw = 114.96 kpa

Therefore,

114.96 = 9.81 h w

h w = 11.72 m

 
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Example 2:

The figure shows a granular soil in the tank having a downward seepage. The water level in the tank is held
constant by adjusting the supply from the top and outflow at the bottom.

a. Determine the total stress at the bottom

b. Find the pore or water pressure at the bottom

c. Compute the effective stress at the bottom

 

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Solution: 

a. At the bottom

PT = γ1 h 1 + γ2 h 2

(Gs +e)γ
w
γ2 = γsat =
1+e

(2.68+0.47)(9.81)
γ2 =
1+0.47

kN
γ2 = 21.02 3
m

PT = 9.81 (1) + 21.02 (6)

PT = 135.93 kpa

b. At the bottom
Pw = γ w h w

Pw = 9.81 (6.1)

Pw = 59.84 kpa

c. At the bottom
Po = PT − Pw

Po = 135.93 − 59.84

Po = 76.09 kpa

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End of Discussion.

See attached lecture: Flow of Water in Soil

(https://tip.instructure.com/courses/24098/files/7871336/download?wrap=1)

PowerPoint Presentation: Lecture-7-Stresses-in-Soil.pdf (https://tip.instructure.com/courses/24098/files/8420293?

wrap=1)
(https://tip.instructure.com/courses/24098/files/8420293/download?download_frd=1)  
Lecture-7-Stresses-in-Soil_No Annotation.pdf (https://tip.instructure.com/courses/24098/files/8467939?wrap=1)

(https://tip.instructure.com/courses/24098/files/8467939/download?download_frd=1)  

Here are some links that might be useful for your studies:

Effective Stress in Soil: Development, Importance and Principles

(https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/soil/effective-stress-in-soil-development-
importance-and-principles/45446)
 Effective Stress Principle in Soil Engineering

(https://theconstructor.org/geotechnical/effective-stress-principle-soil-
engineering/36199/)
      
 

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Summary:  

where:

At the bottom.

PT = γ1 h 1 + γ2 h 2

Pw = γw h w

Po = γ1 h 1 + (γ2 − γw ) h 2

Po = PT − Pw

PT − Total pressure

Pw − Water pressure

Po − Effective soil pressure

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9/25/21, 8:22 AM 4.1 Effective Stress Concept: CE 304-CE31S8 - Geotechnical Engineering 1

Reference:

Ishibashi, Isao (2015). Soil mechanics fundamentals and applications Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press

Das, Braja M. (2013). Fundamentals of geotechnical engineering New Zealand: Cengage Learning  

Murthy, V. N. S. (2002). Geotechnical engineering principles and practices of soil mechanics and foundation
engineering: CRC Press
 

For more references, kindly check TIP Online Resources

TIP Library (https://www.tip.edu.ph/library.html)

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END OF TODAY'S LECTURE.

"Life is an echo. What you send out, comes back. What you sow,
you reap. What you give you get. What you see in others exists
in you."

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- Zig Ziglar

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