Refresher – GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING Quiz 1

PROBLEM 1-3:

In accordance with the Boussinesq theory, the stress at depth Z, a semi-infinite,

homogeneous, isotropic soil mass below the corner of a flexible area B x L in plan
due to a uniform load “q” per unit area may be estimated from the expression
P = q IZ. The value of IZ may be obtained from the table attached. A square footing
4 m. on a side transmits a load of 1.6 MN onto the soil where a layer of clay is
formed at a depth of 8 m. to 12 m. below the base of the footing.
➀ Determine the pressure exerted by the footing onto the surface.
➁ Estimate the stress in kPa, below the center of the footing the load at the mid-
height of the clay layer in accordance with Boussinesq theory.
➂ If the stress induced on the underlying soil formation is just to spread on an
angle of 2 vertical to 1 horizontal, evaluate the stress at the mid height of the
clay below the center of the footing with this assumption.

Solution:
➀ Pressure exerted by the footing onto the surface
P
q=
A P=1600 kN

1600
q=
4(4) 4m

q = 100 kPa
4m

4m
Refresher – GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING Quiz 1
PROBLEM 1-3: cont.

➁ Stress below the center of the footing the P

load at the mid-height of the clay layer using
Boussinesq theory
4m
The 4 m. x 4 m. consists of 4 smaller equal 8m
areas of 2 m. x 2 m. and each of the corner z =10 m
of these four areas shears corner A.
4m
A A
m= n=
Z Z
2 2 2m
m= = 0.20 n= = 0.2
10 10
2m

m = n = 0.20 A

IZ = 0.018 from the table 3 – 1 (page H-349)

P = qIZ
P = 100(0.018)(4)
P = 7.2 kPa P

NOTE: There are four smaller equal

areas that shares corner A.
4m
8m
10 m
➂ Stress at mid height of clay using 2:1 method
P 2
q= 4m
A 2

1600 4 + 10 = 14
q=
14(14)
14
q = 8.16 kPa
Refresher – GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING Quiz 1
PROBLEM 4-6:

A tri-axial shear test was performed on a well-drained sand sample. The normal stress on
the failure plane and the shearing stress on the failure plane were determined to be 50 kPa
and 30 kPa respectively.
➀ Determine the angle of internal friction of the sand in degrees.
➁ Determine the angle, in degrees, of the failure plane with respect to the horizontal
plane.
➂ Determine the axial stress applied to the specimen in kPa.

Solution:
➀ Angle of internal friction of sand sample
30 failure plane
tan ø =
50
ø = 30.96˚ ø r
τ=30
ø θ
➁ Angle of failure plane with
respect to the horizontal plane σ3 x r
ø 50
θ = 45˚ + σ1
2
30.96˚
θ = 45˚ +
2
θ = 60.48˚

➂ Axial stress applied to the specimen

30 = r Cos 30.96˚
r = 34.98
x
tan 30.96˚ =
30
x = 18
σ 1 = 50 + 18 + 34.98
σ 1 = 102.98 kPa
Refresher – GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING Quiz 1
PROBLEM 7:

A cohesive soil deposit is considered soft if the unconfined compression

strength in kPa is between:
a) 0 to 24
b) 48 to 96
c) 96 to 192
P d) 24 to 48

Refresher – GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING Quiz 1
PROBLEM 8-10:

According to the elastic theory, the vertical stress induced flexible line load of
infinite length that has an intensity of q units/length on the surface of a semi-
infinite soil mass can be estimated by the expression:
2
q ⎡ ⎛ r ⎤
⎞
2

p = 0.637 where N = Z ⎢1 + ⎜ ⎟ ⎥
N ⎢⎣ ⎝ Z ⎠ ⎥⎦
r = horizontal distance from the line load
Z = depth of interest at which stress is induced

A concrete hollow block wall weighing 6 kN per lineal meter is carried by a wall
footing 0.60 m. wide.

➀ Evaluate the bearing pressure in kPa exerted by the footing onto the
supporting soil.
➁ Evaluate the stress in the soil caused by the load depth equal to twice its
width.
➂ Evaluate the stress at a depth of 2 m. and a horizontal distance 3 m. from the
line of load.

Solution:
➀ Bearing pressure in kPa exerted by the footing onto the supporting soil
Consider 1 m. length of wall.
A = 0.6(1) = 0.6 m2
P
q=
A
6
q= = 10 kPa
0.6(1)
Refresher – GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING Quiz 1
PROBLEM 8-10: cont.

➁ Stress in the soil caused by the load depth equal to twice its width
Z = 2(0.6)
Z = 1.2 m
0.637q
p=
N
2
⎡ ⎛ r ⎞2⎤
N = Z ⎢1 + ⎜ ⎟ ⎥
⎢ ⎝ Z⎠ ⎥
⎣ ⎦
2
⎡ ⎛ 0 ⎞2⎤
N = 1.2 ⎢1 + ⎜ ⎟ ⎥
⎢ ⎝ 1.2 ⎠ ⎥
⎣ ⎦
N = 1.2
0.637(10)
p= = 5.31 kPa
1.2

➂ Stress at a depth of 2 m. and a horizontal distance 3 m. from the line of load

r =3 Z=2
2
⎡ ⎛ r ⎞2⎤
N = Z ⎢1 + ⎜ ⎟ ⎥
⎢ ⎝ Z⎠ ⎥
⎣ ⎦
2
⎡ ⎛ 3⎞ 2 ⎤
N = 2 ⎢1 + ⎜ ⎟ ⎥ = 21.125
⎢ ⎝ 2⎠ ⎥
⎣ ⎦
0.637q
pA =
N
0.637(10)
pA = = 0.302
21.125
Refresher – GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING Quiz 1
PROBLEM 11:

An experiment to determine the permeability of a soil sample was conducted. The

permeameter in a falling head permeability test setup involves a cylindrical soil
sample 50 mm in diameter and a height of 200 mm. The hydraulic head in the 10
mm diameter standpipe through which the test water passed dropped from 900
mm to 600 mm in one minute of observation. In that duration the water collected
in the graduated flask was recorded at 1.5 liters. From these data, evaluate the
coefficient of permeability of the soil sample, in cm/sec.

Solution:
Coefficient of permeability :

aL ⎛ h1 ⎞
K= ln ⎜ ⎟
At ⎝ h2 ⎠

π
a= (0.1)2
4
a = 0.00785 cm2
π
A = (0.5)2
4
A = 0.196 cm2

0.00785(20) ⎛ 90 ⎞
K= ln ⎜ ⎟
0.196(60) ⎝ 60 ⎠

K = 0.00541 cm / sec.



Refresher – GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING Quiz 1
PROBLEM 12:

Evaluate the plastic settlement, in meter(s), on a layer of plastic clay due to an

increase of pressure caused by loads above it under the following conditions:
Initial intergranular pressure = 200 kPa
Increase in integranular pressure = 120 kPa
Thickness of the clay layer = 8 m
Coefficient of consolidation = 0.315
Void ratio of the clay = 1.132

Solution:
H ⎛ Po + ∆P ⎞
S= Cc log ⎜ ⎟
1+e ⎝ Po ⎠
8(0.315) ⎛ 200 + 120 ⎞
S= log ⎜
1 + 1.132 ⎝ 200 ⎟⎠
S = 0.241 m.