L.

15
EFFECTIVE STRESS
CIVE 430
SOIL MECHANICS & LAB

FALL 2022
 EFFECTIVE STRESS CONCEPT
Water
Soil loaded by an 
applied weight W

Soil
Grains

Total Pore Water

Stress Effective Stress
on soil Grains Pressure
 EFFECTIVE STRESS CONCEPT
 In saturated soils, the Total Stress (v) at any point 
within the soil mass is shared by the soil grains and the 
water held within the pores
 The component of stress that is carried by the soil grains 
is called Effective Stress (’ v)
 The component of stress that is carried by the pore 
water is known as Pore Water Pressure (u)

TERZAGHI (1945)
CALCULATION OF EFFECTIVE STRESS

Surcharge q

Layer 1 d1

Layer 2 z d2

Layer 3 d3
v

SOIL PROFILE
 CALCULATION OF TOTAL STRESS
q
Force on base = Force on top + Weight of soil

A  v = A q + A 1 d 1 + A  2 d 2 + A  3 ( z - d 1 - d 2 )
d1

ELEVATION z d2

v = q + 1 d1 + 2 d2 + 3 ( z - d1 - d2 )

TOTAL
STRESS
PLAN A
 CALCULATION OF WATER PRESSURE
Water Table

SUBSURFACE WITH STATIC WATER (HYDROSTATIC CONDITIONS)

 The water table is the level of the water surface in a piezometer. 
 It is the level at which the pore water pressure up = 0
EXAMPLE: STEPS FOR DETERMINING EFFECTIVE
STRESS
STEP 1:  Draw ground profile showing soil stratigraphy and 
water table and determine relevant unit weights

Dry 2m

Saturated 3m
P

SUBSURFACE STRATIGRAPHY
EXAMPLE: STEPS FOR DETERMINING EFFECTIVE
STRESS
STEP 2: Calculate Total Stress at P

STEP 3: : Calculate Pore Water Pressure 2m
𝛾 15.56𝑘𝑁/𝑚

𝛾 19.6𝑘𝑁/𝑚
3m
STEP 4: : Calculate Effective Stress

P
VERTICAL STRESS AND PORE PRESSURE
VARIATION WITH DEPTH
STRESS (kPa)
0 50 100 150

2
DEPTH (m)

Total
4 Stress
(5m)

6 pore water
pressure Effective
stress
8