Effective Stress

Introduction

 External load will be distributed

within soil mass
 External load changes stress state
within the soil
 The stress distribution is important
to study soil stability and
deformation
Total stress

 Total vertical stress acting at the

point below the ground
Vertical Force
σ v = Vertical Stress =
Cross Sectional Area

σ v = ∑γ z
Total stress below the river or lake

 Free water at a river or lake will add

additional force to the ground
σ v = γ sat z + γ w z w
Total stress for multilayer soil

 The sum of the weights of soil in

each layer thickness above
σ v= γ 1 d1 + γ 2 d 2 + γ 3 (z − d1 − d 2 )
 Total stress for unsaturated soil

 Above the GWT soil will remain

saturated, but after certain distance
it become unsaturated
σ v= γ u z w + γ w (z − z w )
Total stress with a
surface surcharge load

 A surface surcharge load will

increase total stress
 If the surcharge loading is
extensively wide, the increase
in vertical total stress is
constant
σ v = γz + q
 For narrow surcharge, the
increase will be decrease with
depth
Pore pressure (u)

 Porewater: water fills the voids or

pore among soil grains
 Pore pressure: the pressure withing
the pore water
 Depend on:
 The depth below the water table
 Condition of seepage flow
Pore pressure (u)

 Under hydrostatic condition: pore

pressure at a point is hydrostatic
pressure

u = γ w hw
Pore pressure (u)

 Below the water table, pore

pressure is positive
 Above the water table, pore
pressure is negative (suction)
 Pore pressure (u)

 The height of saturated

soil above water table is
called capillary rise and
depends on the grain size
and type of soil
 in coarse soils capillary rise
is very small
 in silts it may be up to 2m
 in clays it can be over 20m
Effective stress concept

 At saturated soil, voids are fully

filled by water
 External load will be carried by both
grains and water
 Soil behavior under loading will
depend both of external force and
the water pressure in the pores
Effective stress concept

 Effective stress: normal stress

acting on the soil grains => inter-
granular stress
σ v = σ '−u → σ ' = σ v − u
 The importance of effective stress

Soil loaded by an Soil loaded by water

applied weight W weighing W
 The importance of effective stress
Soil loaded by water
Soil loaded by an
weighing W
applied weight W

Compression No deformation
 Definition of Total and Effective Stress
Vertical Force
σv = Vertical Stress = (1)
Cross Sectional Area

Effective vertical stress σ v ' = σ v − uw (2)

∆σv ∆ uw ∆σv´
Case (a) W 0 W
A A
Case (b) W W 0
A A
 Example: determining the effective stress

Step 1: Draw ground profile showing soil stratigraphy

and water table

Dry γ bulk = γ dry 2m

Saturated 3m
γ bulk = γ sat

Fig 5 Soil Stratigraphy

 Example
Step 2: Calculation of relevant bulk unit weights

Ww = Vv × γ w kN
Vv=e Vs Ww=0 = 0.7 × 9.8 kN
Voids = 0.7m3 = 6.86 kN

Ws = Vs × G s × γ w Ws = Vs × G s × γ w
= 1 × 2.7 × 9.8 kN = 1 × 2.7 × 9.8 kN
Solid Vs= 1m3
= 26.46 kN = 26.46 kN

Distribution by Distribution by weight Distribution by weight

Volume for the dry soil for the saturated soil
26.46 kN 3 Gs γ w
γ dry = . kN / m
= 1556 =
. m3
170 1+ e

( 26.46 + 6.86) kN γ w (G s + e )
γ sat = = 19.60 kN / m 3 =
. m3
170 1+ e
 Example

Step 3 Calculate total stress

. × 2 + 19.60 × 3 = 89.92 kPa ( kN / m 2 )

σ v = 1556

2m Step 4 Calculate pore water pressure

3m u w = 3 × 9.8 = 29.40 kPa

Step 5 Calculate effective stress

σ ′v = σ v − u w = 89.92 − 29.40 = 60.52 kPa

 Vertical stress and pore pressure variation
0 50 100 150 kPa
0m

2m

4m
Total
Stress (5m)
pore water
6m pressure Effective
Depth stress
8m
Example
 Plot the variation of total and effective
vertical stresses, and pore water pressure
with depth for the soil profile shown below