SOIL BEHAVIOUR (Part 7 )

Rate of Settlement
(Consolidation)
 Rate of Settlement
 Settlement of granular soils is instantaneous.
 Settlement of fine grained soils occurs over a long
time.
, u, ’
q q
  Sand
u t
, u, ’

q
 Clay
u
t
 Rate of Settlement
 Settlement is a direct result of a decrease
in volume.
 Consolidation is the rate of volume change
with time.
 Immediately after loading, all the applied
the load is transferred to pore water so that
the pore pressure increases by the same
value as the applied load.
 Rate of Settlement
 The excess pore pressure dissipates with
time due to permeability, as water drains
out of the soil.
 During consolidation, as more water
squeezes out of the soil, more applied load
will be transferred to the soil skeleton.
 At the end of consolidation, all the applied
load will be carried out by the soil skeleton.
 Consolidation Model
 Load q is taken up initially by pore water and excess
pore pressure (uxs) increases.
 During consolidation, the excess pore water
dissipates at a rate controlled by the tap
(permeability), and the load is gradually transferred
to the spring (soil skeleton). q
 At the end of Tap, as soil
consolidation the permeability
excess pore pressure
becomes zero, and Spring, as
soil skeleton
all the applied load is
water
carried out by the
spring (soil skeleton).
 Short & Long Term States
 Instantaneous conditions:
 = q
Instantaneously no water can flow, and hence there can be
no change in volume:

´f = ´i
Instantaneously
´= 0  = q
´ + u
´= 0
u u = q
Si = 0
 Short & Long Term States
 Long term conditions:
 = q
At the end of consolidation where all excess pore water
pressures were dissipated:
u = 0
´ + u Long term
 = q
´=  = q
´= q
u = 0
Sf = Stf
 Short & Long Term States
40kPa
Example 1:

4m

Calculate the settlement of a 4m thick clay layer

under a uniform pressure of 40 kPa applied at the
surface of the layer. The clay layer is normally
consolidated and has the following properties:
Cc = 0.2, eo= 1.0, t = 19kN/m3
 Short & Long Term States
Example 1: Normally consolidated clay:
40kPa Cc = 0.2, eo=1.0, t = 19kN/m3
Initial condition:
 = 2  19 = 38 kPa
4m
u = 2  9.8 = 19.6 kPa
 = 38 -19.6 = 18.4 kPa

Immediately after loading: Long time after loading:

 = 38 + 40 = 78 kPa  = 38 + 40 = 78 kPa
 = 0  = 18.4 kPa u = 2  9.8 = 19.6 kPa
u = 78 – 18.4 = 59.6 kPa uss = 19.6 kPa uxs = 0
u = 19.6 + 40  = 78 -19.6 = 58.4 kPa
u = uss + uxs  = 40 kPa
Stf = 0 Stf = 40.2 log(58.4/18.4)/(1+1.0)=0.2m
 Short & Long Term States
 Example 1: Variation of pore pressure and effective stress:
40kPa Immediately after loading:
u 
4m uxs

40 kPa

Long time after loading:

u 

40 kPa
 Consolidation
 Conditions at the beginning and the end of
consolidation can be calculated.
 What is the conditions during the process of
consolidation?
 Consolidation process may take a long time.
 Effective stress and settlement need to be determined
during the consolidation process.
q
 u=uxs
 Derivation of Equations
 Terzaghi (1923) developed a theory for consolidation:

cv is the coefficient of consolidation, can be obtained from

Oedometer tests.
 This equation can be solved for 1-D problems:

m is an integer number.
DP is the maximum drainage path of consolidating layer.
Tv is a non-dimensional time factor,
Permeable boundary

H DP = H

Impermeable boundary

Permeable boundary

H DP = H/2

Permeable boundary
 Derivation of Equations
 The equation represents the progression of pore
water dissipation within a layer of soil with time.

 The degree of consolidation at any point in the soil at

a given time can be defined as:

Hence, the pore pressure at any other time can be calculated:

uxs at t = uxs at t=0 – Uz  uxs at t=0 = uxs at t=0 (1 – Uz)
 Degree of Consolidation
0.0

Tv=0
0.05
0.5 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.3 0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
z / DP

1.0
0.9

1.5

2.0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Consolidation ratio, Uz
 Calculation of Settlement
 Having the variation of excess pore pressure within a
soil layer at a given time, the settlement of the layer
can be calculated:
 Soil layer needs to be subdivided into sub-layers.
 Change in effective stresses, the void ratio, and the
settlement of each sub-layer at the given time can be
calculated.
 Total settlement at the given time is equal to the sum of
settlements of the sub-layers.
 Another method of settlement calculation is to use
the average degree of consolidation for the layer:
St t = U  St f
Approximate equations for
degree of consolidation
 U(%) vs. Tv U (%) Tv
10 0.0077
00
20 0.0314
30 0.0707
40 0.126
20
50 0.196
60 0.286

40 70 0.403
80 0.567
90 0.848
U (%)

60 95 1.13
99 1.78
99.9 2.71
80 100 infinity

0.197
100
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Dimensionless time, Tv
 Coefficient of Consolidation
 Can be defined in terms of k and mv:

 Can be estimated from Oedometer test results:

do
settlement

d50

d100
0.4
0.1 1 t50 10 100 1000 10000
Time
 RECAP
Coefficient of Consolidation:

Time Factor:

Steady State and Excess

Pore Pressures:

Consolidation Ratio at Depth z:

Ave. Degree of Consolidation:

 Coefficient of Consolidation
Time Dial
Example 21 in notes: (Calculation of cv) (min) reading
 Increment in pressure: 50 kPa to 100 kPa. 0 8.00

 Initial height of the specimen: 21.63 mm 0.1 7.925

0.2 7.91
8.0
0.5 7.86
1.0 7.775
7.8 2 7.65
settlement

4 7.525

7.6 8 7.42
15 7.36
30 7.32
7.4
60 7.305
120 7.30
7.2
0.1 1 10 sample
100 1000 10000 240 7.295
porous plates Soil
Time (min) 1440 7.29
 Coefficient of Consolidation
Example 21 d100=7.31 mm
 Increment in pressure: 50 kPa to 100 kPa. d0 =7.98 mm
 Initial height of the specimen: 21.63 mm d50=7.645 mm
8.0 t50=120 sec
d o

Soil thickness at t50 H = 21.63-(8-7.645)

7.8 = 21.28 mm
settlement

2 way drainage in DP =H/2 = 10.64 mm

d50 oedometer tests
7.6

7.4
d100
2
7.2 0.4
0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000
cv = 1.8510-7 m2/sec
Time (min)
 Consolidation
Example 22 in notes:
32kPa

2m Sand t = 18.2 kN/m3

t = 16.8 kN/m3
4m
Clay cv = 4.610-7m2/s

What is the pore pressure at a point 1m into clay

layer 200 days after application of the load?
 Consolidation
Example 22 Initial condition at 1m into clay:
32kPa  = 218.2+ 116.8 = 53.2 kPa
Sand t=18.2 kN/m3 uss = 3  9.8 = 29.4 kPa
2m
uxs = 0
t=16.8 kN/m3  = 53.2 -29.4 = 23.8 kPa
4m
Clay cv=4.610-7m2/s

Immediately after loading: Long time after loading:

 = 53.2 + 32 = 85.2kPa
uss = 3  9.8 = 29.4 kPa
uxs t=0 = 32 kPa
u = 32+29.4=61.4 kPa
 = 85.2-61.4= 23.8 kPa
 = 53.2 + 32 = 85.2kPa
uss = 3  9.8 = 29.4 kPa
uxs t= = 0
 = 85.2-29.4= 55.8 kPa
 Consolidation
Example 22 200 days after loading:
32kPa

2m Sand t= 18.2 kN/m3

t= 16.8 kN/m3

4m
Clay cv = 4.610-7m2/s Uz = 0.86
uxs at 200 = uxs at t=0 (1– Uz )
Immediately after loading:
uxs at 200 = 32 (1 – 0.86 )= 4.5kPa
 = 53.2 + 32 = 85.2kPa
uss = 3  9.8 = 29.4 kPa uat 200 = 4.5 +29.4 =33.9 kPa
uxs t=0 = 32 kPa  = 85.2 – 33.9 = 51.3 kPa
u = 32+29.4=61.4 kPa
 = 85.2-61.4= 23.8 kPa
 Example 2
32kPa

2m Sand t = 18.2 kN/m3

t = 16.8 kN/m3
4m
Clay cv = 4.610-7m2/s
Normally consolidated:
Cc = 0.2, eo = 1.1

Calculate the settlement of the clay layer 200 days

after application of 32 kPa surface loading?
 Example 2: Solution
32kPa
Settlement 200 days after loading?
2m Sand t=18.2 kN/m3
Initial stress:
 = 218.2+ 216.8 = 70 kPa
t = 16.8 kN/m3
4m u = 4  9.8 = 39.2 kPa
Clay cv = 4.610-7m2/s
i = 70 -39.2 = 30.8 kPa
f = 30.8 + 32 = 62.8 kPa
Normally consolidated:
e=0.2log(62.8/30.8)=0.0619
Cc = 0.2, eo = 1.1
Stf=(0.0619/2.1) 4 = 0.118 m
 Example 2: Solution
Settlement 200 days after loading?
32kPa
Initial stress:
2m Sand t=18.2 kN/m3
 = 218.2+ 216.8 = 70 kPa
u = 4  9.8 = 39.2 kPa
t= 16.8 kN/m3
4m
Clay cv= 4.610-7m2/s i = 70 -39.2 = 30.8 kPa
Cc = 0.2, eo = 1.1 f = 30.8 + 32 = 62.8 kPa
e=0.2log(62.8/30.8)=0.0619
Time for 100% settlement? Stf=(0.0619/2.1) 4 = 0.118 m

Assume Tv = 3.0

U = 0.76
Stt = U  Stf
= 0.760.118=0.090m
 Exam 2004
The soil profile at a site consists of:
0 - 3m Sand t = 18 kN/m3 50 kPa

3 - 5m Clay t = 20 kN/m3
1m
below 5m Impermeable rock 3m
Sand
The water table is in the sand layer 1m
below the surface. A sample of clay from
2m
the mid-depth of the clay layer has the Clay
following known properties:
w = 20%
pc = 120 kPa
cv = 4.63 x 10-7 m2/s
 Exam 2004
(i) A surcharge of 50 kPa is applied to the site and left
in place for 20 days. Determine the effective vertical
stress at a point in the middle of the clay layer 20
days after surcharging and state whether the clay at
the point is normally or over-consolidated at this
stage.

(ii) The settlement of the clay layer after 20 days

surcharging under 50 kPa is found to be 4.2 mm.
Determine the recompression index, Cr, of the clay.
 Exam 2004: Solution
(i) After 20 days

Soil is over-consolidated
 Exam 2004: Solution
(ii)

Soil is over-consolidated
 Exam 2004

(iii) After 20 days the surcharge is increased from 50

to 100 kPa and this increased surcharge is left in
place for a long time. The total final settlement of
the clay layer due to all stages of surcharging is
found to be 160 mm. Determine the compression
index, Cc , of the clay.
 Exam 2004: Solution
(iii)