UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING I (CIV 150)

Solutions to “Problem sheet on Drained Shear Strength of Soils”

Questions relating to the direct shear (shearbox) test

Q1 v = v0 − λ ln σ ′ v v
1.9 = 2.9 − 0.16 ln σ ′
σ ′ = 518.0 kN m2
τ = σ ′ tan φ crit
′
= 5.18 × tan 22° σ` lnσ`

= 209.3 kN m2

Q2 τ = σ ′ tan φ crit
′ v v
= 100 tan 22° 2.30
= 40.4 kN m
2 2.16
2.00
v = v0 − λ ln σ ′
σ` lnσ`
= 2.9 − 0.16 ln 100
= 2.16
(a) ∆v = 2.16 − 2.00 = +0.16 (b) ∆v = 2.16 − 2.30 = −0.14

Q3 τ = σ ′ tan (φ crit
′ +ψ )
(a) τ = 400 tan (33° + 20° ) = 530.8 kN m2 (b) τ = 400 tan 33° = 259.8 kN m2
530.8 = 259.8 + 271.0
Total Friction Dilation
100% 49% 51%

Q4 δh 0.06
tanψ = = = 0.12 δx
δx 0.50
ψ = 6.84°
δh
τ = σ ′ tan (φcrit
′ +ψ )
= 500 tan (33° + 6.84° )
= 417.2 kN m2

Questions relating to the triaxial test

Q5 v = Γ − λ ln p′
1.8 = 3.1 − 0.22 ln p ′
p ′ = 368.4 kN m 2
q = Mp′ = 0.88 × 368.4 = 324.2 kN m2
q
τ= = 162.1 kN m 2
2
 q
Q6 q 249
q = Mp ′ so p ′ = = 249
M 0.88
= 283.0 Graph construction
v = Γ − λ ln p ′ gives q = 249 kN/m2
so τ = 124.5kN/m2
= 3.1 − 0.22 ln 283.0 = 1.86 3.00
0.88
(a) ∆v = 1.86 − 1.70 = +0.16 1.00 1.00
(b) ∆v = 1.86 − 2.05 = −0.19 200 p'
Q7
τ 300

200

100
φ' = 25°
0
100 200 300 400 500 600 σ'
50 124 250 370 616
150

Q8  σ + 2σ ′ 
Specimen σr' q σa' (= σr' + q) p ′ = r r 
 3 
 
1 50 74 124 74.7
2 150 220 370 223.3

3 250 366 616 372.0

M = 0.99
0.99
1.00

p'
′
6 sin φ crit 6 sin 25°
M= = = 0.984 (Checks ü)
′
3 − sin φ crit 3 − sin 25°
Questions relating to engineering applications
Q9 σ = σ ′ = γz = 16.5 ×10 = 165 kN m2
v v

1 + sin φ ′ 1 + sin 32°

Passive K p = = = 3.254
1 − sin φ ′ 1 − sin 32°

′ ′
Max σ h = K pσ v = 3.254 ×165 = 537 kN m2
1 1 − sin φ ′
Active Ka = = = 0.307
K p 1 + sin φ ′
Min σ ′ = K σ ′ = 0.307 ×165 = 51 kN m 2
h a v

1 − sin φ ′ 1 − sin 27°

Q10 Ka = = = 0.376 design value
1 + sin φ ′ 1 + sin 27°

(a) At 4m depth σ v = σ v ′ = γz = 16 × 4 = 64.0 kN m 2

σ h = σ hv′ = K aσ v′ = 0.376 × 64 = 24.1 kN m2

Stress Distribution 0m
Area = Thrust
z 1
= × 4 × 24.1
2
= 48kN
4m
24.1kN/m2

(b) At 4m depth σ v = γz = 80.0 kN m 2

u = γ w z = 39.2 kN m 2
′
σ v = σ v − u = 40.8 kN m 2
σ ′ = K σ ′ = 15.3 kN m 2
h a v

σ h = σ h′ + u = 54.5 kN m2

Stress Distribution 0m
Area = Thrust
1
= × 4 × 54 .5
z 2
= 109 kN
4m
54.5kN/m2

tan 40°
Based on φ 'peak F= = 1.65
tan 27°

tan 33°
Based on φ 'crit F= = 1.27 (more reliable)
tan 27°
Q11 P = W s tan (α − φ ′)
1
where W s = γh 2 cot α
2
48kN P α
Ws 41.6 45
P P
47.7 55
46.6 65
α 38.1 75

58.5° α

With line load

Consider failure plane just to the left of WL
P = W s tan (α − φ ) = 96.5 tan 26 = 47.1kN
WL = 30kN
3m
Consider failure plane just to the right of
Ws WL
P WL added to Ws in force system for
sliding wedge
α = 53° P = (Ws + W L ) tan (α − φ ′)
= (96.5 + 30 ) tan 26
= 61.7kN
Second case is critical – P then reduces as α
reduces

Q12
10° Consider slice as shown
1m
W = 5.5 cos10° × 20
W
= 108.3kN

5.5m S

Equil-∆ N = W cos10°
S
of forces = 106.7 kN
N W
S = W sin 10°
= 18.8kN
10°
τ = 18.8kN

N = N ′ +U and U = 9.81× (5.5 − 0.6) ×1 = 48.1kN

Water force
 N ′ = N − U = 106.7 − 48.1 = 58.6kN, σ ′ = 58.6 kN m 2

τ = σ ′ tan φ ′, tan φ ′ = τ σ ′ = 18.8 58.6 = 0.321, φ ′ = 17.8°