Geomechanics

CIVL 2122

Soil strength
and
Critical State

Dr Christophe Gaudin
gaudin@civil.uwa.edu.au Lecture 9
 Outline
Critical state concept
Principle
Key parameters
Contraction / Dilation
Dry sides / Wet side
3-D representation
Example

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9

 Objectives
You should understand that:
When sheared, a soil reaches eventually a critical state in which
unlimited shear strain could be applied without further changes in
specific volume, normal effective stress or shear stress
The combination of specific volume, normal effective stress and
shear stress at critical sate lies on a unique line called critical
state line (CSL)

You should be able to:

Plot the critical state line in the (v,q,p’) space
Calculate the equation of the CSL
Analyse direct shear box test using CSL concept

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9

 Objectives

http://www2.eng.cam.ac.uk/~ans/

Disturbed Soil Properties and Geotechnical Design

A. Schofield
University of Cambridge

ISBN: 9780727729828
Format: Hardbound
Publish Date: 23/12/2005
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd
Page Size: 234x156mm
Number of Pages: 216

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9

 Direct shear box test Dilation

Stress ration τ/σ’

Peak stress ratio = tan φ’peak Peak=failure

Dense Constant volume stress ratio

tan φ’cv
Loose

Dilation ratio: ν=tan dy/dx

εv x
Dense
dx dy/dx=0
Constant volume
dy deformation
dy/dx>0 Dilation

x
dy/dx<0 Contraction
Loose
dy/dx=0

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9

 Triaxial test Stress path

• Total and effective stress path

TSP: Total stress path
(imposed by the apparatus)

q
ESP: Effective stress path 3
(soil response) ESP
"Standard" stress path:
1 σh constant
∆u (+) ∆u (-) σv increased to failure
q=q’
σv

σh

∆q = ∆σv
p’ p p’ p,p’ ∆p = ∆σv/3
∆q/ ∆p = 3

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9

 Consolidation theory Principles

Change in stresses result in a change in volume

σ1
'
∆e = Cc log

Void Ratio e
σ0
'
Reconsolidation
Virgin consolidation
curve
line
Cr

∆H ∆e Gradient = Cr Gradient = Cc

= = Cc
H 0 1 + e0
1 10 100 1000
Effective stress, σ'(kPa)
'(kPa) - log scale

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9

 Consolidation theory Overconsolidated soils
Preconsolidation
pressure, σc'

Normally consolidated
Overconsolidated Soil :
Soil : Current vertical
Void Ratio

Current vertical effective stress at

effective stress sample depth
is less than pc’ is equal to pc’

OCR = σc' / σv' > 1 OCR = σc' / σv' = 1

Effective stress, σ'(kPa) - log scale

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9
 Critical state concept Principle

• Idealised direct shear box results on 4 samples having the same

initial void ratio
q 1
1
2 εv 2
3
4 3 εa
4

εa V: specific volume = 1+e

τ 4
V
3 1
2 2
1 4
3

σ’ σ’
Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9
 Critical state concept Principle

• When sheared, state of soil tends to

migrate to a unique line in τ - σ' - e
space. This is called the critical state
line (CSL).
λ)
• CSL has same gradient as NC line (λ

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9

 Critical state concept Dilation/contraction

Critical State Line (CSL)

At low stress, even

loose samples may
dilate LOOSE
Void ratio e

At high stress, even

dense samples may
contract

DENSE

Normal effective stress σ'n (or mean effective stress p')

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9

 Critical state concept Dry and wet sides

V Critical State Line (CSL)

Wet

Normal Consolidation Line (NCL)

Dry

ln p'

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9

 Critical state concept Key parameters

V Critical State Line (CSL)

V0

Normal Consolidation Line (NCL)

Γ

Cc or λ On the critical state line

V = Γ − λ ln σ'

P’=1 KPa log p'

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9

 Critical state concept 3D representation

•When a soil is sheared, the soil ‘state’ tends to move towards a unique line
(for that soil) in q-p’-v space, called the Critical State Line (CSL)

CSL q=M.p′

M
q
CSL

p′ M p′

V = 1+e

CSL

v = Γ – λ ln p′
v = 1+e

p′

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9

 Critical state concept Example

• Data of direct shear box tests

Samples
Parameters
A B C

Vertical effective stress σ’ (kPa) 25 50 100

Peak shear stress τpeak (kPa) 11.7 21.2 36.4

Critical shear stress τcrit (kPa) 9.1 18.2 36.4

Specific volume at start of test 2.209 2.209 2.209

Specific volume at end of test 2.417 2.313 2.209

• Plot the critical state line in the (q,p’) and (v,p’) spaces
• Calculate φ’crit and the equation of the CSL
Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9
 Critical state concept Example

• Plots in (q,p’) and (v.p’) spaces

τ (kPa)

τ
CSL φcrit
'
= Arc tan '
σ
36.4

21.2
φ'crit = 20°

11.7
φ’crit

25 50 100 σ’ (kPa)

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9

 Critical state concept Example

• Plots in (q,p’) and (v.p’) spaces

v = Γ − λ ln σ'
v
v2 − v1
2.417 λ=
ln σ'2 − ln σ1'
2.313
λ = 0.15

2.209 CSL Γ = v + λ ln σ'

Γ = 2. 9

25 50 100 σ’ (kPa)
lnσ v = 2.9 − 0.15 ln σ'

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9

 Objectives
You should understand that:
When sheared, a soil reaches eventually a critical state in which
unlimited shear strain could be applied without further changes in
specific volume, normal effective stress or shear stress
The combination of specific volume, normal effective stress and
shear stress at critical sate lies on a unique line called critical
state line (CSL)

You should be able to:

Plot the critical state line in the (v,q,p’) space
Calculate the equation of the CSL
Analyse direct shear box test using CSL concept

Dr Christophe Gaudin – September 2008 CIVL 2122 – Lecture 9