Stresses in a Soil Mass

Normal and Shear Stresses on a Plane

Radius of the Mohr’s Circle
A soil element is shown in Figure 10.4. The magnitudes of
stresses are σx = 2000 lb/ft2, τ = 800 lb/ft2, σy = 2500 lb/ft2,
and θ = 20˚. Determine:

a. Magnitudes of the principal stresses.

b. Normal and shear stresses on plane AB.
Principal stresses

2
2500 + 2000 2500 − 2000 2
𝜎1 = + + −800
2 2
𝜎1 = 3,088.15 𝑝𝑠𝑓
2
2500 + 2000 2500 − 2000 2
𝜎3 = − + −800
2 2
𝜎3 = 1,411.85 𝑝𝑠𝑓
Normal and shear stresses

2500 + 2000 2500 − 2000

𝜎𝑛 = + cos 40° + −800 sin 40°
2 2
𝜎𝑛 = 1,927.28 𝑝𝑠𝑓
2500 − 2000
𝜏𝑛 = sin 40° − −800 cos 40°
2
𝜏𝑛 = 773.53 𝑝𝑠𝑓
Stress Caused by a Point Load
 Stress Caused by a Point Load

 3x 2 z  x2 − y 2 y 2 z 
 5 − (1 − 2 ) 2
P
 x = + 3 2 
2  L  Lr (L + z ) L r  
3 y 2 z  y 2 − x2 x2 z 
 5 − (1 − 2 ) 2
P
 y = + 3 2 
2  L  Lr (L + z ) L r  

P 
 3 1 
 P
 z = 2  5/ 2 
= 2 I1
z  2
 (r / z ) 
2
+1   z

 3 1 
 r= x2 + y2
I1 =  5/ 2 
 2
  2

(r / z ) + 1  L = x2 + y2 + z 2 = r 2 + z 2
µ = Poisson’s ratio
 Variation of I1

r/z I1 r/z I1
0 0.4775 0.9 0.1083
0.1 0.4657 1.0 0.0844
0.2 0.4329 1.5 0.0251
0.3 0.3849 1.75 0.0144
0.4 0.3295 2.0 0.0085
0.5 0.2733 2.5 0.0034
0.6 0.2214 3.0 0.0015
0.7 0.1762 4.0 0.0004
0.8 0.1386 5.0 0.00014
Example Problem:

Consider a point load P = 4.5 kN. Plot the variation

of the vertical stress with depth caused by the
point load below the ground surface (z = 0.5, 1.0,
2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0), with x = 1 m and y = 1.5 m.
𝑟= 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 𝑧 = 1.0 𝑚
∆𝜎𝑧 = 0.058 𝑘𝑃𝑎
𝑟= 12 + 1.52 = 1.803
𝑧 = 2.0 𝑚
𝑃 3 1
∆𝜎𝑧 = 2 5Τ2 ∆𝜎𝑧 = 0.121 𝑘𝑃𝑎
𝑧 2𝜋 𝑟Τ𝑧 2 + 1
𝑧 = 3.0 𝑚
𝑃 = 4.5 𝑘𝑁
∆𝜎𝑧 = 0.110 𝑘𝑃𝑎
𝑧 = 0.5 𝑚
𝑧 = 4.0 𝑚
4.5 3 1
∆𝜎𝑧 = ∆𝜎𝑧 = 0.085 𝑘𝑃𝑎
0.52 2𝜋 1.803Τ0.5 2 +1 5Τ2
𝑧 = 5.0 𝑚
∆𝜎𝑧 = 0.012 𝑘𝑃𝑎
∆𝜎𝑧 = 0.063 𝑘𝑃𝑎
Vertical Stress Caused by a Vertical Line
Load
Vertical Stress Caused by a Vertical Line Load
Example Problem: Figure 10.9a shows two line loads on
the ground surface. Determine the increase of stress at
point A.
 2𝑞
∆𝜎𝑧 =
𝜋𝑧 𝑥Τ𝑧 2 + 1 2

2𝑞1 2𝑞2
∆𝜎𝑧 = +
𝜋𝑧 𝑥1 Τ𝑧 2 + 1 2 𝜋𝑧 𝑥2 Τ𝑧 2 + 1 2

2 500 2 1000
∆𝜎𝑧 = 2 2
+ 2 2
𝜋 4.0 5.0Τ4.0 +1 𝜋 4.0 10.0Τ4.0 +1
∆𝜎𝑧 = 15.15 𝑝𝑠𝑓
Vertical Stress Caused by a Horizontal Line Load
Example Problem: An inclined line load with a magnitude
of 1000 lb/ft is shown in Figure 10.11. Determine the
increase of vertical stress Δσz at point A due to the line
load.
 2𝑞 𝑥𝑧 2
∆𝜎𝑧 =
𝜋 𝑥2 + 𝑧2 2

2𝑞𝑐𝑜𝑠 20° 2𝑞𝑠𝑖𝑛 20° 𝑥𝑧 2

∆𝜎𝑧 = +
𝜋𝑧 𝑥Τ𝑧 2 + 1 2 𝜋 𝑥2 + 𝑧2 2

2 1000 𝑐𝑜𝑠 20° 2 1000 𝑠𝑖𝑛 20° 5.0 4.0 2

∆𝜎𝑧 = +
𝜋 4.0 5.0Τ4.0 2 + 1 2 𝜋 5.02 + 4.02 2

∆𝜎𝑧 = 33.14 𝑝𝑠𝑓