Simplified Critical State Soil Mechanics

NC
CC

Void Ratio, e
dilative
Void Ratio, e

NC con
sol
eOC ida
t
CS -u swelling ion
OC
eNC +u
CS contractive
L C SL

Log v' p' Effective stress v' '

max = tan
Four Basic Stress Paths: SL
Shear stress C
1. Drained NC (decrease V/Vo) max = su NC
2 1

2. Undrained NC (positive u)

su OC
3. Undrained OC (negative u) Yield
3 Surface
4. Drained OC (increase V/Vo)


4 CS½p p '
max = c+tan c'
Effective stress v'