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CIVL3411 Tutorial 1 solution soil stresses and strains

Geotechnical Engineering (University of Sydney)

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Geotechnical Engineering
Tutorial 1
2018

Exercise 1
A soil element is shown in Figure 1 below. The magnitude of stresses are σx = 120 kN/m2 , τ = 40 kN/m2 , σy = 300 kN/m2
and θ = 20◦ . Determine:

a) Magnitude of the principal stresses.

b) Normal and shear stresses on plane AB.

Figure 1: A stressed soil element.

Solution
a) s 2
σy + σx σy − σx 2
σ1 , σ3 = ± + τxy
2 2
s 2
300 + 120 300 − 120
= ± + (−40)2
2 2
σ1 = 308.5 kN/m2 , σ3 = 111.5 kN/m2.
b)
σy + σx σy − σx
σn = + cos 2θ + τ sin 2θ
2 2
300 + 120 300 − 120
= + cos (2 × 20) + (−40) sin (2 × 20)
2 2
σn = 252.23 kN/m2
σy − σx
τn = sin 2θ − τ cos 2θ
2
300 − 120
= sin (2 × 20) − (−40) cos (2 × 20)
2
τn = 88.49 kN/m2

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Exercise 2
For the stressed soil element shown in Figure 2, determine:

a) Magnitude of the principal stresses.

b) Normal and shear stresses on plane AC.

Figure 2: A stressed soil element.

Solution

Figure 3: Mohr’s circle.

a) On plane AD:
• Normal stress = 90 kN/m2
• Shear stress = -60 kN/m2
On plane AB:
• Normal stress = 150 kN/m2

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• Shear stress = 60 kN/m2

Mohr’s circle for this loading is plotted in Figure 3. From the plot,

• Major principal stress = 187.1 kN/m2

• Minor principal stress = 52.9 kN/m2

b) NP is the line drawn parallel to the plane CD. P is the pole. PQ is drawn parallel to AC (see Figure 3). The coordinates
of point Q give the stresses on the plane AC. Thus,
• Normal stress = 60 kN/m2
• Shear stress = 30 kN/m2

Exercise 3
In Figure 4, the normal loads applied to the faces of a soil cube are F1 = 45 kg and F2 = 30 kg, and the shear loads are
F3 = F4 = 10 kg. The sides of the soil cube are each 40 mm. Pore pressure is u = 50 kN/m2 .
a) Use the force equilibrium equation to determine:
i) Major principal stress and effective major principal stress
ii) Minor principal stress and effective minor principal stress
iii) Directions of the principal planes
b) Use the pole method to:
i) Construct Mohrs circle of total stress and effective stress
ii) Find the magnitudes of the principal total stresses and the directions of the principal planes in the soil.

Figure 4: A stressed soil cube.

Solution
F2g 30kg × 9.8N/kg
σxx = = = 183.9kPa
A 40mm × 40mm
F1g 45kg × 9.8N/kg
σyy = = = 275.9kPa
A 40mm × 40mm
F4 g −10kg × 9.8N/kg
τxy = = = −61.3kPa
A 40mm × 40mm

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a) From the force equilibrium equations:

s 2
σy + σx σy − σx 2
σ1 , σ3 = ± + τxy
2 2
s 2
183.9 + 275.9 275.9 − 183.9
= ± + (−61.3)2
2 2

i) σ1 = 306.54 kPa, σ1′ = σ1 − u = 306.54 − 50 = 256.54 kPa

ii) σ3 = 153.26 kPa, σ3′ = σ3 − u = 153.26 − 50 = 103.26 kPa
2τxy −2×61.3
iii) tan 2θ = σy −σx = 275.9−183.9 = −1.33
θ = −26.53 or θ = −26.53 + 90◦
◦ ◦

Since σy > σx , the maximum principle stress surface could be determined by rotating the σy surface 26.53◦ in the
clock-wise direction (recall anti clock-wise corresponding to positive angle); or the minimum principle stress surface
could be obtained by rotating the σx surface 26.53◦ in the clock-wise direction. As plotted in Figure 5. Note that there
are two planes that are at right angles to each other on which the shear stress is zero.

Figure 5: Principle stress directions.

b) By using the pole method:

Step-1: Plot the known stress points, in this example, (275.9,61.3) and (183.9,- 61.3) – note the rule of shear stress
direction.
Step-2: From two known stress points, draw a line connecting with these two points and the cross point at the x-
coordinate is just the circle center point. So a Mohrs circle could be drawn by a compass. Based on any given point,
draw a line parallel to the plane on which the state of stress correspondingly acts. Thus, the pole point P is captured.
and σ1 , σ3 , σ1′ , σ3′ and θ could be approximately evaluated.

Exercise 4
Note: This question was part of the 2008 quiz
A retaining wall is designed to support a dense sandy soil deposit as shown in Figure 8. At the first step, concrete is casted
to form the trapezoidal gravity wall as shown in STAGE I (upper diagram). The water table is 5 m below the ground level.
During the second stage, STAGE II, material is removed via excavation (to get the lower diagram, with water remaining at
the same level). Assume that the total unit weight of the sand is 20 kN/m3 when the soil is saturated, and 18 kN/m3 when
it is dry. The unit weight of the water is γw = 10 kN/m3 .

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Figure 6: Use of pole method to find the stresses along a plane.

Figure 7: Comparison between total stress and effective stress circles.

In STAGE I: The stress conditions is assumed isotropic. The vertical stress can be calculated as if the retaining wall does
not exist.
In STAGE II: Due to lateral stress relief, assume that the effective horizontal stress σh′ is a third of the effective vertical
stress, i.e., σh′ = 13 σv′ , and that the vertical stress remain as in stage I.
Corresponding to point A, calculate (for both STAGE I and II):

a) the total and effective vertical and horizontal stresses.

b) the total and effective normal and shear stresses acting upon the inclined retaining wall surface (in your answer, note
their direction).

Solution
STAGE I
3 3
σv = 18kN/m × 5m + 20kN/m × 10m = 290kPa
3
σv′ = σv − u = 290kPa − 10kN/m × 10m = 190kPa
During this stage the soil is assumed at isotropic state: σh = σv and σh′ = σv′ .

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Figure 8: Construction of a gravity retaining wall in two stages.

Since the soil is in isotropic stress state (note - the Mohrs circle is essentially a point), transformation along any plane
would not change the normal stress, while the shear stress remains zero:
σn = 290kPa, σn′ = 190kPa – where the subscript n denotes the tilted plane. τn = 0.

STAGE II
σv′ = 190kPa; σ′h= σ′v/3 = 63.33kPa
σv = 290kPa; σh = σh′ + u = 160.33kPa
Let us use a graphical solution to calculate the effective stress along the plane n (alternatively we may use the equations,
but the pole construction helps in understanding the transformation).
Graphically we get: σn′ ≈ 90 kPa, τn ≈ −55 kPa. The total normal stress is then σn = σn′ + u ≈ 190 kPa. [For your
practice, you can check the accuracy of this with the help of the transformation equations...]

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Figure 9: Construction of a gravity retaining wall, second stage.

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