2018-02-05

SMF443:WEEK 4

TODAY
• Subsurface Stresses
• Stresses Caused by The Soil Mass
• Vertical Stresses
• Horizontal (Lateral) Stresses
• Effective Stress
• Neutral Stress
• Effects of Water Seepage
• Quick Condition

• Reading: Chapter 9, McCarthy, Essentials of Soil Mechanics and

Foundations, 7th edition 2007.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Lesson Learning Outcomes
• Calculate Total, Neutral and Effective stresses in soils and draw
stress profiles for in-situ soils.

Subsurface Stresses
Stresses Caused by The Soil Mass
• Vertical Stresses

• The vertical stress caused by the soil at a point below the surface
is equal to the weight of soil lying directly above the point.

• For a homogenous soil having a wet unit volumetric weight 𝛾𝑡 , the

stress 𝜎𝑣 at depth 𝑍 below the ground surface is:

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Subsurface Stresses
Vertical Stresses

Subsurface Stresses
Effect of Groundwater Table
• When a soil exists below the groundwater table, the submerged soil
particles are subject to a buoyant force resulting from the
hydrostatic pressure.
• The submerged weight of the soil, 𝛾𝑠𝑢𝑏 , is termed the effective soil
weight, and the subsurface stress that results is termed the
effective stress.
• The effective stress is the stress that influences shear strength of
the soil and volume changes or settlements.
• For the water table at the ground surface and the soil mass is
homogeneous, the effective stress at a depth Z is:

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Subsurface Stresses
Effect of Groundwater Table
• If the total weight of soil as it exist above water table is 𝛾𝑡 , the
effective stress is:

• Where 𝛾𝑤 is the unit weight of water.

• The last term of this equation is the total water pressure at depth Z.
• The total water pressure at a point is termed the neutral stress, u,
for it acts equally in all directions.
• The effective stress can be written as:

Subsurface Stresses
Subsurface Stress below water

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Subsurface Stresses
Summary: Method to Compute Subsurface Stress in a Soil
Mass
• Case (a):

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Subsurface Stresses
• Case (b)

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Subsurface Stresses
• Case (c)

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Subsurface Stresses
• Case (d)

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Subsurface Stresses
Horizontal (Lateral) Stresses
• It is convenient to indicate horizontal (lateral) stresses that exist in
a soil mass in terms of the soil vertical stress.
• The ratio of lateral stress to vertical stress, K, is termed coefficient
of lateral earth pressure.
• Mathematically,

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Subsurface Stresses
Horizontal (Lateral) Stresses
• In a horizontal, uniform soil mass of infinite extent, the lateral
movement of the soil at any depth is not possible, because the
confining pressure is equal in all horizontal directions.
• Thus a state of equilibrium exists and the soil is in the at-rest
condition.
• The coefficient of lateral pressure for the at-rest condition is
indicated by 𝐾𝑜 .

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Subsurface Stresses
Example 9.1: ((McCarthy, Essentials of Soil Mechanics and Foundations))
16 kNΤm3
3 m.

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Subsurface Stresses
Example 9.2: ((McCarthy, Essentials of Soil Mechanics and Foundations))

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Subsurface Stresses

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Subsurface Stresses
Effect of Capillary Rise
• Above the water table, water is held by surface tension
(negative pressure), and even if the soil is saturated
above the water table it does not contribute to the
hydrostatic pressure head.
• Therefore: the only effect is to increase the unit weight of
the soil to its saturated state.

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Subsurface Stresses
Effects of Water Seepage
• Under certain conditions neutral stress u may equal or
exceed the total vertical stress 𝝈.

• Any excess neutral stress will result in an upward

movement of soil. This is called heave.

• If the soil is cohesionless, ie. sand, heave will be

accompanied by a Quick Condition.

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Subsurface Stresses
Effects of Water Seepage
• Quick Condition: is most likely to occur in fine sands and
cohesionless silts, if 𝑖𝑐 is exceeded then an upward flow of
soil will result, this is called boiling.
• Quick Sand is therefore not a type of soil, simply a
condition which occurs when hydraulic gradient is equal to
or exceeds 𝑖𝑐 , ie. effective stress equals zero.

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Effects of Water Seepage

• For the condition in the sketch at point
X.
• At the instant of impending failure, ie.
about to heave or become quick.

• Therefore,

or or

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In Class Example
Example:
• An excavation is made in a clay
soil overlying a sand stratum
close to a river. The clay has a
density of 1920 kgΤm3 and is
virtually impervious compared to
the sand. The soil is removed by
a clamshell and the hole remains
nearly full of water during
digging. The water is then
pumped out. Suddenly the clay in
the excavation bottom heaves
upward, and then bursts. Why?
What level was the water in the
excavation when it takes place.

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