NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: TIRUCHIRAPPALLI – 620 015

M.TECH. GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

CE801 Geomechanics -Theory and Applications

ASSIGNMENT-1

1. The stress at any point inside a semi-infinite medium due to a line load of intensity q per unit
length as shown in Fig.1 can be given by a stress function

where A is a constant. This equation satisfies the compatibility equation.

Fig.1

2. Drive the equations of compatibility for three-dimensional problems in terms of stresses and
strains.

3. At a point in a soil mass, the stresses are as follows:

Determine the principal stresses and also the octahedral normal and shear stresses.

4. The stresses at a point in a soil mass are shown in Figure 2 (plane strain case).
(i) Determine the principal stresses and show their directions. Use μ = 0.3.
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 (ii) Determine the magnitudes of σp(1) and σp(3) by using Mohr’s circle.
(iii) Determine the magnitudes of the normal and shear stresses on plane AC shown in
Figure 2.

σz = 125 kN/m2

B C D

τxz = 30 kN/m2

o
σx = 75 kN/m2
30

A E

Fig.2

5. The stresses at a point in a soil mass are as follows:

Determine the normal and shear stresses on a plane with direction cosines l = 2/3, m= 2/3, and n =
1/3.

6. At a point in a soil mass, the stresses are as follows:

Determine the principal stresses and also the octahedral normal and shear stresses.

7. Consider the elastic halfspace in Figure 3. Under the action of gravity the components of stress
have the form

where α and β are constants. Use Cauchy’s relationship to determine the Cartesian components of
the traction vector T as a function of r and θ on the cylindrical surface that aligns with the z-axis
shown in the diagram.

2
 Fig. 3

8. A uniform vertical load of 145kN/m2 is applied instantaneously over a very long strip, as shown in
Figure 4. Estimate the excess pore water pressure that will be developed due to the loading at A
and B. Assume that μ = 0.4 and that the representative value of the pore water pressure parameter
A determined from standard triaxial tests for such loading is 0.6.

Fig.4

9. Determine the increase of pore water pressure at M due to the strip loading shown in Figure 5.
Assume μ = 0.5 and α = 0 for all cases given below.

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 Fig.5

10. The stress matrix at some point in an elastic body is known to be

Consider the surface passing through this point whose normal vector is parallel to [1, 1, 2].
(i) Find the components of the traction vector that acts on this surface.
(ii) Find the magnitudes of normal and shear stress that act on this surface.

11. A true triaxial testing device has been developed for laboratory testing of cubical samples of soils.
In this device, the principal stresses can be independently controlled. A test is conducted using the
device to evaluate the strength characteristics of a dry sand. At failure, the test gives the following
values for the stress invariants

I1 = 6x 102 kPa
I2 = 11 X 104 (kPa)2
I3 = 6 X 106 (kPa)3

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 (i) Calculate the principal stresses at failure.
(ii) What is the greatest shear stress on any surface within the sample at failure?

12. Consider the hemispherical surface of radius a shown in Figure 6. Make a graph showing how σzz
varies on this surface as a function of the angle ψ. Find the value of ψ for which σzz is maximum.
Carry out the same operations for σrr and σrz. Take μ to be 0.25.

Fig. 6

13. Consider the elastic half-space supporting two equal point loads, P, illustrated in Figure 7. Using
the principle of superposition, find an expression for the vertical displacement of the half-space
surface uz(x, y, z = 0) as a function of rectangular coordinates x and y. Sketch the magnitude of uz
(x, y = 0, z = 0) along the x-axis between x = -4a and x = +4a.

Fig. 7

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14. Flamant’s problem is an example of plane-strain conditions, where no displacement occurs in one
coordinate direction and no quantity depends upon that coordinate. For the plane-strain geometry
shown in Figure 8, the strain €yy is zero but the stress σyy is not. Use Hooke’s law together with the
relations between elastic constants to prove that for all plane-strain problems (in the y = constant
plane) the stress σyy, will always be given by

Fig.8

15. For Kelvin’s problem, show that the resultant upward force acting on a sphere of radius a centered
at the origin equilibrates the applied load 2P.