40

Module 6
STRESSES IN SOIL

Stresses at a point in a soil mass are divided into two main types:
I- Geostatic Stresses - Due to the self-weight of the soil mass.
II- Excess Stresses - From structures

I. Geostatic stresses (Vertical Stress)

Vertical geostatic stresses increase with depth, there are three 3 types of geostatic
stresses

1. INTERGRANULAR STRESS, 𝒑𝑬

It is also known as effective stress.

A stress in soil resulting from particle-to-particle contact of soil.
𝒑𝑬 = 𝒑𝑻 − 𝒑𝒘
Where: 𝑝𝑇 = total stress
𝑝𝑊 = pore water pressure

2. PORE WATER PRESSURE, 𝒑𝑾

It is also known as Neutral Stress

A stress in soil induced by water – pressures.
𝒑𝑾 = 𝜸𝒘 𝒉𝒘
Note: For soil above water, 𝑝𝑊 = 0

TOTAL STRESS, 𝒑𝑻

It is the sum of the effective and neutral stresses.

𝒑𝑻 = 𝒑𝑬 + 𝒑𝒘
Where: 𝑝𝐸 = effective stress
𝑝𝑊 = pore water pressure

Stresses in Soil Without Seepage

Consider the soil layer shown:

At point A:
Total Stress, 𝑝𝑇 = 𝛾𝑚 ℎ4 + 𝑞
 41

Neutral Stress, 𝑝𝑤 = 0
Effective stress, 𝑝𝐸 = 𝑝𝑇 − 𝑝𝑤

At point B:
Total Stress, 𝑝𝑇 = 𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡1ℎ5 + 𝛾𝑚 ℎ1 + 𝑞
Neutral Stress, 𝑝𝑤 = 𝛾𝑤 ℎ5
Effective stress, 𝑝𝐸 = 𝑝𝑇 − 𝑝𝑤
or 𝑝𝐸 = 𝛾𝑏1ℎ5 + 𝛾𝑚 ℎ1 + 𝑞
At point B:
Total Stress, 𝑝𝑇 = 𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡3ℎ3 + 𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡1 ℎ2 + 𝛾𝑚 ℎ1 + 𝑞
Neutral Stress, 𝑝𝑤 = 𝛾𝑤 ℎ6 = 𝛾𝑤 (ℎ3 + ℎ2 )
Effective stress, 𝑝𝐸 = 𝑝𝑇 − 𝑝𝑤
or 𝑝𝐸 = 𝛾𝑏2ℎ3 + 𝛾𝑏1 ℎ2 + 𝛾𝑚 ℎ1 + 𝑞

WPU-QSF-ACAD-82A Rev. 00 (09.15.20)

 42

EXAMPLE PROBLEM:

1. A clay layer 4m thick rests beneath a deposit of submerged sand 8m thick. The top
of the sand is located 3 m below the surface of a lake. The saturated unit weight of sand
is 25 kN/𝑚3 and of clay 20 kN/𝑚3 . Determine the total vertical pressure 𝑃𝑇 at mid –
height of the clay layer.

EXAMPLE PROBLEM:

2. A clay layer 25 feet thick is overlain with 50 ft thick of sand (G=2.71). The water
table is 20 ft below the sand (ground) surface. The saturated unit weight of clay is 141
pcf. The sand below the water table has a unit weight of 128 pcf. The sand above the
water table has average moisture content of 20%. After drying, the sand was found to
have a dry unit weight of 92 pcf. Determine the effective stress at the mid-height of the
clay layer.
 43

EXAMPLE PROBLEM:

3. A ground profile consists of 2m of silty sand underlain by 3m of clay. The ground

water table is 3 m below the ground surface. The sand has a unit weight of 14
kN/𝑚3 . The clay has a unit weight of 16 kN/𝑚3 above the water table and 20
kN/𝑚3 below the water table. Determine the total stress at the bottom of the clay layer.

𝛾𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑦

Solutions:
 44

EXAMPLE PROBLEM:

4. The soil shown has a void ratio of 0.50 and G=2.70. ℎ1 = 1.5𝑚, ℎ2 = 3𝑚.
a. What is the effective unit weight of sand in kN/𝑚3 .
b. What is the effective stress at point A in kPa.
c. What is the critical hydraulic gradient of sand ( for quick condition).
 45

EXAMPLE PROBLEM:
5. A soil deposit is shown. The ground water table, initially at the ground surface, was
lowered to a depth of 25 ft below the ground. After such lowering, the degree of
saturation of the sand above water table was lowered to 20%. Determine the following:

a. The vertical effective pressure at the midheight of the clay layer before lowering
of the water table, in psf
b. The vertical effecttive pressure at the midheight of the clay layer after lowering
of the water table, in psf.
c. The vertical effective pressure at midheight of clay when there is no water in the
sand layer, in psf.
 46

EXAMPLE PROBLEM:
6. The ground water level in a thick, very fine sand deposit is located 2.0 m below the
ground surface. Above the free ground water line, the sand is saturated by capillary
action. The unit weight of the saturated sand is 20.3 kN/𝑚3 . Determine the following:
a. Total stress in kPa on a horizontal plane A located 4.5 m below the ground
surface.
b. Pore water pressure in kPa at this plane.
c. Effective vertical stress in kPa in plane A.
 47

SOLUTIONS:

WPU-QSF-ACAD-82A Rev. 00 (09.15.20)

 48

Stress in Saturated Soil with Seepage

1. UPWARD SEEPAGE
ℎ
Hydraulic gradient, 𝑖 = 𝐻
2
ℎ1 = 𝑖 𝑥 𝑧1
At point A:
𝑝𝑇 = 𝛾𝑤 𝐻1
𝑝𝑤 = 𝛾𝑤 𝐻1
𝑝𝐸 = 𝑝𝑇 − 𝑝𝑊 = 0
At point B:
𝑝𝑇 = 𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 𝑧1 + 𝛾𝑤 𝐻1
𝑝𝑤 = 𝛾𝑤 (𝑧1 + 𝐻1 + ℎ1 )
𝑝𝐸 = 𝑝𝑇 − 𝑝𝑊 = 𝛾𝑏 𝑧1 − 𝛾𝑤 ℎ1

At point C:

𝑝𝑇 = 𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 𝐻2 + 𝛾𝑤 𝐻1

𝑝𝐸 = 𝑝𝑇 − 𝑝𝐸 = 𝛾𝑏 𝐻2 − 𝛾𝑤 ℎ

𝑝𝑤 = 𝛾𝑤 (𝐻2 + 𝐻1 + ℎ)

The seepage force per unit volume of soil is:

𝐹 = 𝑖 𝛾𝑤
 49

2.DOWNWARD SEEPAGE
ℎ
Hydraulic gradient, 𝑖 =
𝐻2
ℎ1 = 𝑖 𝑥 𝑧1
At point A:
𝑝𝑇 = 𝛾𝑤 𝐻1
𝑝𝑤 = 𝛾𝑤 𝐻1
𝑝𝐸 = 𝑝𝑇 − 𝑝𝑊 = 0
At point B:
𝑝𝑇 = 𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 𝑧1 + 𝛾𝑤 𝐻1
𝑝𝑤 = 𝛾𝑤 (𝑧1 + 𝐻1 − ℎ1 )
𝑝𝐸 = 𝑝𝑇 − 𝑝𝑊 = 𝛾𝑏 𝑧1 + 𝛾𝑤 ℎ1

At point C:

𝑝𝑇 = 𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 𝐻2 + 𝛾𝑤 𝐻1
𝑝𝑤 = 𝛾𝑤 (𝐻2 + 𝐻1 − ℎ)
𝑝𝐸 = 𝑝𝑇 − 𝑝𝐸 = 𝛾𝑏 𝐻2 + 𝛾𝑤 ℎ

The seepage force per unit volume of soil is:

𝐹 = 𝑖 𝛾𝑤

WPU-QSF-ACAD-82A Rev. 00 (09.15.20)

 50

EXAMPLE PROBLEM:

1. Consider the upward flow of water through a layer of sand in a tank shown. For
the sand, the following properies are given: e=0.40, G=2.6. Calculate the
following:
a. Effective stress at point A
b. Effective stress at point B
c. Upward seepage force per unit volume of soil.

SOLUTION:
51
 52

EXAMPLE PROBLEM:

2. Consider the downward flow of water through a layer of sand in a tank shown. For
the sand, the following properies are given: e=0.48, G=2.70. Determine the following:
a. Saturated unit weight of sand in kN/𝑚3
b. Effective stress at point A in kPa.
c. Effective stress at point B in kPa.

SOLUTION:
53
 54

EXAMPLE:
A soil profile consists of a clay layer underlain by a sand layers as shown. A tube is
inserted into the bottom sand layer and the water level rises to 1.2 m above the ground
surface. Determine:
a.Effective stress at point A
b.Effective stress at point B
c.Effective stress at point C

SOLUTIONS:
 55

WPU-QSF-ACAD-82A Rev. 00 (09.15.20)

56
 57

EFFECT OF CAPILLARY RISE TO SOIL STRESS

𝐂
𝐡𝟐 =
𝐞 𝐃𝟏𝟎

Approximate height of Capillary rise by

Hazen:
Where:
D10 = effective grain size
C = constant that varies from 10 to 50 𝑚𝑚2

The pore water pressure, pw, at a point in the layer of soil fully saturated by capillary rise is:

𝒑𝒘 = −𝜸𝒘 𝒉

Where h is the height of the point under consideration measured from the ground water table.

EFFECT OF CAPILLARY RISE TO SOIL STRESS

If a partial saturation is caused by capillary action, the pore water pressure, pw can
be approximated as:

𝒑𝒘 = −𝑺 𝜸𝒘 𝒉
Where S is the degree of saturation at the point under consideration.

At point A:
𝑝𝑇 = 𝛾1 ℎ1 + 𝛾2 ℎ2
𝑝𝑤 = −𝑆1 𝛾𝑤 ℎ3

At point B:
𝑝𝑇 = 𝛾1 ℎ1 + 𝛾2 ℎ
𝑝𝑤 = 0

At point C:
𝑝𝑇 = 𝛾1 ℎ1 + 𝛾2 ℎ + 𝛾3 ℎ4
𝑝𝑤 = 𝛾𝑤 ℎ4
 58

EXAMPLE PROBLEM:
A dense silt layer has the following properties: e = 0.40, D10 = 10 um, C=120𝑐𝑚2 . Free
ground water level is 8.0 m below the ground surface.
a. Find the height of capillary rise the silt.
b. Find the vertical effective stress in kPa at 5m depth. Assume unit weight of
solids=26.5 kN/𝑚3 and that the soil above the capillary action rise and ground
surface is partially saturated at 50%. (Consider the capillary saturated
condition of soil is different from that of below the water level)
c. Find the vertical effective stress at 10 m depth. Assume unit weight of
solids=26.5 kN/𝑚3 and that the soil above the capillary action rise and ground
surface is partially saturated at 50%.

SOLUTIONS:
59
 55

WPU-QSF-ACAD-82A Rev. 00 (09.15.20)

 55

PROBLEM SETS
I. A soil stresses caused by soil mass of having a unit weight of 15𝑘𝑁/𝑚3 deposited on loose
sand that acts within a depth of 3 meters.

1. Determine the vertical stresses of sand, kPa;

2. Calculate the horizontal stress of sand, kPa;
3. Assuming the water table is at ground surface, calculate the soil effective stresses if void is 0.89,
relative density is 2.98;
4. If the total weight of soil exist above the water table, determine its effective stress;

II. A concrete basement wall for a structure extends 1.25m below the ground water, the layer is
made of medium dense sand 1.25m below the ground surface of having a unit weight of
19.2kN/cu., and the depth of wall footing is 3m below the ground of having a submerged unit
weight of 10kN/cu.m.

5. Calculate the soil lateral pressure of the medium dense sand layer of 1.25m, kPa;
6. Determine the horizontal soil pressure acts on 3m below the ground, kPa;
7. Calculate the total lateral pressure, kPa;
8. Find the total vertical effective stress, kPa.

III. From given soil profile and properties of each layer. For layer 1 composed of 3m day sand
with void of 48%, relative density of 2.18. for layer 2, made of 4m sand which is at water table
of having a porosity of 40% and specific gravity of 2.75 and layer 3 composed of 2.5m clay with
water content and void of 40% and 1.30 respectively.

9. Calculate the effective stress at layer 1, kPa;

10. Calculate the effective stress at layer 2, kPa;
11. Calculate the total effective stress of the soil;
12. Calculate the hydraulic gradient that will cause boiling for layer 2 and 3;
13. How high should the water table so that the effective stress at bottom is 120kPa.

WPU-QSF-ACAD-82A Rev. 00 (09.15.20)