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Tawanda Sydney Sibanda
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53 views

Worked Examples

Uploaded by

Tawanda Sydney Sibanda
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Faculty of Engineering

Department of Civil and Water Engineering

Geotechnical Engineering

Worked example Calculations

1. GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES


Example 1.1
(a) Determine the corrected SPT (N1)60 for the following measured SPT N values
1. Nm of 4 at a depth of 2.1m
2. Nm of 18 at a depth of 5.5m
3. Nm of 12 at a depth of 22m
(b) Calculate the Cyclic Resistance Ratio (CRR) given that the % of fines is
i. 62% at 2.1m
ii. 25% at 5.5m
iii. 3% at 22m
(c) Given that the peak ground acceleration is 0.16g and the water table level is at a depth of
4.3m as shown below determine the Cyclic Stress Ratio CSR at the 2.1m, 5.5m and 22m
depth

(d) Determine the Factor of Safety for each soil layer


(e) What conclusion can you draw
(f) Determine the Liquefaction potential Index and its severity
Example 1.2
6m deep stone columns with a diameter of 0.75m were designed to support a building load of
120kPa. The stones have an angle of internal friction of 40deg. Given that the columns were
constructed in soil with a friction angle of 0 deg, unit weight of 16kN/m3, cohesion of 20kPa
and𝜇𝑠 = 1/3 for a 1.5m x 1.5m cell determine:
a) The basic improvement factor
b) The reduced improvement factor
c) The improvement factor with overburden constraint
d) The shear strength of the improved soil
e) The safety factor against bulging

Example 1.3
A site measuring 10km2 is to undergo dynamic compaction. The geology consists of saturated
loose sand 6m deep. Given that the compactor weighs 32T, 1.5m in diameter, the height of
fall is 15m and the number of drops N is 18. Determine
a. i. The number of passes required
i. The induced settlement
b. What would be the induced settlement if the soil consists of loose clay with Cu = 25kPa

Example 1.4
Design a soil nail system for the configuration shown below given that the nails are to be rotary
drilled in silt soil. L= 13.3m, C = 42kPa, 𝛾 = 18.8kN/m3, 𝜑 = 22.5o, FS = 1.5

Example 1.5
a) What is the allowable geogrid tensile strengthtobe used in the constructionof
an unpaved road separating stone base from sub-grade soil if the ultimate
strengthof the geogridis 80kN/m, FS = 1.2
b) Whatis the allowable geogrid tensile strengthto be used in the construction of
a permanent wall adjacent toa major highway if theultimate strength of the
geogrid is 70kN/m,FS = 1.5
c) For the configuration below determine a suitable reinforcement fora
geotextile whose ultimate tensile strength is 180kN/m, RfID = 1.3, RFCR =
2.5, RFD = 1.2. There is no ground water (i.e ru = 0). The factor of safety is
1.5
d) How would your solution change if there was no surcharge
2. SLOPE STABILITY

Example 2.1
Use the Bishop’s simplified method of slices to determine the factor of safety for the slope
detailed in the figure below. The unit weight of the soil is 20KN/m3. The characteristic values
of shear strength parameters are c=0, 𝜑= 33o.

Example 2.2
For the slope profile shown below, the ground water regime is represented by steady seepage
with pore pressures given by the water table level shown. Determine the factor of safety on
the slip surface shown using the Swedish method of slices. The unit weight of the soil
material is 22kN/m3, c = 3 kPa and 𝜑 = 26°
3. LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE
Example 3.1
An 8m high retaining wall retains a soil comprised of two 4m thick layers with the following
properties:
Upper layer- c= 10 kPa, 𝜑=18o, 𝛾= 18kN/m3
Lower layer- c = 0KPa, 𝜑=35o, 𝛾= 18kN/m3
a) For a surface load of 50 kPa, determine the active force and its distance from the base of
the wall

b) Assume that the water table is located 2m below the ground surface. The saturated unit
weight of both layers is 19.5 KN/m3

Example 3.2
An excavation 5.5m deep in cohesionless soil is supported by a vertical cantilever sheet pile
wall. The piling extends to a depth 3.6m below the bottom of the excavation. The density of
the soil is 19.2KN/m3 and 𝜑= 33o. The water table may be assumed to be below the bottom
of the piles.
a) Find the thrust on the wall per horizontal meter, neglecting wall friction.
b) Find also what proportion of the maximum passive
resistance is being mobilized on the embedded portion of the piles, stating clearly any
simplifying assumptions made

Example 3.3
A braced excavation is required in soft clay, as shown in Figure below. A stiff clay layer is
located 5.9 m from the surface. Determine the load on the struts per meter length and the
factor of safety against bottom heave. The length of the excavation is 12 m.

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