CHAPTER 4

SOIL STRESSES
 Introduction
• We have to know the distribution of stress at a
given depth to analyze the:

i) Compressibility of soils
ii) Bearing capacity of foundations
iii) Stability of embankments
iv) Lateral pressure on retaining structure
 Introduction
• In determining the stress distribution, we have
to know the stress that will be carried by
water and the stress to be carried by the solid
(soil skeleton).

• It is involved the effective stress concept

 STRESS DISTRIBUTION IN SOILS

Stresses at a point in a soil layer are caused by:

Added load (such as buildings,

embankments, rail track

Self weight of the soil layers

(Geostatic stresses)
 Effective stress concept
1. Water level is far away from the soil surface

Total stress, σ  γ dry  0  0

A Pore water pressure, u  γ w  0  0
Effective stress, σ'  σ  u  0

h1  dry Total stress, σ  γ dry  h1

B Pore water pressure, u  γ w  0  0
Effective stress, σ'  σ  u  γ dry h1

 sat
h2 Total stress, σ  γ dry h1  γ sat h 2
C Pore water pressure, u  γ w h 2
Effective stress, σ'  σ  u  γ dry h1  γ sat  γ w h 2
 Effective stress concept
1. Water level is at the soil surface

Total stress, σ  γ sat  0  0

A Pore water pressure, u  γ w  0  0
Effective stress, σ'  σ  u  0

h1 Total stress, σ  γ sat  h1

 sat B Pore water pressure, u  γ w  h1  0
Effective stress, σ'  σ  u  γ' h1

Total stress, σ  γ sat h1  h 2 

h2
C Pore water pressure, u  γ w h1  h 2 
Effective stress, σ'  σ  u  γ sat  γ w h1  h 2 
 Effective stress concept
1. Water level is above the soil surface

hw Total stress, σ  γ w h w
A Pore water pressure, u  γ w h w
Effective stress, σ'  σ  u  0

h1 Total stress, σ  γ w h w  γ sat (h 1 )

 sat B Pore water pressure, u  γ w h w  h1 
Effective stress, σ'  σ  u  γ sat  γ w h1 

Total stress, σ  γ sat h1  h 2 

h2
C Pore water pressure, u  γ w h1  h 2 
Effective stress, σ'  σ  u  γ sat  γ w h1  h 2 
 Effective stress concept
1. Water level is far away from the soil surface + uniform load

q (kN/m2)
Total stress, σ  q
A Pore water pressure, u  γ w  0  0
Effective stress, σ'  σ  u  q

h1  dry Total stress, σ  q  γ dry  h1

B Pore water pressure, u  γ w  0  0
Effective stress, σ'  σ  u  q  γ dry h1

 sat
h2 Total stress, σ  q  γ dry h1  γ sat h 2
C Pore water pressure, u  γ w h 2
Effective stress, σ'  σ  u  q  γ dry h1  γ sat  γ w h 2
Stresses in saturated soil with seepage
 The effective stress in soil is different from static condition when there
have upward or downward seepage of water.
 The effective stress for downward seepage is higher than upward
seepage

Upward seepage
Stresses in saturated soil with seepage

Downward seepage
Stresses in saturated soil with seepage
Example 1

A 9 m thick of stiff saturated soil clay underlain by a layer of sand. The

sand is under artesian pressure. Calculate the maximum depth of cut H
that can be made in the clay.
Stresses in saturated soil with seepage
Solution
 A  9  H  sat( clay)
u A  3.6 w

Heave occur when ’A is 0

 A  u A  9  H  sat( clay)  3.6 w  0

9  H 18  3.69.81  0
so, H 
918  3.69.81  7.04m
18
Stresses in saturated soil with seepage
Example 2

A cut is made in a stiff, saturated clay that is underlain by a layer of sand.

What should be the height of the water, h, in the cut so that the stability of
the saturated clay is not lost.
Stresses in saturated soil with seepage
Solution

 A  7  5 sat(clay)  h w  (2 19)  h(9.81) kN/m2

u A  4.5 w  4.5  9.81  44.15 kN/m 2

For loss of stability, ’ = 0

 A  uA  0
38  9.81h  44.15  0
so, h  0.63m
VERTICAL STRESS DUE TO LOADING
 Stress Due To a Point Load
assumed that the soil is elastic, homogeneous and isotropic
 Stress Due To a Point Load
X - AXIS

Horizontal stress in x   P  3 x 2
z  x 2
 y 2
y 2
z 
 5  (1  2 )  2  3 2 
2  L  Lr ( L  z ) L r  
x
direction

P 3 y 2 z  y2  x2 x2 z 
Horizontal stress in y  y   5  (1  2 )  2  3 2 
direction 2  L  Lr ( L  z ) L r  

3P z 3 3P z3
Vertical stress, z  z  
2 L 2 (rNOTE:
5 2
 z 2 )5 / 2
 
r  x2  y2  
 z  2   P I
P 3 1
z  2  r 2  5 2  z 2
L  x2  y2  z2  r 2  z2
 
1

 1 
 = Poisson’s Ratio  
 z  
 Stress Due To a Point Load
X - AXIS
 
 
P 3 1  P
Vertical stress  z  2  2 I1
 5 


 

 
z 2  r 2  2
z
1 
 
z

NOTE:
 Stress Due To a Line Load
X - AXIS

2qz 3
 
 x  z
2

2 2

2q
 

z  x z   1
2
2

 2


q z   x z 2  1 2 
 Stress Due To a Line Load
X - AXIS
 2

 
q z   x z 2  1 2

Note: The value of  does not include the overburden pressure of the
soil above point A
 Stress Due To a Uniformly Loaded Circular Area
X Example:
- AXIS circular foundation, water tank

 1 
  q1  

  
R z 2  1 
3 2
 Stress Due To a Uniformly Loaded Circular Area
X - AXIS
 Stress Due To a Rectangular Loaded Area
XMany
- AXISstructural foundations are rectangular. The increase in stress below
the corner of a rectangular are

 z  qI 3

Where;

q = Load per unit area

In radian

1  2m' n' m'2 n'2 1  m'2 n'2 2   2 m ' n ' m' 2

 n ' 2
1 
1 
I3   2 2  2 2   tan 
4  m' n' m' n' 1  m' n' 1   
 m' n' m' n' 1 
2 2 2 2 2 2

B L
m'  n' 
z z
Note: If the m’2+n’2+1< m’2n’2, add  to the angle.
 Stress Due To a
Rectangular
X - AXIS
Loaded
Area
The value of I3 also
can be determine
using this chart
 Stress Due To a Rectangular Loaded Area

The increase in stress below the center of a rectangular are

 c  qI c Where; q = Load per unit area

I c  f (m1 , n1 )
L z 2z
m1  n1  
B B B
2
Stress Due To a Rectangular Loaded Area
Lateral Earth Pressure
 Lateral Earth Pressure

Lateral earth pressure can be divided into:

1) At- rest pressure

2) Active Pressure
3) Passive Pressure
 At-rest Pressure

 γz

Coefficient of earth pressure at rest

 'h
Ko  Researchers K0 Note
 'o
Jaky (1944) ’ is drained friction
Ko  1  sin  ' angle
Mayne & Kulhawy For over consolidated
sin '
(1982) K o  (1  sin  ' )(OCR ) coarse grained soil

Massarsch (1979) For fine grained ,

 PI (%)  normally consolidated
K o  0.44  0.42 
 100  soils
How to calculate the total force per unit
length of the wall (Po)?

Po = ½ Ko’H2

1/3H

Ko’H
 Rankine’s Theory of active and passive earth
pressures
Rankine’s theory assumes that:

1) No friction on the wall

2) The wall at the soil interface is vertical
3) Can be used for horizontal and sloping backfill
 Rankine’s active earth pressures

 '   ' 
 'a  z tan 2  45    2c ' tan  45  
 2  2
 Rankine’s active earth pressures

 '   ' 
 'a  z tan  45    2c' tan  45  
2

 2  2

For cohesionless soil, c’=0

 ' 
 'a  z tan  45  
2

 2
So,

 'a 2 ' 
Ka   tan  45  
 'o  2
 Rankine’s active earth pressures

 '   ' 
 'a  z tan  45    2c' tan  45  
2

 2  2

For cohesion soil

 Rankine’s passive earth pressures

 '   ' 
 ' p  z tan 2  45    2c ' tan  45  
 2  2
 Rankine’s passive earth pressures

 '   ' 
 ' p  z tan  45    2c' tan  45  
2

 2  2

For cohesionless soil, c’=0

 ' 
 'a  z tan  45  
2

 2
So,

 'a 2 ' 
Kp   tan  45  
 'o  2
 Rankine’s passive earth pressures

 '   ' 
 ' p  z tan  45    2c' tan  45  
2

 2  2

For cohesion soil

Rankine’s active pressure with sloping granular
backfill

cos   cos 2   cos 2  '

K a  cos 
cos   cos 2   cos 2  '
 Coulomb’s Earth Pressure
Coulomb’s theory assume that:

1) Consider the wall friction

2) Consider sloping wall
3) Consider sloping backfill

cos 2  ' 
Ka 
sin  ' 'sin  '  
2

cos 2  cos ' 1  
 cos  '  cos     

cos 2  ' 
Kp 
sin  ' 'sin  '  
2

cos 2  cos ' 1  
 cos  '  cos     
 Coulomb’s Earth Pressure

cos 2  ' 
Ka 
sin  ' 'sin  '  
2

cos  cos ' 1 
2

 cos  '  cos     
 Coulomb’s Earth Pressure

cos 2  ' 
Kp 
sin  ' 'sin  '  
2

cos  cos ' 1 
2

 cos  '  cos     