TR334: Tutorial on effective stresses

1. The strata at the bottom of Suguti valley consists of 3m of gravely SAND

overlying 12m of clay. Beneath the clay is fissured BEDROCK of high
permeability. Water table in the sand is 0.6m below ground level. Water in the
fissured Bedrock is under artesian pressure corresponding to a standpipe
(piezometer) level of 6m above ground level. Unit weights of the soil are: Sand
(above the water table) 16.8kN/m3, Sand (below the water table) 20.8kN/m3
Clay (saturated) 21.6kN/m3, Water 9.8kN/m3.
Plot total and effective vertical stresses against depth for the following cases:
(a) The initial ground water levels
(b) Starting at case (a), the water level in the sand is rapidly lowered 1.8m by
pumping consider both the short-term and the long-term conditions
(c) Starting at case (a), the water level in the sand is unchanged, but installation
of relief wells rapidly lower the water pressure in the fissured Bedrock by 5.5m
consider both short-term and the long term conditions
(d) Starting at case (a) the relief wells mentioned in case (c) instead are
pumped to reduce the water level in the fissure bedrock to 15m below ground
level consider both short and long term conditions.

TR334: Tutorial on effective stresses

6.0m

0.6m

(a) Initial condition

kPa

3.0m Gravel
gd = 16.8kN/m3
gsat = 20.8kN/m3

10.1
60
23.5 36.5

21m

12.0m Clay
gsat = 21.6kN/m3

'v
p.w.p, u

206.0

Fissured
Sandstone

z (m)

113.2

319.2

TR334: Tutorial on effective stresses

(b) From case (a), the water level in the sand is rapidly
lowered 1.8m by pumping

6.0m

2.4m

3.0m Gravel
gd = 16.8kN/m3
gsat = 20.8kN/m3

(i) Short-term condition kPa

40.3

5.9
16.3

21m

12.0m Clay
gsat = 21.6kN/m3

36.5

198.8

Fissured
Sandstone

z (m)

40.3

52.8

p.w.p, u

(ii) Long-term condition kPa

5.9

'v

46.9

52.8

v
p.w.p, u

113.2

312.0

z (m)

206.0

'v

106

312.0

TR334: Tutorial on effective stresses

(c) From case (a), relief wells rapidly lower the water
pressure in the fissured bedrock by 5.5m

0.6m

15.5m

3.0m Gravel
gd = 16.8kN/m3
gsat = 20.8kN/m3

12.0m Clay
gsat = 21.6kN/m3

(i) Short-term condition kPa

10.1

10.1
60

60

23.5 36.5

23.5 36.5

p.w.p, u

206.0

'v

v
p.w.p, u

113.2

152

319.2

Fissured
Sandstone z (m)

(ii) Long-term condition kPa

z (m)

'v

167.2

319.2

TR334: Tutorial on effective stresses

(d) From case (a), relief wells reduce water level to 15.0m b.g.l.
0.6m

3.0m Gravel
gd = 16.8kN/m3
gsat = 20.8kN/m3

(i) Short-term condition kPa

(ii) Long-term condition kPa

10.1

10.1
60

60

23.5 36.5

23.5 36.5

u
12.0m Clay
gsat = 21.6kN/m3

v
p.w.p, u

206.0

'v

'v

113.2

319.2

319.2

Fissured
Sandstone z (m)

z (m)

319.2

TR334: Tutorial on effective stresses

2.Assuming sheet pile walls are used to cut-off water and pumping
is used to keep conditions dry, to what depth can a wide
be madesheet
into the
before
bottom
blows up
excavation
2. Assuming
pileclay
walls
arethe
used
to cut-off
(neglecting
side shear):
water and
pumping is used to keep conditions

dry, to what depth can a wide excavation be

a) made
With theinto
initialthe
artesian
the fissured
clay pressure
beforeinthe
bottomBedrock.
blows up
(neglecting side shear):
b) With relief wells rapidly reducing the pressure in the fissured
a)
With the initial artesian pressure in the fissured
Bedrock to 0.6m above ground level.
Bedrock
b)With
reliefwells
wells
rapidly
pressure
in
c) With relief
reducing
the reducing
pressure in the
the fissured
Bedrock
the
fissured
Bedrock
to 0.6m above ground level.
to 15m
below ground
level.
c) With relief wells reducing the pressure in the
fissured Bedrock to 15m below ground level

TR334: Tutorial on effective stresses

2(a)
Height of clay to balance water pressure =
206.0kPa

6.0m

0.6m

21m

Therefore excavation depth, h = 12.0 9.54 =

2.46m
2(b)
Height of clay to balance water pressure = 9.81
X 15.6 = 153kPa
Therefore excavation depth, h = 12.0 7.08 =
4.92m
2(c)
No heaving/ blowingup

TR334: Tutorial on effective stresses

Kigamboni Bridge construction site, 31/11/2014, 15 -16hrs EAT

TR334: Tutorial on effective stresses

3.(a) A dry excavation 9m in depth (below GL) is required. If
total verticalsheet
stress to
uplift
pressure
of 1.3 istorequired
ratio
2. ofAssuming
pile
walls
are used
cut-offfor
safety
to what
must the
the fissured
bedrock
water
anddepth
pumping
iswater
usedlevel
to inkeep
conditions
bedry,
lowered?
to what depth can a wide excavation be

made into the clay before the bottom blows up

(b)(neglecting
If the coefficient
of volume compressibility mv is 1.87X10-4
side shear):
2/kN, to what extent would the clay layer outside of the
m
a) With the initial artesian pressure in the fissured
excavation
Bedrockeventually decrease in thickness if the artesian
pressure were permanently lower by the amount you calculated in
b)With
relief wells rapidly reducing the pressure in
3(a)?
the fissured Bedrock to 0.6m above ground level.
c) With relief wells reducing the pressure in the
fissured Bedrock to 15m below ground level

TR334: Tutorial on effective stresses

3(a)
At surface of sandstone v = 6 X 21.6kPa =
129.6kPa

6.0m

0.6m

9.0m

Required value of u =

.
.

Therefore max. head of water, hw =

hw

.
.

3(b)
Settlement S = vhcmv
At clay surface v = 0kPa
At clay bottom v = u = 9.81 X (6.0 + 4.8) =
105.8kPa
Settlement = (0+105.8)/2 X 1.87X10-4 X 12 =
0.119m