Example 1: The soil profile at a site for a proposed office building consists of
a layer of fine sand 10.4 m thick above a layer of soft normally consolidated clay
2 m thick. Below the soft clay is a deposit of coarse sand. The groundwater table
was observed at 3 m below ground level. The void ratio of the sand is 0.76 and
the water content of the clay is 43%. The building will impose a vertical stress
increase of 140 kPa at the middle of the clay layer. Assume the soil above the
water table to be saturated, Cc = 0.3 and Gs = 2.7.
a) Estimate the primary consolidation settlement of the clay.
b) Assume the same soil stratigraphy as in Example 2-a. But now the clay is
overconsolidated with an OCR =2.5, w=38%, and Cr = 0.05. All other soil
values given in Example 2-a remain unchanged. Determine the primary
consolidation settlement of the clay.
c) Assume the same soil stratigraphy and soil parameters as in Example 2-b
except that the clay has an overconsolidation ratio of 1.5. Determine the
primary consolidation settlement of the clay.
SOLUTION:
a) Calculate σ'zo and e0 at the center of the clay layer.
𝐺𝑆 +𝑒 2.7+0.76
Sand: ɣsat = ( ) * ɣw = ( ) * 9.8 = 19.3 kN/m3
1+𝑒 1+0.76
𝐺𝑆 −1 2.7−1
ɣ' = ( ) * ɣw = ( ) * 9.8 = 9.5 kN/m3
1+𝑒 1+0.76
or ɣ' = ɣsat - ɣw = 19.3 – 9.8 = 9.5 kN/m3
Clay: e0 =w*Gs = 2.7 * 0.43 = 1.16
𝐺𝑆 −1 2.7−1
ɣ' = ( ) * ɣw = ( ) * 9.8 = 7.7 kN/m3
1+𝑒 1+1.16
The vertical effective stress at the mid-depth of the clay layer is
σ'zo = (19.3*3) + (9.5*7.4) + (7.7*1) = 135.9 kPa
Calculate the increase of stress at the mid-depth of the clay layer.
You do not need calculate Δσz: for this problem. It is given as Δσz: =
140 kPа.
σ'fin = σ'zo + Δσz = 135.9 + 140 =275.9 kPa
Calculate the primary consolidation settlement.
′
𝐻0 𝜎𝑓𝑖𝑛 2 275.9
δclay = cclog ′ = * 0.3log = 0.085 m = 85 mm
𝑒0 +1 𝜎𝑧0 1+1.16 135.9
b) Calculate σ'zo and e0 at mid-depth of the clay layer.
Clay: e0 =w*Gs = 2.7 * 0.38 = 1.03
𝐺𝑆 −1 2.7−1
ɣ' = ( ) * ɣw = ( ) * 9.8 = 8.2 kN/m3
1+𝑒 1+1.16
σ'zo = (19.3*3) + (9.5*7.4) + (8.2*1) = 136.4 kPa
Calculate the preconsolidation stress.
σ'zc = 136.4 * 2.5 = 341 kPa
σ'fin = σ'zo + Δσz = 136.4 + 140 =276.4 kPa
Check if σ'fin is less than or greater than σ'zc
σ'fin = 276.4 Kpa < σ'zc = 341 kPa
Calculate the total primary consolidation settlement.
′
𝐻0 𝜎𝑓𝑖𝑛 2 276.4
δclay = crlog ′ = * 0.05log = 0.015m = 15mm
𝑒0 +1 𝜎𝑧0 1+1.03 136.4
c) From Example 2-b, σ'zo = 136.4 kPa
Calculate the preconsolidation stress.
σ'zc = 136.4 * 1.5 = 204.6 kPa
σ'fin = σ'zo + Δσz = 136.4 + 140 =276.4 kPa
σ'fin = 276.4 Kpa > σ'zc = 204.6 kPa
′ ′
𝐻0 𝜎𝑧𝑐 𝜎𝑓𝑖𝑛 2 204.6
δclay = (crlog ′ + cclog ′ )= * (0.05log +
𝑒0 +1 𝜎𝑧0 𝜎𝑧𝑐 1+1.03 136.4
276.4
0.3log ) = 47 mm
204.6
Example 2: A soil profile is shown in the figure below. If a uniformly distributed
load, Δσ' is applied at the ground surface. What will be the settlement of the clay
layer caused by primary consolidation? We are given that σc' for the clay is 125
kN/m2 and Cs = (1/6*Cc). LL=40 for clay.
SOLUTION:
σ'o = (ɣdry(sand) *2m) + ((ɣsat(sand ) - ɣw) *5m) + ((ɣsat(sand ) - ɣw)*1.5m)
σ'o = 16 *2 + (18-9.81) * 5 + (19 – 9.81) * 1.5 = 86.74 kN/m2
σ'c = 125 kN/m2 > σ'0 = 86.74 kN/m2 Overconsolidated
Δσ + σ'o > σ'c
86.74 + 75 > 125
161.74 > 125
𝐻0 𝜎𝑐′ 𝜎0′ +Δσ
δclay = (cslog ′ + cclog )
𝑒0 +1 𝜎0 𝜎𝑐′
Cc = 0.009 (LL – 10) = 0.009 (40 – 10) = 0.27
1 1
Cr = Cs = Cc = ( 0.27) = 0.045
6 6
3 125 86.74+75
δclay = (0.045log + 0.27log ) = 0.0623 m = 62.3 mm
0.8+1 86.74 125
Example 3: The soil profile shown in the figure consists of a sand layer
at the top, a clay layer in the middle, and another sand layer at the
bottom. A uniformly distributed surface load of q = 95,76 kN/m2 is
applied at the ground surface. The groundwater table is located 1.5 m
below the ground surface, as shown in the figure. Point A is located
within the clay layer.
a) Determine the change in void ratio at point A, ΔeA , due to the
applied load.
b) Calculate the consolidation settlement of the clay layer, δclay.
SOLUTION :
a) Point A:
σ'v0 = σv0 – u0
U0 = 3*9.81 = 29.43 kN/m2
σv0 = ϒ1*1.5 + ϒ2*3 = 16.81 * 1.5 + 17.6 * 3 = 78 kN/m2
σ'v0 = 78 – 29.43 = 48.57 kN/m2
(𝜎𝑣′ )𝑐 (𝜎𝑣′ )𝑐
OCR = 1.2 =
𝜎𝑣′ 48.57
(σ'v)c = 1.2*48.57 = 58.3 kN/m2
After surface load applied:
σ'v-f = σ'v0 + Δσv = 48.57 + 95.76 = 144.33 kN/m2
σ'v-f > (σ'v)c 144.33 > 58.3 So,
𝜎𝑝′ ′ +𝛥𝜎
𝜎𝑣0
Δe = cr * log ( ′ ) + cc *log( )
𝜎𝑣0 𝜎𝑝′
58.3 144.33
Δe = 0.03 * log ( ) + 0.3 *log( ) = 0.12
48.57 58.3
𝛥𝑒 0.12
b) δclay = H * = 6* = 0.34 m = 34 cm
1+𝑒0 1+1.1