Critical-State Soil Mechanics
For Dummies
Paul W. Mayne, PhD, P.E.
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA 30332-0355
[Link]
Email: [Link]@[Link]
2006
PROLOGUE
Critical-state soil mechanics is an effective stress framework
describing mechanical soil response
In its simplest form here, we consider only shear-induced
loading.
We merely tie together two well-known concepts: (1) onedimensional consolidation behavior, represented by e-log v
curves; and (2) shear stress-vs. normal stress ( v) from
direct shear box or simple shearing.
Herein, only the bare essence of CSSM concepts are presented,
sufficient to describe strength & compressibility response.
Critical State Soil Mechanics (CSSM)
Experimental evidence provided by Hvorslev (1936; 1960, ASCE); Henkel
(1960, ASCE Boulder) Henkel & Sowa (1961, ASTM STP 361)
Mathematics presented elsewhere, including: Schofield & Wroth (1968);
Burland (1968); Wood (1990).
In basic form: 3 material constants (', Cc, Cs)
OCR)
Constitutive Models, include: Original Cam-Clay, Modified Cam Clay, NorSand,
Bounding Surface, MIT-E3 (Whittle, 1993) & MIT-S1 (Pestana) and others
(Adachi, Oka, Ohta, Dafalias)
plus initial state (e0, vo',
"Undrained" is just one specific stress path
Yet !!! CSSM is missing from most textbooks and undergrad & grad curricula
in the USA.
One-Dimensional Consolidation
Sandy Clay (CL), Surry, VA: Depth = 27 m
1.0
vo'=300 kPa
Void Ratio, e
0.9
p'=900
Cr = 0.04
kPa
Overconsolidation Ratio, OCR = 3
0.8
Cs = swelling index (= Cr)
0.7
cv = coef. of consolidation
D' = constrained modulus
0.6
Ce = coef. secondary compression
Cc = 0.38
k hydraulic conductivity
0.5
1
10
100
1000
Effective Vertical Stress,
svo'
(kPa)
v
10000
Direct Shear Test Results
s
Direct Shear Box (DSB)
Direct Simple Shear (DSS)
CC
NC
CSL
Void Ratio, e
Void Ratio, e
CSSM for Dummies
CSL
Effective stress v'
Shear stress
Log v'
CSSM Premise:
All stress paths fail
on the critical state
line (CSL)
NC
c=0
CSL
tan '
Effective stress v'
CC
e0
ef
NC
Void Ratio, e
Void Ratio, e
CSSM for Dummies
NC
CSL
CSL
STRESS PATH No.1
NC Drained Soil
Given: e0, vo, NC (OCR=1)
Drained Path: u = 0
Volume Change is Contractive:
vol = e/(1+e0) < 0
Effective stress v'
Shear stress
Log v'
vo
c=0
max = c + tan
CSL
tan'
vo
Effective stress v'
CC
e0
NC
Void Ratio, e
Void Ratio, e
CSSM for Dummies
NC
CSL
CSL
vf
vo
Effective stress v'
Log v'
Given: e0, vo, NC (OCR=1)
Undrained Path: V/V0 = 0
+u = Positive Excess
Porewater Pressures
Shear stress
STRESS PATH No.2
NC Undrained Soil
CSL
tan'
maxcu=su
vf
vo
Effective stress v'
CSSM for Dummies
NC
CSL
Void Ratio, e
Void Ratio, e
CC
DSS: su/ voNC = sin
Shear stress
su/ vo = constant
CSL
Effective stress v'
Log v'
Note: All NC undrained
stress paths are parallel
to each other, thus:
NC
CSL
tan'
Effective stress v'
CS
NC
Void Ratio, e
CC
OC
NC
CSL
CSL
Log v'
Effective stress v'
p'
Overconsolidated States:
e0, vo, and OCR = p/ vo
where p = vmax = Pc =
preconsolidation stress;
OCR = overconsolidation ratio
CSL
Shear stress
Void Ratio, e
CSSM for Dummies
tan'
Effective stress v'
p'
CSSM for Dummies
CS
NC
Void Ratio, e
e0
OC
NC
CSL
CSL
vo'
vf'
Effective stress v'
Log v'
Stress Path No. 3
Undrained OC Soil:
e0, vo, and OCR
Stress Path: V/V0 = 0
Negative Excess u
Shear stress
Void Ratio, e
CC
CSL
u
vo'
tan
'
Effective stress v'
CSSM for Dummies
CS
NC
Void Ratio, e
e0
OC
NC
CSL
CSL
vo'
Effective stress v'
Log v'
Stress Path No. 4
Drained OC Soil:
e0, vo, and OCR
Stress Path: u = 0
Dilatancy: V/V0 > 0
CSL
Shear stress
Void Ratio, e
CC
tan
'
vo'
Effective stress v'
Critical state soil mechanics
Initial state: e0, vo, and OCR = p/vo
Soil constants: , Cc, and Cs ( = 1-Cs/Cc)
For NC soil (OCR =1):
Undrained (vol = 0): +u and max = su = cu
Drained (u = 0) and contractive (decrease vol)
For OC soil:
Undrained (vol = 0): -u and max = su = cu
Drained (u = 0) and dilative (Increase vol)
Theres more !
Semi-drained, Partly undrained, Cyclic..
Equivalent Stress Concept
NC
e0
ep
CS
p'
Void Ratio, e
Void Ratio, e
CC
NC
OC
CSL
CSL
vf' e' Log v'
1. OC State (eo, vo, p)
2. Project OC state to NC
line for equivalent stress, e
e = Cs log(p/vo)
e = Cc log(e/p)
3. e = vo OCR[1-Cs/Cc]
Shear stress
vo'
p'
Effective stress v'
CSL
tan
'
su
at e
suOC = suNC
vo'
e '
Stress v'
Critical state soil mechanics
Previously: su/vo = constant for NC soil
On the virgin compression line: vo = e
Thus: su/e = constant for all soil (NC & OC)
For simple shear: su/e = sin
Equivalent stress: e = vo OCR[1-Cs/Cc]
Normalized Undrained Shear Strength:
su/ vo = sin OCR
where = (1-Cs/Cc)
Undrained Shear Strength from CSSM
Undrained Shear Strength from CSSM
Porewater Pressure Response from CSSM
Yield Surfaces
NC
NC
Void Ratio, e
Void Ratio, e
CSL
OC
OC
p'
CSL
p'
Yield surface represents
3-d preconsolidation
Quasi-elastic behavior
within the yield surface
Normal stress v'
CSL
Shear stress
Log v'
Normal stress v'
Port of Anchorage, Alaska
Cavity Expansion Critical State Model for Evaluating
OCR in Clays from Piezocone Tests
O CR
qT ub
1
2
1 .9 5 M 1 v o '
where M = 6 sin/(3-sin)
and
= 1 Cs/Cc
fs
ub
qc qT
0.8
1/
Critical state soil mechanics
Initial state: e0, vo, and OCR = p/vo
Soil constants: , Cc, and Cs ( = 1-Cs/Cc)
Using effective stresses, CSSM addresses:
NC and OC behavior
Undrained vs. Drained (and other paths)
Positive vs. negative porewater pressures
Volume changes (contractive vs. dilative)
su/vo = sin OCR where = 1-Cs/Cc
Yield surface represents 3-d preconsolidation