The University of New South Wales Soil Mechanics - CVEN2201

School of Civil & Environmental Engineering By Arman Khoshghalb

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TUTORIAL 7 Consolidation theory, One-dimensional settlement of soil deposits

1- For e versus logo curves given opposite, verify that the values given for the preconsolidation
pressure and the compression index of tests 9, 11 and 13 are correct (Holtz et al.).

The University of New South Wales Soil Mechanics - CVEN2201
School of Civil & Environmental Engineering By Arman Khoshghalb

2

2- The pressure versus void ratio data determined
from a consolidation test on an undisturbed clay
specimen is as opposite (Holtz et al.).
(a) Plot the pressure versus void ratio curve on
both arithmetic and semi-logarithmic graphs.
(b) What are the compression, recompression,
modified compression and modified recompression
indices for this soil?
(c) Estimate the stress to which this clay has been
preconsolidated.

3- As part of a construction project, a 7.5 m thick layer of clay is to be loaded with a temporary
3 m thick sand layer, as shown in the figure. The figure shows the water-table location, soil
unit weights, and the compression curve properties for the clay. Assume the sand layer
remains dry.
(a) Calculate the value of o

i
in the middle of the clay layer (at 3.75 m below the water table)
before the sand layer is applied, and after consolidation is complete.
(b) Based on your answer in part (a), and the compression curve characteristics, calculate the
settlement that will occur
under these conditions.
(c) How much will the
clay layer heave when the
3 m sand layer is
removed? (Holtz et al.)


4- The following consolidation test data were
obtained from a soil sample. For this clay, LL=85,
PL=38,
s
= 2.70 Mg/m
3
and w = 102.4%.
Initially, the specimen height was 2.54 cm and its
volume was 75.14 cm3.
(a) Plot the data as void ratio versus log pressure.
Evaluate the preconsolidation pressure and the
virgin compression index.
(b) Construct the field virgin compression curve
using the Schmertmann procedure for an OCR of
unity and evaluate the field virgin compression
index.
(c) Construct the field virgin compression curve using the Schmertmann procedure for an
OCR=2.5 and evaluate the field virgin compression index.
(d) At the midpoint of a 7.5 m thick soil layer, the void ratio is 1.9. Find this point on the
field virgin compression curve determined in part (b). What is the corresponding pressure? If
this pressure is doubled over the entire site, compute the consolidation settlement of the
layer.
(e) Using the appropriate empirical relationships, estimate the compression and
recompression indices for this clay. How well the empirical relationships agree with the
laboratory data? (Holtz et al.)
Pressure (kPa) Void ratio
20 0.864
40 0.853
80 0.843
160 0.830
320 0.785
640 0.696
1280 0.602
320 0.628
80 0.663
20 0.704
0 0.801
Pressure (kPa) Void ratio
0 2.743
5 2.712
10 2.703
20 2.679
40 2.541
80 2.211
160 1.849
320 1.486
640 1.224
160 1.285
40 1.374
5 1.499
The University of New South Wales Soil Mechanics - CVEN2201
School of Civil & Environmental Engineering By Arman Khoshghalb

3

5- A large oil storage tank 90 m
in diameter is to be
constructed on the soil
profile shown opposite.
Average depth of the oil in
the tank is 18 m, and the
specific gravity of the oil is
0.92. Consolidation tests on
a sample taken from the
middle of the clay layer yield
C
cs
= u.1S4, C
s
= u.u112
and o
pc
i
= 26u kPo.
Estimate the maximum total
consolidation settlement of
the tank. Neglect any
settlements in the sand. Work this problem:
(a) Assuming conditions at the mid-depth of the clay are typical of the entire clay layer
(b) Dividing the clay layer into four thinner layers.
Use Boussinesq method to find the stress increase due to the oil tank and assume that the
initial void ratio is constant throughout the clay layer (Holtz et al.).


6- Three uniformly distributed loads of 100 kPa each are applied to 1u 1u m square areas on
the soil profile shown in the figure below. Undisturbed samples of the clay were taken prior
to construction, and consolidation tests indicated that the average preconsolidation stress is
about 110 kPa, the average compression index is 0.50, and the average recompression index
is 0.02. Estimate the total consolidation settlement for the clay layer only under the centre of
the middle loaded area (Holtz et al.).














The University of New South Wales Soil Mechanics - CVEN2201
School of Civil & Environmental Engineering By Arman Khoshghalb

4


7- A 4m thick fill is to be placed (over a large
area) on the soil profile shown opposite. The
consolidation tests performed at points A and B
yielded the following results:

Sample C
c
C
r
c
0
o
pc
i
(kPo)
A 0.37 0.14 1.2 83
B 0.59 0.19 1.9 100

If the unit weight of the fill is 20 kN/m
3
,
determine the ultimate consolidation settlement
of the fill at the ground surface. One-point
settlement calculation using conditions at the
middle of each layer would be adequate;
however the void ratio should not be assumed
constant (with depth) in the clay layers.



8- Figure opposite shows a
proposed site where an
excavation will be made.
The 3m layer of sand will
be removed, so that the top
of the 8m normally
consolidated clay layer will
be exposed. Assume full
capillarity in the clay only.
(a) Assume that the water-
table location remains the
same during excavation. Compute the o

, u and o

i
values at the middle of the clay layer
before and after the excavation.
(b) Assuming 1-D conditions, compute how much the clay layer will deform due to this
excavation. Specify whether this is settlement or heave.





Answers: Q2: b) C
c
= u.S, C

= u.u6, C
cs
= u.16, C
s
= u.uS c) o
pc
,
= SSu kPo
Q3: a) Before applying the sand layer: 4u.1 kPo; After completing the consolidation: 88.1 kPo
b) 16.2 cm c) 7.7 cm
Q4: a) C
c
= 1.2, o
pc
,
= S9 kP b) C
c
= 1.SS c) C
c
= 1.S2 d) 164 kPo, 1uS cm e) C
c
u.67,
C

u.uS to u.u7, Not good

Q5: a) SS cm b) S7 cm Q6: 7.S cm Q7: S1.S cm
Q8: a) Before excavation: o

= 127.2 kPo, u = 29.4 kPo, o

i
= 97.8 kPo;
After excavation: o

= 7S.4 kPo, u = 29.4 kPo, o

i
= 46.u kPo b) 11.7 cm - heave


Soft Clay
Medium Clay
Bed rock
WT
6m
Silty sand
= 15 kN/m
3

= 17.5 kN/m
3

= 17 kN/m
3

= 16 kN/m
3

4m
2.1m
3.5m
A
B
1.7m
3.3m
3m
8m
1m 1m
18.85 kN/m
3

C
c
= 0.4
C
r
= 0.08
17.28 kN/m
3