Professional Documents
Culture Documents
No 5
Immediate Settlement
and
Consolidation Settlement
Contents:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Compression of Soils
Immediate Settlement
Consolidation Settlement
One Dimensional Consolidation Test
5.
General
Application of Load
Recording the Settlement
Interpretation of Results
Magnitude of Settlement
Rate of Settlement
Interpretation of Test Results
Design Calculation Example 3
1. Compression of Soil
Elastic deformation or immediate settlement
occurs immediately & is recoverable
only a small amount of settlement
assessed by Youngs modulus of soil
Consolidation or primary settlement
decrease in volume of voids
only recoverable to an extent - reduction in overburden pressure
for foundation design
Plastic deformation or secondary consolidation
lateral flow of soil particles
not recoverable
difficult to determine
Creep
collapse of fibrous matter
organic soils e.g. peat
difficult to determine
2. Immediate Settlement
Find values of I and Eu
To find I use influence charts (Janbu,
Bejerrum & Kjaernsli: 1956) I=
P=125kN/m2
L
1m
B
Very loose H1
E =10MN/m
to loose
SAND
u
2.5m
3m
Eu=70MN/m
0.85
Dense
SAND
}
}
1/2 = 0.5
D/B = 2/2 = 1
L/B = 2.5/2 = 1.25
H1/B =
D/B =
L/B =
H2/B =
H2
0.5
= 0.85
= 0.5
Eu
=10.6mm
P=125kN/m2
1m
Very loose H1
E =10MN/m
to loose
SAND
u
2.5m
3m
Eu=70MN/m
Dense
SAND
Eu = 10
MN/m2
Eu = 70
MN/m2
H2
Eu= 70
MN/m2
Eu = 70
MN/m2
P=125kN/m2
L
1m
B
Very loose H1
E =10MN/m
to loose
SAND
u
2.5m
3m
Eu=70MN/m
Dense
SAND
}
}
D/B = 1/2 = 0.5
2/2 = 1 }
L/B =
5.5/2 = 2.75 }
H /B =
1/2 = 0.5
D/B = 2/2 = 1
L/B = 2.5/2 = 1.25
H1/B =
= 0.85
= 0.5
Eu
=10.6mm
= 0.85
H2
= 0.6
70 H
70 H1(dense sand)
2
0.5
3. Consolidation Settlement
Consolidation in a fully saturated soil
apply a load
increase in PWP
pressure increase is gradually taken by the soil
particles
Sand - very
quick - can only
be tested in situ
e.g. SPT
Rate of load transfer of load from water to soil depends on permeability of soil
Application of load
Pressure
(kN/m2)
Sample Thickness
(mm)
0
1
2
0
75
150
19.1
3
4
300
600
dH (1 e)
de
H
The initial void ratio, at
the start, of the test may
be estimated from the
following:
18.711
18.495
18.206
17.823
de
dH (1 0.656)
19.1
= dH x 0.0867
s
2.65Mg / m3
eo
1 eo
1
3
1.60 Mg / m
d
= 0.656
Coefficient of compressibility mv
mv
1 H
.
H
or
1
(0.656 0.545)
mv
.
1 0.656
(600 0)
mv
1 e
.
1 e P
= 1.1x10-4 m2/kN
e
e e1
'
0.700
0.650
Cc
0.600
0.550
0.500
0
200
400
600
800
consolidation settlement:
C
'
sc c log 1 H
'
1 e
0.105
log 1000
19.1
100
1 0.656
=1.21mm
1.27mm
0.650
0.625
e
sc
Compression index
Cc - slope of the linear
0.700
0.600
0.550
0.520
0.500
1
10
log '
100
1000
Preconsolidation Pressure
A normally-consolidated clay has not been subject to a stress higher than its present-day
overburden stress, whereas an over-consolidated clay has (in the past) been subject to greater
stress.1
Maximum effective stress acted on the
soil in the past - melting of ice sheets,
erosion of overburden pressure or rise
in the water table
A
D
1) Produce back the straight
line part (BC) of the curve.
Log
Rate of Settlement
log time
0.848d 2
cv
t90
0.196d 2
cv
t50
where:
U = degree of consolidation 90% or 50%(m2/yr)
t90 = time at 90% consolidation (mins)
t50 = time at 90% consolidation (mins)
d = average thickness of specimen (mm)
NB only use one set of values from a particular stress range (i.e. 200kN/m2
a loading increment stage appreciate to the stress range required)
Settlement
or void ratio
or dial
gauge
e.g. AB = 8.62
AC = 8.62 x 1.15 = 9.91
0.848d 2
cv
t90
U=90%
A
A
See worked example
t90
C
time
k
cv
mv w
U=0%
dH
dH
A
B
1
4
A
B
0.196d 2
cv
t50
U=50%
Dial gauge
Primary
consolidation
Secondary
consolidation
U=100%
t50
Log time
Initial compression
(parabolic curve)
Intersection of 2 linear
portions is U = 100%
Midway point U=50%
k
cv
mv w
P+dP
dH
soil
mv = 1 . dH
H dP
soil
or
dH mv .dP.H
dH mv . v .H
mv = volume change per increase in effective stress
(m2/MN) inverse of pressure
Amount of
Consolidation Settlement
Sand
dH mv . v .H
where:
mv
mv1
v1
H1
mv2
v2
H2
mv3
v3
H3
Clay
Use thinner
layers because
the stress will
change
significantly
over a thick
layer
=55.8kN/m2
1.5m
0.75m
=H
1m
1.875
dH mv . v .H
1m m L 1 0.53
z 1.875
B
1
n
0.53
z 1.875
I = 0.093
dH mv .dP.H
dH 0.8 103 55.8 0.75 = 0.03348m => 33.48mm
m m 2 / kN kN / m 2 m
Structural safety
Appearance of the
building
Limitations imposed by
special equipment
Settlement:
Q6.
(a) A flexible foundation 3 m x 1 m is to be at a depth of 1 m in a clay. The foundation transmits a uniform net
stress of 125 kN/m2 to the soil. The clay is 3 m thick, has undrained modulus (E u) of 46 MN/m2 and is underlain
by sandstone. Determine the average immediate settlement the clay will undergo.
(b) A layer of clay 5 m thick with a bulk unit weight () of 20 kN/m3 overlies a sand. The clay is in turn overlain
by a 3 m thick layer of sand ( = 18.3 kN/m3). Consolidation tests reveal the clay to have a coefficient of volume
change (mv) of 4 x l0-4m2/kN and a coefficient of consolidation (cv) of 5x10-8 m2/s. A structure is to be erected
quickly, ultimately imposing a uniform stress of 150 kN/m2 on a raft foundation 8 m square, the base of which is
located 2 m below the surface of the upper sand. Stress changes at the mid-height of the clay may be regarded
as being representative of the whole layer. Construct a time settlement curve for the foundation due to the
consolidation of the clay for a period of 3 years.
Charts of Janbu coefficients, Fadums Influence factors, and degree of consolidation versus time factor are
shown in the attached Figs. Q6(a), Q6(b) and Q6(c) respectively.
(a) A flexible foundation 3 m x 1 m is to be at a depth of 1 m in a clay. The foundation transmits a uniform net
stress of 125 kN/m2 to the soil. The clay is 3 m thick, has undrained modulus (E u) of 46 MN/m2 and is underlain by
sandstone. Determine the average immediate settlement the clay will undergo.
3m
1m
1m
125kN/m2
PBI
Eu
CLAY
3m
Eu = 46MN/m2
kN
m2
m 1000 mm
2
m
MN 1000 kN
SANDSTONE
1/1 = 1
D/B = 3/1 = 3
L/B = 3/1 = 3
H1/B =
}
}
= 0.82
= 0.70
46
0.82
0.71
=1.6mm
(b) A layer of clay 5 m thick with a bulk unit weight () of 20 kN/m3 overlies a sand. The clay is in turn overlain
by a 3 m thick layer of sand ( = 18.3 kN/m3). Consolidation tests reveal the clay to have a coefficient of volume
change (mv) of 4 x l0-4m2/kN and a coefficient of consolidation (cv) of 5x10-8 m2/s. A structure is to be erected
quickly, ultimately imposing a uniform stress of 150 kN/m2 on a raft foundation 8 m square, the base of which is
located 2 m below the surface of the upper sand. Stress changes at the mid-height of the clay may be regarded as
being representative of the whole layer. Construct a time settlement curve for the foundation due to the
consolidation of the clay for a period of 3 years. [13]
8m
2m
150kN/m2
8m
SAND
= 18.3kN/m2
CLAY
= 20kN/m2
mv =4x10-4m2/kN
cv = 5x10-8m2/s
8m
2m
150kN/m2
SAND
= 18.3kN/m3
1m
2.5m
8m
P 150
kN
kN
2
m
18.3
m2
m3 2
P 113.4kN / m 2
5m
v 4( I z P)
where I z m n L
3.5
1.14
1.14
0.185
v 4( I z P)
4 0.185 113.4
83.92kN / m 2
1.14
v mv H
dH mv .dP.H
2
kN
m
83.92 2 4 104
5m
m
kN
cv t
Tv 2
d
where:
Sand
cv = 5x10-8m2/s
t = time in days = variable
d = H/2 =2.5
Clay
H=5m
Sand
Tv
5 108 m 2 / s t days
2.52 m 2
8 109 t days
Tv
60 60 24
s
seconds to days
Tabulate
Years
Days (t)
Tv
U from graph
x u
1/4
1/2
3/4
91.25
0.06
182.5
0.13
273.75
0.19
365
0.25
0.11
19
0.25
42
0.35
60
0.46
78
0.11
1 1/2
2 1/2
3 1/2
547.5
0.38
730
0.50
912.5
0.63
1095
0.76
1277.5
0.88
0.59
100
0.70
119
0.79
134
0.84
143
0.88
150
0.06
Years
Years
0.00
0.00
0
0
20
20
Settlement
Settlement
40
40
60
60
80
100
120
140
160
0.50
0.50
1.00
1.00
1.50
1.50
2.00
2.00
2.50
2.50
3.00
3.00
3.50
3.50
4.00
4.00