Chapter 11

Compressibility of Soil
 TOPICS

 INTRODUCTION
 ELASTIC SETTLEMENT
 CONSOLIDATION SETTLEMENT
• Fundamentals of consolidation
• One-dimensional Laboratory Consolidation Test
• Calculation of Settlement from 1-D Primary Consolidation
• Stress distribution in soil masses
 PRIMARY CONSOLIDATION SETTLEMENT
 SECONDARY CONSOLIDATION SETTLEMENT
 TIME RATE OF CONSOLIDATION SETTLEMENT
1-D theory of consolidation
One-dimensional Laboratory
Consolidation Test
 One-dimensional Laboratory Consolidation Test

• 1-D field consolidation can be simulated in laboratory.

• Data obtained from laboratory testing can be used to predict magnitude of

consolidation settlement reasonably, but rate is often poorly estimated.

Wide foundation simulation of 1-D field consolidation in Lab

GL
Sand or
porous stone
Drainage layer

Undisturbed soil
specimen metal ring
(oedometer)
Saturated clay

field
lab
 One-dimensional Laboratory Consolidation Test

 The one-dimensional consolidation test was first suggested by Terzaghi. It is

performed in a consolidometer (sometimes referred to as oedometer). The
schematic diagram of a consolidometer is shown below.

 The complete procedures and discussion of the test was presented in CE 380.
One-dimensional Laboratory Consolidation Test
 Incremental Loading

loading in increments

q1 q2
H1 H2
Ho eo eo- e1
e1- e2

Load increment ratio (LIR) = q/q = 1 (i.e., double the load)

• Allow full consolidation before next increment (24 hours)
• Record compression during and at the end of each increment using dial gauge.

• Example of time sequence: (10 sec, 30 sec, 1 min, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 1 hr, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24)

• The procedure is repeated for additional doublings of applied pressure until the
applied pressure is in excess of the total stress to which the clay layer is believed to
be subjected to when the proposed structure is built.

• The total pressure includes effective overburden pressure and net additional
pressure due to the structure.

• Example of load sequence (25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, … kPa)
 Presentation of Results

• The results of the consolidation tests can be summarized in the following plots:
• Rate of consolidation curves (dial reading vs. log time or dial reading vs. square
root time)
• Void ratio-pressure plots (Consolidation curve)
e – sv’ plot or e - log sv’ plot
• The plot of deformation of the specimen against time for a given load increment
can observe three distinct stages:

Stage I Stage I: Initial compression, which is caused

mostly by preloading.
Stage II: Primary consolidation, during which
excess pore water pressure gradually is
Deformation

transferred into effective stress because of

Stage II the expulsion of pore water.

Stage III: Secondary consolidation, which

occurs after complete dissipation of the
excess pore water pressure, caused by
Stage III plastic readjustment of soil fabric.
Time (log scale)
Void Ratio–Pressure Plots
Void Ratio–Pressure Plots
Void Ratio–Pressure Plots
EXAMPLE 11.3
EXAMPLE 11.3
EXAMPLE 11.3
Normally Consolidated and Overconsolidated Clays

The upper part of the e – log s’ plot is as shown below somewhat

curved with a flat slope, followed by a linear relationship having a
steeper slope.
This can be explained as follows:
 A soil in the field at some depth has been
subjected to a certain maximum effective
past pressure in its geologic history.

 This maximum effective past pressure may

be equal to or less than the existing
effective overburden pressure at the time
of sampling.

 The reduction of effective pressure may

be due to natural geological processes or
human processes.

 During the soil sampling, the existing effective overburden

pressure is also released, which results in some expansion.
Normally Consolidated and Overconsolidated Clays

 The soil will show relatively small decrease of e with load up until the
point of the maximum effective stress to which the soil was subjected
to in the past.
(Note: this could be the overburden pressure if the soil has not been
subjected to any external load other than the weight of soil above that
point concerned).

 This can be verified in the laboratory

by loading, unloading and reloading a
soil sample as shown across.

Void ratio, e

Effective pressure, s’ (log scale)

Normally Consolidated and Overconsolidated Clays

 Normally Consolidated Clay (N.C. Clay)

A soil is NC if the present effective pressure to which it is subjected is
the maximum pressure the soil has ever been subjected to.
The branches bc and fg are NC state of a soil.

 Over Consolidated Clays (O.C. Clay)

A soil is OC if the present effective pressure to

which it is subjected to is less than the
maximum pressure to which the soil was

Void ratio, e
subjected to in the past

The branches ab, cd, df, are the OC state of a

soil.

The maximum effective past pressure is called

the preconsolidation pressure.
Effective pressure, s’ (log scale)
 Preconsolidation Pressure

 The stress at which the transition or “break” occurs in the curve of e

vs. log s’ is an indication of the maximum vertical overburden stress
that a particular soil sample has sustained in the past.

 This stress is very important in geotechnical engineering and is

known as Preconsolidation Pressure.

sc’
 Determination of Preconsolidation Pressure

Casagrande (1936) suggested a simple graphic construction to determine the

preconsolidation pressure s’c from the laboratory e –log s‘ plot.
 Overconsolidation Ratio (OCR)

o In general the overconsolidation ratio (OCR) for a soil can be defined

as:

Void ratio, e
where s’ is the present effective
vertical pressure.

o From the definition of NC soils, they

always have OCR=1.

o To calculate OCR the preconsolidation pressure sc’ should be known

from the consolidation test and s’ is the effective stress in the field.
Preconsolidation Pressure
 Factors Affecting the Determination of sc’

1. Duration of load increment tp is to be known from either

plotting of deformation vs.
 When the duration of load time or excess p.w.p. if it is
maintained on a sample is being monitored during the
increased the e vs. log s ’ test.
gradually moves to the left.

 The reason for this is that as time

increased the amount of secondary
consolidation of the sample is also
increased. This will tend to reduce
the void ratio e.

 The value of sc ’ will increase

with the decrease of t.
Factors Affecting the Determination of sc’

2. Load Increment Ratio (LIR)

 LIR is defined as the change in pressure of the pressure increment
divided by the initial pressure before the load is applied.

 LIR =1, means the load is doubled each time, this results in evenly
spaced data points on e vs. log s ’ curve

 When LIR is gradually increased, the e vs. log s’ curve gradually

moves to the left.
EXAMPLE 11.4
EXAMPLE 11.4
EXAMPLE 11.5
EXAMPLE 11.5
 Field Compression Curve

 Due to soil disturbance, even with high-quality sampling and testing

the actual compression curve has a SLOPE which is somewhat LESS
than the slope of the field VIRGIN COMPRESSION CURVE. The
“break” in the curve becomes less sharp with increasing disturbance.
Sources of disturbance:
• Sampling
• Transportation
• Storage
• Preparation of the specimen (like trimming)

Normally consolidated and overconsolidated clays

o We know the present effective overburden s’0 and void ratio e0.
o We should know from the beginning whether the soil is NC or OC
by comparing s’0 and s’C . s’0 =  z, s’C we find it through the
procedures presented in a previous slides.
Graphical procedures to evaluate the slope of the field compression curve

• Determine from Curve 2 (Laboratory test) the

preconsolidation pressure s’C = s’o
• Draw a vertical line ab
• Calculate the void ratio in the field eo

• Draw a horizontal line cd

• Calculate 0.4eo Draw a horizontal line ef
• Join Points f and g
This is the virgin compression curve

Normally consolidated clays

Graphical procedures to evaluate the slope of the field compression curve

• Determine from Curve 2 (Laboratory test) the

preconsolidation pressure s’C
• Draw a vertical line ab
• Determine the field effective overburden
pressure s’o Draw a vertical line cd
• Calculate the void ratio in the field eo

• Draw a horizontal line fg

• Calculate 0.4eo Draw a horizontal line ek
• Draw a line hi parallel to curve 3
• Join Points k and j
This is the virgin compression curve Overconsolidated clays
Calculation of 1-D Consolidation Settlement
 Calculation of 1-D Consolidation Settlement

The consolidation settlement can be determined knowing:

- Initial void ratio e0.
- Thickness of layer H
- Change of void ratio e
It only requires the evaluation of e
 Calculation of 1-D Consolidation Settlement

Settlement Calculation
Sc  H  Ho  H  (h1  h2)
f
H H
Sc  (h1  h2) o
Ho
h1 Voids
h1  h2 h2
Sc  ( )H S=100%
hs  h1
Ho
Hf
(h1  h2) / hs hs
Sc  ( )H Solids hs
Solids
(hs  h1) / hs
eo  ef
Sc  ( )H
1  eo
e
Sc  H
1 e
o
It only requires the evaluation of e
Calculation of Primary Consolidation Settlement

I) Using e - log sv

If the e-log s/ curve is

given, e can simply
be picked off the plot
void ratio
for the appropriate
range and pressures.
e
e
Sc  H
1 e
o

so sf log sv’
Calculation of Primary Consolidation Settlement

II) Using mv

Disadvantage
mv is obtained from e vs. s which is nonlinear and mv is
stress level dependent. This is on contrast to Cc which is
constant for a wide range of stress level.
 Presentation of Results

e – s’ plot

void ratio
loading
s’ increases & e decreases

unloading
s’ decreases &
e increases (swelling)

s’
 The figure above is usually termed the compressibility curve , where
compressibility is the term applied to 1-D volume change that occurs in cohesive
soils that are subjected to compressive loading.

 Note: It is more convenient to express the stress-stain relationship for soil in

consolidation studies in terms of void ratio and unit pressure instead of unit strain
and stress used in the case of most other engineering materials.
 Coefficient of Volume Compressibility [mv]

 mv is defined as the volume change per unit volume per unit increase in
effective stress

 mv is also known as Coefficient of Volume Change.

 The value of mv for a particular soil is not constant but depends on the stress
range over which it is calculated.
 Coefficient of Compressibility av

 av is the slope of e-s’plot, or av = -de/ds’ (m2/kN)

 Within a narrow range of pressures, there is a linear relationship between
the decrease of the voids ratio e and the increase in the pressure (stress).
Mathematically,

 av decreases with increases in effective stress

 Because the slope of the curve e-s’ is constantly changing, it is somewhat

difficult to use av in a mathematical analysis, as is desired in order to make
settlement calculations.
Calculation of Primary Consolidation Settlement

III) Using Compression and Swelling Indices

a) Normally Consolidated Clay (s ’ 0 = s c’ )

e s p  s o
Sc  H
1 e
o
 s   s  s o  s 

e  Cc log  o


e e
 s  Cc
 o 

log s 
 Calculation of Primary Consolidation Settlement

b) Overconsolidated Clays s o
s o  s 
e e ss p c’
Sc  H e
1 e Cs
o
Case I: s ’0 +s ’ ≤ s c’

log s 
s o
s c’
e e1 Cs

Case II: s ’0 +s ’ > s c’ e2

s o  s 
Cc

log s 
 Presentation of Results

e – log s’ plot
e – s’ plot

loading

void ratio
loading
void ratio

s’ increases & s’ increases &

e decreases e decreases

Unloading
unloading s’ decreases &
s’ decreases & e increases
e inceases (swelling)

s’ log s’
 Compression and Swell Indices

As we said earlier, the main limitation of using av and mv in describing soil

compressibility is that they are not constant. To overcome this shortcoming the
relationship between e and sv’ is usually plotted in a semi logarithmic plot as
shown below.

Cc ~ compression index
void ratio

e1
Cc 
s 2
log
e1 s 1
Cc
1 Cs ~ Swell index
e2
Cs 
e2 Cs s 3
log
s 4
s’4 s’3 s’1 s’2 log s’
 Correlations for Compression Index, cc

• This index is best determined by the laboratory test results for void
ratio, e, and pressure s’ (as shown above).

• Because conducting compression (consolidation) test is relatively time

consuming (usually 2 weeks), Cc is usually related to other index
properties like:

GS: Specific Gravity

e0 : in situ void ratio
PI: Plasticity Index
LL: Liquid Limit
Correlations for Compression Index, cc
Correlations for Swell Index, cs
EXAMPLE 11.6
EXAMPLE 11.6
EXAMPLE 11.6
EXAMPLE 11.7
 Summary of calculation procedure

1. Calculate s’o at the middle of the clay layer

2. Determine s’c from the e-log s/ plot (if not given)
3. Determine whether the clay is N.C. or O.C.
4. Calculate s
5. Use the appropriate equation
• If N.C.

If s o  s  s c
• If O.C.

If s o  s  s c
 Nonlinear pressure increase

Approach 1: Middle of layer (midpoint rule)

q

• For settlement calculation, the

pressure increase sz can be
approximated as : Compressible  sm
Layer

sz = s m

where sm represent the

increase in the effective z
pressure in the middle of the
sz under the center
layer. of foundation
 Nonlinear pressure increase

q
Approach 2: Average pressure increase

• For settlement calculation we

will use the average pressure
increase sav , using weighted Compressible
Layer
average method (Simpson’s
rule):

z
sz under the center
of foundation

where st , sm and sb represent the increase in the pressure
at the top, middle, and bottom of the clay, respectively, under
the center of the footing.
Stresses Distribution in Soils
Stresses Distribution in Soils
Stress Increase Due to
Added Loads
 I. Stresses From Approximate Methods

2:1 Method
 In this method it is assumed that the STRESSED AREA is larger
than the corresponding dimension of the loaded area by an
amount equal to the depth of the subsurface area.

P
sz  L
( B  z )( L  z ) B
z

L+z

B+z
 Stress Increase Due to Added Loads

There are solutions available for different cases depending on the

following conditions:
 Load: - point
- distributed
• These conditions are the same as these
 Loaded area: - Rectangular discussed at the time when we presented
- Square stresses in soil mass from theory of
- Circular elasticity in CE 382.
 Stiffness: - Flexible
• One of the well-known and used formula
-Rigid
is that for the vertical settlement of the
 Soil: - Cohesive surface of an elastic half space uniformly
- Cohesionless loaded.

 Medium: - Finite
- Infinite
- Layered
 Stress Increase Due to Added Loads

In CE 382, the relationships for determining the increase in stress

were based on the following assumptions:

 The load is applied at the ground surface.

 The loaded area is flexible.

 The soil medium is homogeneous, elastic, isotropic, and extends

to a great depth.
 Stress Distribution in Soil Masses

• Settlement is caused by stress increase, therefore for

settlement calculations, we first need vertical stress increase,
s , in soil mass imposed by a net load, q, applied at the
foundation level.
• CE 382 and Chapter 10 in the textbook present many methods
based on Theory of Elasticity to estimate the stress in soil
imposed by foundation loadings.
B
q [kPa]
• Since we consider only vertical
settlement we limit ourselves to
vertical stress distribution.

• Since mostly we have distributed

load we will not consider point or
line load.
Pressure bulb
 Wide Uniformly Distributed Load

For wide uniformly distributed load, such as for vey wide

embankment fill, the stress increase at any depth, z, can be given as:

q kPa
GL

s z = q z  sz
does not
decreases
with depth z
soil
 II. Stresses From Theory of Elasticity

 There are a number of solutions which are based on the theory

of elasticity. Most of them assume the following assumptions:

The soil is homogeneous

The soil is isotropic
The soil is perfectly elastic infinite or semi-finite medium
 Tens of solutions for different problems are now available in the
literature. It is enough to say that a whole book (Poulos and
Davis) is now available for the elastic solutions of various
problems.

The book contains a comprehensive collection of graphs,

tables and explicit solutions of problems in elasticity relevant
to soil and rock mechanics.
Vertical Stress Below the Center of a Uniformly Loaded
Circular Area
Vertical Stress Below any point of a Uniformly Loaded
Circular Area

Δσz  q(A-  Β- )
Vertical Stress Below any point of a Uniformly Loaded
Circular Area

Δσz  q(A-  Β- )
Vertical Stress Below any point of a Uniformly Loaded
Circular Area

Δσz  q(A-  Β- )
Vertical Stress Below the Corner of a Uniformly Loaded
Rectangular Area

I3 is a dimensionless factor and represents the influence of a

surcharge covering a rectangular area on the vertical stress at a
point located at a depth z below one of its corner.
Vertical Stress Below the Corner of a Uniformly Loaded
Rectangular Area
Vertical Stress Below the Corner of a Uniformly Loaded
Rectangular Area
Vertical Stress Below the Corner of a Uniformly Loaded
Rectangular Area
Newmark’s Influence Chart
Newmark’s Influence Chart
Newmark’s Influence Chart
EXAMPLE 11.8
EXAMPLE 11.8
EXAMPLE 11.8
EXAMPLE 11.8
EXAMPLE 11.9
EXAMPLE 11.9
EXAMPLE 11.9
EXAMPLE 11.10
EXAMPLE 11.10
Secondary Consolidation Settlement
 Secondary Consolidation Settlement

• In some soils (especially recent organic soils) the compression

continues under constant loading after all of the excess pore
pressure has dissipated, i.e. after primary consolidation has
ceased.
• This is called secondary compression or creep, and it is due to
plastic adjustment of soil fabrics.
• Secondary compression is different from primary
consolidation in that it takes place at a constant effective
stress.

• This settlement can be calculated using the secondary

compression index, C.

• The Log-Time plot (of the consolidation test) can be used to

estimate the coefficient of secondary compression C as the
slope of the straight line portion of e vs. log time curve which
occurs after primary consolidation is complete.
 Secondary Consolidation Settlement

The magnitude of the secondary consolidation can be calculated

as:

void ratio, e
ep void ratio at the end of
primary consolidation,
H thickness of clay layer.

ep e
C = coefficient of secondary
compression t1 t2
Secondary Consolidation Settlement
 Secondary Consolidation Settlement

Remarks

 Causes of secondary settlement are not fully understood but is

attributed to:
• Plastic adjustment of soil fabrics
• Compression of the bonds between individual clay
particles and domains
 Factors that might affect the magnitude of Ss are not fully
understood. In general secondary consolidation is large for:

• Soft soils
• Organic soils
• Smaller ratio of induced stress to effective overburden
pressure.
Coefficient of Secondary Compression
Example
Example
Example
The end