CIVE 2013

Effective Stress
 Principle of Effective Stress
• Tcrzhagi (1925) appears to have been the first to
recognize the importance of effective stresses.
• The principle of effective stress is one of the most
important concepts of modern soil mechanics.
• It is used as a basis for the understanding of stress
and strain characteristics of soils.
• It is an important concept in practical geotechnical
engineering problems.
 Principle of Effective Stress
• According to the principle of effective stress, the
strength and compressibility properties of a soil do
not depend on the total stress applied to the soil
mass, but rather on the difference between the
total stress and the stress carried by the pore fluid.

• Total stress = Effective stress + porewater pressure

 Terzaghi Analogy
• Saturated Soil
– Two-phase material: soil skeleton + voids saturated
with water.
 Terzaghi Analogy

Water

Solid

Mineral Fully
Skeleton Saturated
 Terzaghi Analogy
• Container is rigid and is filled 0
with water.
Piston
• Piston is frictionless

• Soil skeleton is represented by

springs. Water
u0
Tap A
• Water is incompressible. 

Manometer
 Terzaghi Analogy
Force, P
Tap A is closed. Apply force, P. 0
Piston
Is P supported by
• Spring
• Water
• Or Both? Water
u0
Tap A

 Terzaghi Analogy
Force, P
Tap A is closed. Apply force, P. 0
Piston
• P is supported by water only.
• Water pressure increases.
• Does piston move down?
Water
u0
Tap A

 Terzaghi Analogy
Force, P
Tap A is closed. Apply force, P. 0
Piston
• P is supported by water only.
• Water pressure increases.
• As water cannot leave the
container, there is no change in Water
volume of the system.
u0
Tap A
• Piston does not move down.

 Terzaghi Analogy
Open tap A slightly.
Force, P
0
• As water is under pressure,
it leaves the container.
• Water pressure decreases. Piston
• Springs are compressed.
• Stress in springs increases.
Water
• Piston moves down. There
is volume change in the u0
Tap A
system. 
• Force, P is supported by
both water and springs.
 Terzaghi Analogy
Keep tap A open.
• Water pressure continues to Force, P
0
decrease until it becomes zero.
• Stress in springs continues to
increase with decrease in water Piston
pressure.
• Piston continues to move down until
water pressure is zero. Water
• There is volume change in the u0
system until water pressure is zero. 
• When water pressure is zero, force P
is supported by springs only.
 Terzaghi Analogy

• P/Area of piston = total stress =  Force, P

0

• Water pressure = u Piston

• Stress in springs = '

Water
• Total stress = Effective stress + u0
porewater pressure 

 = ' + u
 Terzaghi Analogy
Conclusions

• Immediately on application of ,
u =  , ' = 0, no compression

• With time, u decreases, ' increases,  = ' + u, there is

compression

• At the end of process, u = 0, ' = , compression stops

• When does compression (consolidation) take place?

 Terzaghi Analogy
Conclusions

• There is consolidation, if and only if there is a change in

effective stress.
 Stresses in the ground
Before loading, at a point P in the ground:
o = o' + uo
0


Point, P
u0

 Stresses in the ground
Immediately after loading, at a point P in the ground:
(o + ) = o' + (uo + u)
u = , no consolidation.

0 + 


Point, P
u0+u

 Stresses in the ground
• Immediately after loading, at a point P in the ground:
(o + ) = o' + (uo + u)
u = , no consolidation.
• With time, as porewater pressure decreases (dissipates) and
effective stress increases, consolidation settlement takes place .
• At the end, (o + ) = (o' + ') + uo 0 + 
' = , settlement stops.

u0

 Rate of Consolidation Settlement

• The rate of consolidation settlement, which depends on the

rate at which water leaves the soil, depends on which
property of the soil?

Rate of settlement = f (coefficient of permeability)

 Calculation of the In-situ Effective Stress
• To determine initial effective stress in the ground, it is
necessary to know both the total stress and the pore water
pressure.

• Effective vertical stress due to self-weight of soil

Case I: Soil mass with a horizontal surface and water table
at surface level
• Total vertical stress at depth z = Weight of all
materials (solids + water) per unit area above that
depth
• Porewater pressure at any depth is hydrostatic.
Calculation of Effective Stress
Case IIa: Soil mass with a horizontal surface and water
table at depth zw below surface level

Case IIb: Soil mass with capillary rise above water table

Case III: Soil mass with a horizontal surface and water

table at depth zw above surface level

Refer Craig Worked Examples 3.1, 3.2

Do Problems 3.3, 3.4 and 3.5
Effect of seepage on effective stress

No seepage through soil

H
At bottom of soil
Soil
z sample
v = wH + satz

u = w (H + z)
v ' = (sat - w) z
= ' z
Effect of seepage on effective stress

h H Downward seepage through soil

At bottom of soil
Soil
z sample v = wH + satz

u = w (H + z - h)
v ' = (sat - w) z + wh
= ' z + w h
Effect of seepage on effective stress

h Upward seepage through soil

H At bottom of soil

v = wH + satz
Soil
z
u = w (H + z + h)
sample

v ' = (sat - w) z - wh

= ' z - w h
Effect of seepage on effective stress
Upward seepage through soil
v ' = (sat - w) z - wh
As wh increases, v ' decreases
Piping or quick sand condition occurs when v ' = 0
(sat - w) z - whc = 0
hc/z = critical hydraulic gradient = ic = [(sat - w)]/ w
sat = [(Gs + e) w] / (1 + e)
ic = (Gs - 1) / (1 + e)
Effect of seepage on effective stress
Seepage Pressure defined as seepage force per unit volume
Seepage force, J = whA
Seepage pressure = seepage force per unit volume = J/ ZA
= wh/Z = iw