UNSATURATED SOIL

MECHANICS
Presented By
Rohit S. Wankhade
Final Year Civil (ID 10001051)
Guided By
Dr. S. S. Pusadkar

GOVERNMENT COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, AMRAVATI

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING & APPLIED MECHANICS
2013-2014
 CONTENT
• Introduction
• Need of Unsaturated Soil Mechanics
• Terms & Definitions
• Stress State Variables
• Matrix Suction & Its Measurements
• Stages in the Implementation
• Soil-Water Characteristic Curves
• Properties of Unsaturated Soils
• Areas of Application
• Conclusion
 INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS SOIL MECHANICS ???
• It is Application of Laws Of Mechanics to Soil
Problems.
• Includes Determination of Strength, Capacity,
Permeability etc. Properties of Soil
• Predict the Behaviour of Soil for the further
Construction upon it.
 TWO STATES OF SOILS :

We Broadly Come
Across……

1. Saturated Soils

2. Unsaturated
Soils

Conventional soil
mechanics is related
to saturated soils
and not to
unsaturated soils
 NEED OF UNSATURATED SOIL
MECHANICS

• Arid regions of the world comprise more than one-third of

the earth’s surface in which soil is very dry.

• Unsaturated soils comprise large part of earth structures

designed by engineers. E.g. roads, airfield, earth dams

• The magnitude of the damages attributed to “Problematic

soil” is enormous and costlier.
• In the USA alone each year, shrinking and swelling soils
inflicts at least $ 2.3 billion in damages to houses, buildings,
roads etc.

• Most importantly Conventional soil mechanics cannot

be applied to these problems and thus we need
“Unsaturated Soil Mechanics”.
Lets see….

What is it all about?????

WHAT IS UNSATURATED SOIL ?????

• This is a State of soil and

Not a “Type” of Soil
• It consist of three phases
1. Soil solids
2. Pore water
3. Pore Air
• Pore-Water Pressure is
Negative
• There is Tensile Pull on the solid
particles
• Behaviour of soils is Complex.
• Evaluation of soil parameters
like state stress variables etc.
is not simple
• This gives rise to Unsaturated
Soil Mechanics.
Figure : Negative Pore-Water
Pressure
LOCATION OF UNSATURATED SOILS

Figure : Vadose Zone

OBJECTIVES
The Objectives of unsaturated soil mechanics can be listed
below:

1. To predict the behaviour of unsaturated soil.

2. To define the stress state variables which help in

determining the characteristic of soils.

3. To determine the properties of unsaturated soils.

4. To formulate the sound framework & Methodology

5. Design the structures with the help of Unsaturated

Soil Mechanics
 TERMS & DEFINITIONS
• Phase: A boundary which can be distinguished like a solid,
liquid or gas homogeneous form.

• Contractile Skin: It is soil water interface and considered a

separate phase for stress analysis.
• State: It is a non-material condition of a material
independent of its physical properties.

• Stress State Variables: These are non-material properties

necessary for quantifying the state of stress for soil.

• Constitutive Relations: These are the relationships

expressing the dependence between state variables like
modulus of elasticity, Poisson’s ratio etc.
 STRESS STATE VARIABLES
• These are the variables which can be used to represent the
stress state of soil.

• It is used to model mechanical behaviour of soils.

• In Saturated Soil Mechanics, one stress state variable is

present i.e. Effective stress (σ - 𝒖𝒘 )

• In Unsaturated Soil Mechanics, effective stress cannot be

expressed as pore-water pressure is negative.
Figure : Stress State Variables
• In Saturated soils, changes in σ and u can be related to
single variable i.e. σ’.

• In Unsaturated Soil Mechanics, it is necessary to use two

stress state variables.

Generally following Stress State Variables are Used.

1. (σ - 𝒖𝒂 ) ……Net Normal Stress

2. (𝒖𝒂 - 𝒖𝒘 )……Matrix Suction

 MATRIX SUCTION & ITS
MEASUREMENT

• Suction basically is the isotropic

pressure that pore-water imposes
to absorb more water.

• Total Suction = Matrix Suction

+ Osmotic Suction

• Matrix Suction is the Meniscus

forms at the soil-air interface due
to Surface Tension.
MEASUREMENT OF MATRIC SUCTION
• Matrix suction is most important for predicting the
behaviour of unsaturated soil.

• Thus its Magnitude is to be measured.

• Available methods are :

1. Axis-Translation Technique

2. Filter Paper Method

3. Suction Probe

4. Tensiometer Method
1. Axis-Translation Technique :

Initial Stresses Equillibrium Stresses

σ =0 , 𝑢𝑎 = 0, 𝑢𝑤 = -250 kPa σ = 𝑢𝑎 , 𝑢𝑎 = −255 kPa, 𝑢𝑤 = 5 kPa

Stress State Stress State

(σ - 𝑢𝑎 ) = 0 (σ - 𝑢𝑎 ) = 0
(𝑢𝑎 - 𝑢𝑤 ) = 250 kPa (𝑢𝑎 - 𝑢𝑤 ) = 250 kPa
2. Filter Paper Method

Figure : Calibration Curve for Whatman 42 filter paper

 STAGES IN IMPLEMENTATION

• Implementation is unique and important step that brings

theories and analytical solutions into practice.

• There are several stages in the development of a science

that must be brought together for implementation to become
a reality.
STAGES :

1. State Variable Stage

In this stage the variables predicting stress state of soils
are defined. These variables are independent of the physical
properties of the material. There are two main state variables
shown below

• Stress State
• Deformation State
2. Constitutive Stage
The constitutive stage becomes the point at which
empirical, Semi-empirical and possibly theoretical
relationships between state variables are proposed and
verified.

• Soil-water curves
• Flow laws
• Shear Strength equation
3. Formulation Stage
This involves application of conservative laws of
mechanics to elemental volume. The result is generally a
partial differential equation that describes a designated process
for an element of the continuum.

• Derivation pertaining to
element
• Partial Differentiation
equation
4. Solution Stage
At solution stage, the partial differential equations are
converted to a numerical solution that becomes and known as
Software package

• Numerical Modeling Mode

• Boundary values applied
5. Design Stage
The design stage focuses on the primary unknowns that
must be quantified from a practical engineering standpoint.
There are many soil parameter related to behaviour of soil
which needs to be estimated.

• Application of computer
• Use of “ what if ” Scenario
6. Verification & Monitoring Stage
There is need to observe the behaviour of any
infrastructure during and subsequent to construction to provide
feedback to designer. Engineer needs to monitor, evaluate and
ensure the adequacy of the engineering design.

• Observational Approach
• In-situ measurement of suction
7. Implementation Stage
Implementation is the final stage in bringing an
engineering science into standard engineering practice. The
quantification of unsaturated soil property functions, more
than any other single factor, becomes key to the
implementation engineering practice

• Accepted as a part of prudent

engineering practice
 SOIL WATER CHRACTERISTIC
CURVE

• The Soil-Water Characteristic Curve (SWCC) for a soil is

defined as the relationship between water content and
suction for the soil.

• Laboratory studies shown that there is relationship between

the Soil-Water Characteristic Curve for particular soil and
properties of the unsaturated soil.
TYPICAL SOIL-WATER CHARACTERISTIC
CURVE
TYPICAL SOIL-WATER CHARACTERISTIC
CURVE

Salient Feature

• AEV ( Air Entry Value )

• Residual Water content
• Boundary Effect Stage
• Transition Stage
• Residual Stage of Unsaturation
TYPICAL SOIL-WATER CHARACTERISTIC
CURVE
LABORATORY MEASUREMENT
• Soil-Water Characteristic Curve can be measured in the
laboratory with relative ease
• The test equipment commonly used for the measurement of
SWC curves in laboratory is Pressure Plate Device.
Procedure :
• Soil specimens are placed into the pressure plate apparatus,
covered with water and allowed to saturate.
• Test data for SWCC is obtained by applying a series of
suction values while allowing the soil specimen to come to
equillibrium.
 PROPERTIES OF UNSATURATED
SOIL
• The coefficient of permeability and shear strength of
unsaturated soils are important soil properties in
geotechnical engineering.
• There has been one general technique for the estimation of
unsaturated soil property function
1. Shear Strength

• Shear strength of unsaturated soil cannot be determined

using saturated soil parameter c’ and ϕ’ because effective
stresses are unknown.

• To characterize the shear strength of unsaturated soil, it is

necessary to measure the three stresses σ, 𝑢𝑎 and 𝑢𝑤 at
failure to determine the stress state variables (σ - 𝑢𝑎 ) and
(σ - 𝒖𝒂 ) at failure.
Thus, Shear Strength of Soil is given by

Where,
Φ’ = angle of friction with respect to normal stress
Φ𝑏 = angle of friction with respect to matrix suction
Figure : Shear strength Vs Matrix Suction
2. Permeability

• There is no engineering soil property that can vary more

widely than that of the coefficient of permeability.

• The coefficient of permeability is unique function of the

water content of soil which ultimately related to the matrix
suction of the soil

• Relationship between matrix suction and coefficient of

permeability is shown in figure.
Typical Permeability Function for Sand and a Clayey Silt
With Suction Plotted on Log Scale
• There are many empirical equation derived for the
coefficient of permeability. Typical Gardener’s empirical
function is shown in figure below.
 AREAS OF APPLICATION

• Many problems in geotechnical engineering involve

unsaturated soils.

• Types of problem can be broadly classified into three

classes namely

1. Seepage Problem

2. Shear Strength Problem

3. Volume Change Problem

 Types of
Problems

Seepage Volume
Shear Strength
Change
Problems Problems
Problems

1. Construction of
Dams. 1. Slope Stability 1. Swelling
2. Natural Slopes 2. Bearing Capacity 2. Shrinkage
3. Contaminant 3. Lateral Earth 3. Collapsing Soils
Transport Pressure 4. Deformation
4. Geo-Environmental

Figure : Application of Unsaturated Soil Mechanics

 CONCLUSIONS

• Unsaturated soil problems require special mechanics

known Unsaturated soil mechanics.

• Theory of consolidation doesn’t play any central role in

unsaturated soil mechanics.

• Negative pore-water pressure gives rise to unsaturated

soil mechanics.
 CONCLUSIONS

• There are two stress state variable in unsaturated soil

mechanics.

• An understanding of the SWCC for a soil becomes the

key unsaturated soil property.

• Unsaturated soil behaviour is a relatively new area of

study and many of the derivations are not readily
available to engineers.
 CHALLENGES FOR FUTURE

• One challenge that is most important to address and that is

need to establish protocols for various geotechnical
engineering problems associated with unsaturated soils

• To Clearly define the methodology associated with “good”

engineering practice for various unsaturated soil problems

• .There is need for case histories and it is anticipated that these

will become more common in future decades
REFERENCES
1. An Overview of unsaturated soil behaviour – Delwyn G. Fredlund, Professor,
Department of Civil Engg, University Canada and Harianto Rahardjo, Singapore

2. The Emergence of unsaturated soil mechanics – The fourth Spencer J.

Buchanan Lecture by Prof. D.G. Fredlund

3. Unsaturated soil Mechanics- Introduction and Application : Presentation by

Tariq B. Hamid

4. Implementation of unsaturated soil mechanics into geotechnical engineering –

By Prof. D.G. Fredlund

5. Development of Unsaturated Soil Mechanics at Imperial College, London –

By J. R. Standing, London UK
REFERENCES

6. Effective stress concept in unsaturated soil mechanics : Clarification &

Validation of a unified framework – Mathiew Nuth, Lyesse Laloui, Switzerland

7. Experimental Unsaturated Soil Mechanics – By Pierre Delage from Paris

France

8. Effective Stress & Complex Soil Settlement Behaviour - By Md. Noor , M.J.
Mat Jidin and Hafez M.A.

9. Some Application of Unsaturated Soil Mechanics – A Geus, Barcelona, Spain

10. Journal of the geotechnical engg division- Stress state variables for
unsaturated soils : By D.G. Fredlund & Nobert R. Morgenstern ASCE
 REFERENCES
11. Unsaturated soil mechanics in Engineering practice – Delwyn G. Fredlund

12. Important Unsaturated soil mechanics in geotechnical engineering, Thailand

– By Apiniti Jotisakasa

13. Direct and Indirect measurement of soil suction in Laboratory – By H.V. Pan,
Yang Quing and Li- Peiyong

14. Filter paper method of soil suction measurement method – By K.V. Bicalho,
J.M. Fleureau, F. A. M. Marinho

15. Equation for Soil Water Characteristic Curve – By D.G. Fredlund and A.
Xing

16. Prediction of unsaturated soil property function using soil water

characteristic curve – By D.G. Fredlund
THANK YOU .!!!!
QUESTIONS ????