CE 363 Soil Mechanics Middle East Technical University

Homework 3 Department of Civil Engineering

HOMEWORK 3

Homework 3 must be submitted by January 14, 2023, Sunday, at 23:59. It is important to

note no deadline extensions are possible, as the Final test is scheduled for January 16.

You have 8 questions.

CE363 Homeworks must be submitted to the ODTUClass-CE363 All Sections.

The homework solutions will be posted to the course website on January 15, 2023 Monday.

Late submissions will not be accepted or graded.

Unless otherwise stated, use γwater= 10 kN/m3

Question 1 (15%)
A soil is partially saturated with a specific gravity of solids, Gs, to be 2.65. The gravitational
acceleration, g, is given as 9.81 m/s2.
a) Complete the phase diagram shown below, and drive the bulk unit weight formula.

b) A sample of this soil, weighing 35 grams, is put into the oven and its dry mass is weighed as
28 grams. Calculate the void ratio. We know that, at the same void ratio, its bulk unit weight
was 19.17 kN/m3.

Question 2 (10%)
A sample of clean sand is tested in a shear box apparatus with cross-sectional area of 32 cm2.
Under a normal force of 480 N, the sample failed when the shear force reached 277 N. Calculate
the shear stress at failure under a normal force of 200 N, if the sand is a clean, dry sand.

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CE 363 Soil Mechanics Middle East Technical University
Homework 3 Department of Civil Engineering

Question 3 (15%; a:6%, b:3%, c:6%)

For a construction project in METU Campus, a wide fill of 3 m-heigh with a unit weight of 19
kN/m3, is placed at the ground surface. The soil profile at the site is composed of 2-m sand,
underlain by 5-m-thick, overconsolidated Ankara clay with an overconsolidation ratio (OCR)
of 2.5. Below the clay there is a gravel layer. The groundwater table is at 1 m depth. The unit
weight of sand above and below the ground water table is 18 kN/m3, and 19 kN/m3, respectively,
and for the clay layer the saturated unit weight is given as 20 kN/m3. Ankara clay layer has
initial void ratio of 0.67, compression, reloading-unloading indices of 0.25 and 0.05,
respectively. The coefficient of consolidation of the clay layer is 2.7 m2/year. Use 10 kN/m3 for
the unit weight of water.
a) Do not subdivide the clay layer. Calculate the primary (total, final) consolidation settlement
amount of the clay layer.
b) Calculate how much time is needed to reach 80% “average degree of consolidation” for the
5-m-thick clay layer?
c) Using the chart given below, find the degree of consolidation at 1 m below the top of the
clay at the time of 84 days after the fill is placed. Find “excess pore water pressure” and
“total pore water pressure” at that depth, at that time.

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CE 363 Soil Mechanics Middle East Technical University
Homework 3 Department of Civil Engineering

Question 4 (10%)
A 1-D oedometer (consolidation) test data is given below. The consolidation pressure is selected
as vʹ= 100 kPa. Using the Casagrande’s method and the data given below, plot “vertical
compression (d) - log time (t)” graph, and find the coefficient of consolidation, cv , of this soil,
at vʹ= 100 kPa. In your plot, the y-axis should be plotted with “increasing values in the
downward direction”.
(Note: At the very beginning of the consolidation test, the initial height of the soil specimen
was measured as 19 mm, and the vertical displacement (d) values given below, are cumulative
values, i.e., the measured vertical compression values include the vertical compressions that
occurred under the previous vertical pressures on the specimen. Therefore, the height of soil
specimen at any time “t” is equal to “initial height – d”).

Time, Vertical compression,

t (min) d (mm)
0.1 2.286
0.25 2.296
0.5 2.309
1 2.324
2 2.344
4 2.375
8 2.423
15 2.479
30 2.578
60 2.713
120 2.88
240 3.043
456 3.157
863 3.241
1649 3.307
2684 3.34
4131 3.37

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CE 363 Soil Mechanics Middle East Technical University
Homework 3 Department of Civil Engineering

Question 5 (10%)
The figure below shows the soil conditions adjacent to a sheet pile. The surface behind the wall
carries a surcharge pressure of 80 kPa. Draw the active and passive lateral earth pressure
distributions acting on the wall. Calculate the total active thrust and total passive resistance.
1 − sin 
KA =
1 + sin 
1
KP =
KA
Pa = K A − 2c K A
Pp = K p + 2c K P

80 kPA

Sand
c kPA
0
F
5m

g = 18 kN/m3

Clay
c kPA
4m

0
F
gSAT = 20 kN/m3

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CE 363 Soil Mechanics Middle East Technical University
Homework 3 Department of Civil Engineering

Question 6 (15%)
The figure below shows a retaining wall and the active soil wedge drawn to a scale as AC= 7m
length. The shear strength parameters for soil are c = 20 kN/m² and  = 35o. The unit weight
of the soil is 18 kN/m³. The angle of wall-soil friction is  = 27o, and the wall-soil cohesion is
cw = 5 kN/m². (Neglect tension cracks)

Soil Wedge
C

SCALE: 1 cm : 1 m

AC = 7 m
Wall

A
(a) Show all the forces acting on the soil wedge with their proper directions.
(b) Calculate the magnitude of forces acting on the wedge per meter length of the wall due to
wall-soil cohesion (Cw), soil cohesion (C), and the self-weight of the wedge (W), neglecting
tension cracks.

Question 7 (15%)
For the offshore slope shown in the figure given below, estimate the factor of safety value
against rotational sliding along the circular surface shown, by neglecting the tension cracks.
a) By using the stability chart solution
b) By using moment equilibrium principle
The area of shaded block=46 m2

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CE 363 Soil Mechanics Middle East Technical University
Homework 3 Department of Civil Engineering

The Marmara Sea

CG
Silty-Clay

3
ϒsat=19 kN/m
cu=10 kPa

1m
BEDROCK Scale:

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CE 363 Soil Mechanics Middle East Technical University
Homework 3 Department of Civil Engineering

Question 8 (10%)
For the infinite slope shown in the figure given below, determine the:
a) factor of safety, FS, against sliding along the sand and sandstone interface assuming that

i) slope is dry (i.e.: ground water table is at greater depths).

j) the water table is at the ground surface

b) pore pressure, 𝑢𝐵 , at point B, which is located at the base of the sliding slope.

Assume gw = 10 kN/m3

20

d
Sand
a
gmoist. = 18 kN/m3
gsat. = 19 kN/m3
c= 3 kPa
ϕ´= 32o
H=4 m
c
Point B
b

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