GATE CE 2021 Set 1 — Question 17
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Geotechnical Engineering → Consolidation → One-Dimensional Consolidation
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Question
In an Oedometer apparatus, a specimen of fully saturated clay has been consolidated under a vertical pressure of and is presently at equilibrium. The effective stress and pore water pressure immediately on increasing the vertical stress to , respectively are
Correct answer
(C) 50 kN/m² and 100 kN/m²
Solution
In a fully saturated clay, any instantaneous increase in total stress () is initially carried entirely by the pore water pressure () because water is relatively incompressible compared to the soil skeleton.
Pore water pressure,
Effective stress,
Stress increment,
Immediate pore pressure increment,
New pore water pressure,
New effective stress, Thus, the effective stress is and the pore water pressure is .
1.Initial State (Equilibrium):
Total stress, Pore water pressure,
Effective stress,
2.Final State (Immediately after loading):
New total stress, Stress increment,
Immediate pore pressure increment,
New pore water pressure,
New effective stress, Thus, the effective stress is and the pore water pressure is .
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