GATE CE 2023 Set 1 — Question 58
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Geotechnical Engineering → Earth Pressure → Active Earth Pressure
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Question
A vertical trench is excavated in a clayey soil deposit having a surcharge load of 30 kPa. A fluid of unit weight 12 kN/m is poured in the trench to prevent collapse as the excavation proceeds. Assume that the fluid is not seeping through the soil deposit. If the undrained cohesion of the clay deposit is 20 kPa and saturated unit weight is 18 kN/m, what is the maximum depth of unsupported excavation (in m, rounded off to two decimal places)?
Correct answer
3.3 to 3.35
Solution
For a vertical trench in clay with surcharge and fluid pressure:
Active earth pressure
Fluid pressure
For stability, the total active force must be balanced by the total fluid force at the critical depth :Equating :Given: kPa, kPa, kN/m, kN/m.
Active earth pressure
Fluid pressure
For stability, the total active force must be balanced by the total fluid force at the critical depth :Equating :Given: kPa, kPa, kN/m, kN/m.
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