GATE CE 2023 Set 2 — Question 61
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Geotechnical Engineering → Shear Strength of Soils → Effective Strength Parameters
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Question
A consolidated drained (CD) triaxial test was carried out on a sand sample with the known effective shear strength parameters, and . In the test, prior to the failure, when the sample was undergoing axial compression under constant cell pressure, the drainage valve was accidentally closed. At the failure, 360 kPa deviatoric stress was recorded along with 70 kPa pore water pressure. If the test is repeated without such error, and no back pressure is applied in either of the tests, what is the deviatoric stress (in kPa, in integer) at the failure?
Correct answer
500 to 500
Solution
Step 1: Identify the failure criterion for effective stress.
For a sand sample with , the failure criterion is given by:Given , we have:Thus, .Step 2: Analyze the first test (accidental closure).
At failure, the recorded deviatoric stress is kPa and the pore water pressure is kPa.
The effective stresses at failure are:Substituting these into the failure criterion:Step 3: Analyze the second test (correct CD test).
In a standard CD test with the same cell pressure kPa, the drainage valve remains open, so the pore pressure .
The effective stresses at failure are:The deviatoric stress at failure is:
For a sand sample with , the failure criterion is given by:Given , we have:Thus, .Step 2: Analyze the first test (accidental closure).
At failure, the recorded deviatoric stress is kPa and the pore water pressure is kPa.
The effective stresses at failure are:Substituting these into the failure criterion:Step 3: Analyze the second test (correct CD test).
In a standard CD test with the same cell pressure kPa, the drainage valve remains open, so the pore pressure .
The effective stresses at failure are:The deviatoric stress at failure is:
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