Stress

Stress is a force per unit area: N m-2

This is also a pressure. The SI unit of pressure
is the Pascal: 1 Pa = 1 N m-2
1 N is the force required to accelerate 1 kg by 1
m s-2, so in earths gravity (g = 9.81 m s-2),
1/9.81 kg would exert a pressure of 1 Pa if
applied over 1 m2.
1g

0.1 kg
1m

Soil Physics 2010

Pressure
1 Pa = 1 N m-2 = 1 (kg m)/(s2 m2) = 1 kg m-1 s-2

What is atmospheric pressure?

g * (Mass of atmosphere above 1 m2) = 101,325 Pa
101.3 kPa 0.1 MPa
Same force as a column of water 10.1 m high
14.7 psi (pounds / inch2)

1g

Soil Physics 2010

0.1 kg
1m

Stresses

4 Stresses commonly
encountered:
Compressive

Tensile
Shear

Torsion (not typical in soil)

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Kinds of behavior under stress

Elastic materials regain their pre-stress form
Example: rubber
Plastic materials remain in stressed form
Example: modeling clay
Viscous materials deform slowly
Example: tar
Brittle materials fracture under stress
Example: brick

Soils have aspects

these

Soil Physics 2010

of all of

Strain (elastic & plastic)

Strain is deformation (e.g. in response to stress)
Often given as L / L0 : a relative change in
length (dimensionless)
Youngs modulus is the ratio: E / L L

L
L0 L:
Original
height

Soil Physics 2010

L0

Height after
compression

Stress strain curves I

For elastic materials: Hookes Law:

Slope is E: Youngs modulus

E / , so
Stress , F/A

=/E
F

L
Strain , L/L0

Soil Physics 2010

L0

Stress strain curves II

For many materials
(including soil, sometimes):
Failure

Stress , F/A

Plastic

L
Strain , L/L0

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Material has
sheared or
fractured

L0

Soil strength
Soil strength is resistance to shear stress
Strength depends mainly on:
1. Bulk density

Proctor
Compaction
Test
Optimal

100%
90%
75%

No
lubrication
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Water gets
in the way

saturation,
mass basis

Soil strength

Harder to
compact
when dry

Soil Physics 2010

Soil strength is resistance to shear stress

Strength depends mainly on:
1. Bulk density
2. Wetness

More force
needed

100%
90%
75%

Less force
needed

Soil strength
Soil strength is resistance to shear stress
Strength depends mainly on:
t
1. Bulk density
2. Wetness

When the soil is saturated,

some stress is borne by the
water:

e = t p

e: effective stress (Terzaghis

equation)
t: total stress
p: water pressure

Soil Physics 2010

Soil strength
Soil strength is resistance to shear stress
Strength depends mainly on:
1. Bulk density
2. Wetness
3. Particle size distribution

Gradual distributions
tend to be stronger:
tighter grain packing
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Gradual
Abrupt
Poorly Graded

10-4

10-3

10-2

10-1

100

101

Basic laws of friction:

1. friction normal force
2. friction is not affected
by contact area (ideal
case)

Normal
force
Friction
Support
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3. friction is not affected

by velocity (for small
velocities)
Pull

Shear test

How strong is this soil?

How hard is it to break this soil?

Apply
normal
force

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Measure force needed to break

Repeat for different normal forces

Direct shear
(unconfined shear)

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Direct shear
(unconfined shear)

Soil Physics 2010