Question

At a reclamation site, a 6-m thick sand layer overlies a 5.8-m thick clay layer, which is underlain by impermeable rock stratum. The water level is initially 2.5 m above the ground surface. The saturated unit weights of sand and clay are 19 kN/m3 and 17 kN/m3, respectively. A 5-m thick layer of fill will be placed on the original ground surface, and the unit weights of fill are 19 kN/m3 and 20 kN/m3 above and below water table, respectively. Determine the water pressures and effective vertical stresses at the middle of clay layer (i) immediately after the fill is placed, and (ii) many years after the fill is placed

Answer 1