What is the effect of water table rise on the bearing capacity of soil?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
What is the effect of water table rise on the bearing capacity of soil?
Increases bearing capacity
Decreases bearing capacity
No effect
Depends on soil type
A rise in the water table typically decreases the effective stress in the soil, leading to a reduction in bearing capacity.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: What is the effect of water table rise on the bearing capacity of soil?
Solution: A rise in the water table typically decreases the effective stress in the soil, leading to a reduction in bearing capacity.
Steps: 7
Step 1: Understand what the water table is. The water table is the level below which the ground is saturated with water.
Step 2: Know what bearing capacity means. Bearing capacity is the ability of soil to support the weight of structures built on it.
Step 3: Learn about effective stress. Effective stress is the stress that contributes to the strength of the soil, calculated as total stress minus pore water pressure.
Step 4: Recognize that when the water table rises, the pore water pressure in the soil increases.
Step 5: Realize that an increase in pore water pressure reduces the effective stress in the soil.
Step 6: Understand that a decrease in effective stress leads to a lower bearing capacity of the soil.
Step 7: Conclude that a rise in the water table typically decreases the bearing capacity of soil.
