Effective Stress in the ground

When a load is applied to soil, it is carried by the water in the pores as well as the solid grains. The increase in pressure within the porewater causes drainage (flow out of the soil), and the load is transferred to the solid grains.

The rate of drainage depends on the permeability of the soil.

The strength and compressibility of the soil depend on the stresses within the solid granular fabric. These are called effective stresses.

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