Table $1-$ Some soil properties

Table $2-$ Oedometer settlement results for $200$ kPa load step.

Table $3-$ Void ratios at end of each oedometer load step

This is a soil mechanics mathematical question. You should use all $3$ tables and the oedometer measurements.

The ground profile consists of layers of relatively impermeable clays and very permeable heavy fractured limestone$.$ The ground water table is located at $5$m depth. Some soil properties for these layers are given in Table $1.$ An oedometer test was conducted on a clay smaple taken from the middle of the $20$m thick clay layer. The data for this test can be found in Tables $2$ and $3.$ The oedometer sample diameter was $70$mm and its initial thickness was $20$mm$.$ The $10$m hgh clay hill on the surface was entirely excavated to allow construction, see Figure $1.$

Calculate heave resulting from the removal of the clay hill as a function of time at the location where you think heave will be the largest.

Draw a graph showinghow the long$-$term heave varies along the rail track and estimate the largest gradient anywhere along the rail track indicating where along the track these may occur.

You may assume:

$-$ ignore any heave associate with soil creep

$-$ assume plane$-$strain conditions $($linear elastic theory$)$

$-$ assume any soil movements are purely vertical $($horizontal strains are$0)$