A H M 531

The Civil Engineering Center

Objective:

To obtain the parameters of shear strength (C,) for a cohesion less
sample using the direct shear test.

General discussion:


Failure on any plane of any material occurs because of a critical combination of
normal stress and shearing stress, where the failure plane can be represented by
Formula 1;
*



This formula defines the failure envelope of a soil sample.

When testing soils for their shear strength, we aim to fine the two parameters of
shear strength defined in Formula 2;
*




Which are cohesion and the angle of internal friction.

These two parameter are found by plotting the shear failure envelope, in which
the slope represents the angle of internal friction and the Y- intercept represents
the cohesion. Graphing the shear failure envelope requires knowledge in the
relation between shear strength and the normal stress, so tests are done to find
out how shear varies with varying normal stress on a sample. At least three tests
on three samples shall be done to check for test errors and sample anomalies.
Then on a coordinate axes, shear strengths and corresponding normal stresses
are plotted and connected with a straight line representing the shear failure
envelope.

Direct shear test is useful when cohesion less soils are to be tested. In this test the
failure plane is forced to occur at a predetermined location where both normal
and shear stresses are acting; the sample is placed in a closed shear box, fixed at
the base with the top free to translate under a horizontal force.
The two portions of the box are spaced by using spacing screws to reduce the
friction. The space should be at least as large as the largest sand particle.
The box is then placed in the direct shear apparatus, and increasing horizontal
load is applied with constant corresponding vertical load, and the horizontal
deformation shall be recorded by using the dial gage.
For each test shear stress-strain diagram is drawn in order to find out the
ultimate stress, then the shear failure envelope is drawn by relating each
A H M 531 Direct shear test By: Ahmed Essam Mansour
The Civil Engineering Center 1Visit www.AHM531.com for more lab reports and lecture notes!
A H M 531
The Civil Engineering Center
ultimate shear stress to the normal stress corresponding to it in at least three
tests.
In case of testing the sand, the sample can be reused for the repeated tests.

Direct shear test may be categorized as follows:
1. Unconsolidated-Undrained (UU tests)

2. Consolidated-Undrained (CU tests)

3. Consolidated-Drained (CD tests)

In our test we made the UU test.



Sample identification:

Cohesion less sand sample.


Equipments:

1. Direct shear device

2. Two dial gages

3. Direct shear box




Procedures:

1. The shear box was assembled carefully and then placed in the direct
shear apparatus.

2. A normal load of 1kg was placed by means of using a lever arm.

3. Increments of shear stress were applied, and horizontal deformation
corresponding to each load increment was recorded of the answer sheet.

4. A new normal load was placed on the lever arm, which was twice as large
as the prior one, and then step 3 was repeated.





A H M 531 Direct shear test By: Ahmed Essam Mansour
The Civil Engineering Center 2Visit www.AHM531.com for more lab reports and lecture notes!
A H M 531
The Civil Engineering Center




Calculations:























A H M 531 Direct shear test By: Ahmed Essam Mansour
The Civil Engineering Center 3Visit www.AHM531.com for more lab reports and lecture notes!
A H M 531
The Civil Engineering Center









Discussion and results:

It can be obviously seen than when increasing the normal stress on the sample
the shear strength is increased.
The stress strain diagrams was erratic, and there existed a cohesion for the used
sample which makes no sense as our sample was cohesion less sand and the
cohesion should equaled zero. This can be a result of making two tests only on
the sample.

Sources of Error:
1. Only two tests were made, and so only two points was available to graph
the shear failure envelop, which is not sufficient for checking the errors
and anomalies.

2. The mass of the load block and upper half of the shear box was not
included as a part of the sample vertical load.


A H M 531 Direct shear test By: Ahmed Essam Mansour
The Civil Engineering Center 4Visit www.AHM531.com for more lab reports and lecture notes!