TABLE OF CONTENT

NO
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

1.0

CONTENT
OBJECTIVE
LEARNING OUTCOME
THEORY
REST EQUIPMENTS
PROCEDURES
RESULT
DATA ANALYSIS
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION
QUESTION

OBJECTIVE

- To determine the parameter of shear strength of soil, cohesion, c and

angle of friction, .

2.0

LEARNING OUTCOME
At the end of this experiment, student are able to :
Determine the shear strength parameter of the soil
Handle shear strength test, direct shear test

3.0

THEORY

The general relationship between maximum shearing resistance, f and

normal stress, n for soils can be represented by the equation and known as
Coulombs Law :

f c tan
Where :
c = cohesion, which is due to internal forces holding soil
particles together in a solid
mass
= friction, which is due to the interlocking of the particles and the
friction between
them when subjected to normal stress
The friction components increase with increasing normal stress but the
cohesion components remains constant. If there is no normal stress the
friction disappears. This relationship shown in the graph below. This graph
generally approximates to a straight line, its inclination to the horizontal axis
being equal to the angle of shearing resistance of the soil, and its
intercept on the vertical (shear stress) axis being the apparent cohesion,
denoted by c.

Figure 1.1 : Graph shear stress versus normal stress

4.0

TEST EQUIPMENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Shear box carriage

Loading pad
Perforated plate
Porous plate
Retaining plate

Figure 1.2 : Shear box carriage

perforated

Figure 1.3 : Loading pad,

plate, porous plate and

retaining plate

5.0

PROCEDURES

1. The internal measurement is verified by using the vernier calipers.

The length of the
sides, L and the overall depth, B.
2. The base plate is fixed inside the shear box. Then porous plate is
put on the base
plate. Next, perforated grid plate is fitted over porous so that the
grid plates should
be at right angles to the direction shear

Apparatus of experiment.
3. Two halves of the shear box is fixed by means of fixing screws.
4. For cohesive soils, the soil sample is transferred from square
specimen cutter to the
shearbox by pressing down on the top grid plate. For sandy soil, soil
is compacted in

layers to the required density in shear box.

5. The shear box assembly is mounted on the loading frame.
6. The dial is set of the proving ring to zero.
7. The loading yoke is placed on the loading pad and the hanger is
lifted carefully onto
the top of the loading yoke.
8. The correct loading is then applied to the hanger pad.
9. The screws clamping the upper half to the lower half is carefully
removed.
10. The test is conducted by applying horizontal shear load to failure.
Rate strain should
be 0.2mm/min.
11 .Record readings of horizontal and force dial gauges at regular
intervals.
12. Finally the test is conducted on three identical soil samples under
different vertical
compressive strsses, 1.75kg, 2.5kg and 3.25kg.
6.0 RESULT
Specimen No : 1
Loading : 1.75kg
Displacement
Dail Gauge

L (mm)

50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
700
750
800

0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
1.10
1.20
1.30
1.40
1.50
1.60

Proving Ring
Dail
Gauge
1
9
13
20
24
28
31
34
37
39
42
44
46
48
49
51

Load, P
(kN)
0.0020
0.0184
0.0265
0.0408
0.0490
0.0571
0.0632
0.0694
0.0755
0.0796
0.0857
0.0898
0.0938
0.0979
0.1000
0.1040

Shear
Stress
(kN/m2)

Strain

0.57
5.10
7.37
11.33
13.60
15.87
17.57
19.27
20.97
22.10
23.80
24.93
26.07
27.20
27.77
28.90

0.0017
0.0033
0.0050
0.0067
0.0083
0.0100
0.0117
0.0133
0.0150
0.0167
0.0183
0.0200
0.0217
0.0233
0.0250
0.0267

850
900
950
1000
1050
1100
1150
1200
1250
1300
1350
1400
1450
1500
1550
1600

1.70
1.80
1.90
2.00
2.10
2.20
2.30
2.40
2.50
2.60
2.70
2.80
2.90
3.00
3.10
3.20

52
54
55
55
56
57
58
58
59
60
60
61
61
62
62
62

0.1061
0.1102
0.1122
0.1122
0.1142
0.1163
0.1183
0.1183
0.1204
0.1224
0.1224
0.1244
0.1244
0.1265
0.1265
0.1265

29.47
30.60
31.17
31.17
31.73
32.30
32.87
32.87
33.43
34.00
34.00
34.57
34.57
35.13
35.13
35.13

0.0283
0.0300
0.0317
0.0333
0.0350
0.0367
0.0383
0.0400
0.0417
0.0433
0.0450
0.0467
0.0483
0.0500
0.0517
0.0533

Shear
Stress
(kN/m2)

Strain

10.20
11.90
13.60
17.57
19.83
22.10
24.37
26.07
27.20
28.90
30.03
31.17
32.30
33.43
34.57
35.70
36.83
37.40
38.53

0.0017
0.0033
0.0050
0.0067
0.0083
0.0100
0.0117
0.0133
0.0150
0.0167
0.0183
0.0200
0.0217
0.0233
0.0250
0.0267
0.0283
0.0300
0.0317

Specimen No : 2
Loading : 2.5kg
Displacement
Dail Gauge

L (mm)

50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
700
750
800
850
900
950

0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
1.10
1.20
1.30
1.40
1.50
1.60
1.70
1.80
1.90

Proving Ring
Dail
Gauge
18
21
24
31
35
39
43
46
48
51
53
55
57
59
61
63
65
66
68

Load, P
(kN)
0.0367
0.0428
0.0490
0.0632
0.0714
0.0796
0.0877
0.0938
0.0979
0.1040
0.1081
0.1122
0.1163
0.1204
0.1244
0.1285
0.1326
0.1346
0.1387

1000
1050
1100
1150
1200
1250
1300
1350
1400
1450
1500
1550
1600

2.00
2.10
2.20
2.30
2.40
2.50
2.60
2.70
2.80
2.90
3.00
3.10
3.20

69
70
71
73
74
75
75
76
77
77
78
78
78

0.1408
0.1428
0.1448
0.1489
0.1510
0.1530
0.1530
0.1550
0.1571
0.1571
0.1591
0.1591
0.1591

39.10
39.67
40.23
41.37
41.93
42.50
42.50
43.07
43.63
43.63
44.20
44.20
44.20

0.0333
0.0350
0.0367
0.0383
0.0400
0.0417
0.0433
0.0450
0.0467
0.0483
0.0500
0.0517
0.0533

Shear
Stress
(kN/m2)

Strain

0.00
8.50
11.90
15.87
20.40
24.93
28.90
32.30
33.43
36.83
39.10
40.80
43.07
44.77
45.90
47.60
49.30
49.87
51.00
52.13

0.0017
0.0033
0.0050
0.0067
0.0083
0.0100
0.0117
0.0133
0.0150
0.0167
0.0183
0.0200
0.0217
0.0233
0.0250
0.0267
0.0283
0.0300
0.0317
0.0333

Specimen No : 3
Loading : 3.25kg
Displacement
Dail Gauge

L (mm)

50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
700
750
800
850
900
950
1000

0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
1.10
1.20
1.30
1.40
1.50
1.60
1.70
1.80
1.90
2.00

Proving Ring
Dail
Gauge
0
15
21
28
36
44
51
57
59
65
69
72
76
79
81
84
87
88
90
92

Load, P
(kN)
0.0000
0.0306
0.0428
0.0571
0.0734
0.0898
0.1040
0.1163
0.1204
0.1326
0.1408
0.1469
0.1550
0.1612
0.1652
0.1714
0.1775
0.1795
0.1836
0.1877

1050
1100
1150
1200
1250
1300
1350
1400
1450
1500
1550
1600
1650
1700
1750
1800
1850
1900
1950
2000
2050
2100

2.10
2.20
2.30
2.40
2.50
2.60
2.70
2.80
2.90
3.00
3.10
3.20
3.30
3.40
3.50
3.60
3.70
3.80
3.90
4.00
4.10
4.20

93
94
96
98
99
99
100
101
102
103
105
106
106
107
109
109
110
111
111
112
112
112

0.1897
0.1918
0.1958
0.1999
0.2020
0.2020
0.2040
0.2060
0.2081
0.2101
0.2142
0.2162
0.2162
0.2183
0.2224
0.2224
0.2244
0.2264
0.2264
0.2285
0.2285
0.2285

52.70
53.27
54.40
55.53
56.10
56.10
56.67
57.23
57.80
58.37
59.50
60.07
60.07
60.63
61.77
61.77
62.33
62.90
62.90
63.47
63.47
63.47

0.0350
0.0367
0.0383
0.0400
0.0417
0.0433
0.0450
0.0467
0.0483
0.0500
0.0517
0.0533
0.0550
0.0567
0.0583
0.0600
0.0617
0.0633
0.0650
0.0667
0.0683
0.0700

7.0

DATA ANALYSIS
Shear Stress ( 20mm dial gauge reading )
= P/A = [ ( dial gauge x 0.00204) / Area ]
Strain ( 20mm dial gauge reading )
= ( L / L ) = [ ( Dail Gauge x 0.01) / Total Length ]
Example calculation to find shear stress and strain for specimen 1 :
L (mm)

= 150 x 0.002
= 0.30

Load, P (kN)
= 13 x 0.00204
= 0.0265
Shear Stress ( 20mm dial gauge reading ) :
=

13 x 0.00204
0.06 x 0.06

7.37 kN/m

Strain ( 20mm dial gauge reading ) :

150 x 0.002
60

0.0050

Normal Stress (kN/m)

Specimen No : 1
Loading: 1.75 kg
Normal Stress

Specimen No : 2
Loading: 2.5 kg
Normal Stress

Specimen No : 3
Loading: 3.25 kg
Normal Stress

P
A
= 1.75 x 10 x 9.81
(0.06 x 0.06)1000
= 47.69 kN/m

P
A
= 2.5 x 10 x 9.81
(0.06 x 0.06)1000
= 68.13 kN/m

P
A
= 3.25 x 10 x 9.81
(0.06 x 0.06)1000
= 88.56 kN/m

Specimen 1
Loading 1.75kg :

Specimen 2
Loading 2.5kg :

Specimen 3
Loading 3.25kg :

Shear Strength
From the graph, data obtained : = 17 , c = 0

f c tan
1. = 47.69 kN/m2
= 0 + 47.69 tan 17
= 14.58 kN/m2
2. = 68.13 kN/m2
= 0 + 68.13 tan 17
= 20.83 kN/m2
3. = 88.56 kN/m2
= 0 + 88.56 tan 17
= 27.08 kN/m2

8.0

DISCUSSION

Direct shear test is simple and faster to operate. As thinner specimens

are used in shear box, they facilitate drainage of pore water from a saturated
sample in less time. This test is also useful to study friction between two
materials one material in lower half of box and another material in the upper
half of box.
For this experiment we use sand soil as the specimen. As we know, the
sand soil does not have any cohesion. The friction between sand particle is
due to sliding and rolling friction and interlocking action.
Significance and Applications
a. Unlike materials like steel, most of the soils are visco-elastic, meaning
the failures are time dependant
b. For most of the geotechnical designs concerning foundations,
earthworks and slope stability issues the soils are required to withstand
shearing stresses along with compressive stresses
c. Shear stresses tend to displace a part of soil mass relative to rest of the
soil mass
d. Shear strength is the capacity of the soil to resist shearing stresses
e. Relative sliding between soil particles is the major factor contributing to
the shear resistance

f. If the normal forces increase, the number of contact points also

increase thus increasing the resistance.
g. The reverse may happen if the normal loads decrease (which is the
case in excavations)
h. Hence the shear strength is a function of normal load, angle of friction
(amount of interlocking among the soil particles) and cohesion (intrinsic
property of clays due to which they stay close to each other even at
zero normal load).

The advantages of the direct shear test are:

i. Cheap, fast and simple - especially for sands.
ii. Failure occurs along a single surface, which approximates observed
slips or shear type failures in natural soils.
Disadvantages of the test include:
i. Difficult or impossible to control drainage, especially for fine-grained
soils.
ii. Failure plane is forced--may not be the weakest or most critical plane in
the field
iii. Non-uniform stress conditions exist in the specimen.
iv. The principal stresses rotate during shear, and the rotation cannot be
controlled. Principal stresses are not directly measured.

9.0

CONCLUTION

As the conclution, the objective of this experiment is to determine the

parameters that involved such as shear strength of soils, cohesion and angle
of friction is achieved. Four graph has been plotted and the value of cohesion
and angle of friction had been obtained. From this experiment, the value of
cohesion, c is 0 kN/m and the value of angle of friction is 17 .

10.0 QUESTIONS
Question 1
a. Why perforated plate in this test with teeth?
The perforated plate in this test with teeth because by the teeth, the
experiment can be produce a grip forces between the involved plate and the
sand and can assists in distributing the shear stress. This is also to ensure
the soil does not slide away from the metal plate. When the load is applied
on the soil, the perforated plate will grip the soil and push the soil.

b. What maximum value of displacement before stop the test?

The maximum value of displacement before we stop the test is when
the values are constant for more than three times or we can stop the test
when the incline value suddenly dropped.
Question 2
a. What is the purpose of a direct shear test? Which soil properties does it
measure?

The direct shear test is one of laboratory experiment and normally

used by geotechnical engineers to find and calculate the shear strength
parameters of any soil that involved. The direct shear experiment measures
the shear strength parameters which included the soil cohesion (c) and the
angle of friction (friction angle).
b. Why do we use fixing screw in this test? What will happen if you do not
removed them during test?
We used fixing screw in this direct shear test because in order to avoid
shearx1 for happening before the experiment is carried out. If we dont
remove them during the test, the friction can not occur at the screw and
there have will be no shear on the sample and thus the result will be not
accurate.