11/26/2019

Geotechnical Site Investigation(CE 829)

Tariq M. Bajwa , PhD
NUST, Islamabad, Pakistan Shear strength theory concepts
Office: NIT # 112
Email: tariq.bajwa@nice.nust.edu.pk
Part 2
24 - 10 - 2019

Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019

Shearing strength theory concepts: Shearing strength theory concepts:

CU - Triaxial test : CU - Triaxial test :
• Major principal stress at failure (total) =

=0 • Major principal stress at failure (effective) =

• Minor principal stress at failure (total) =

(a) specimen under chamber confining • Minor principal stress at failure (effective) = Specimen under chamber confining pressure

• Pore water pressure at failure =

Volume change in specimen caused
by confining pressure
From above
Skempton’s pore
derivation
pressure parameter

(b) deviator stress application Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019

Deviator stress application Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019

Shearing strength theory concepts: Shearing strength theory concepts:

Consolidated undrained (CU) - Triaxial test : Consolidated undrained (CU) - Triaxial test :
• Tests on several similar specimens with varying confining pressures may be done to determine the shear strength
parameters

• Sand and normally consolidated clay

Variation of pore water pressure with axial strain Variation of pore water pressure with axial strain for loose
for dense sand and over-consolidated clay sand and normally consolidated clay

Deviator stress against axial strain for

Deviator stress against axial strain for loose sand
dense sand and over-consolidated clay
and normally consolidated clay Figure: Total and effective stress failure envelopes for CU triaxial tests
Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019 Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019

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Shearing strength theory concepts: Shearing strength theory concepts:

Consolidated undrained (CU) - Triaxial test :
CU- Triaxial test :

• Example: A consolidated-undrained test on a normally consolidated clay yielded the

following results:

3 = 84 kPa
Skempton’s pore water
pressure parameter at failure
Deviator stress = (∆ d)f = 63.7 kPa

• Normally consolidated clays = 0.5 to 1 Pore pressure = (∆ud)f = 47.6 kPa

• Over-consolidated clays = 0.5 to 0

Calculate the consolidated-undrained friction angle and the drained friction angle.

Figure: Total stress failure envelope obtained from consolidated-

undrained tests in over-consolidated clay
Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019 Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019

Shearing strength theory concepts: Shearing strength theory concepts:

Practical Problem:
Unconsolidated undrained (UU) - Triaxial test
For clayey specimens
• Samples taken from a uniform deposit of granular soil are found to have a unit weight of 19.6 depends on a very important strength concept for saturated cohesive soils.

kN/m3 and an angle of internal friction of 35°. What is the shearing strength of the soil on a

horizontal plane at a point 4 m below the ground surface?

∆
• A proposed structure will cause the vertical stress to increase by 60 kN/m 2 at the 4 m depth.
CD test
Assume that the weight of the structure also causes the shearing stress to increase to 52
B = Skempton’s pore pressure parameter

kN/m2 on a horizontal plane at this depth. Does this shearing stress exceed the shearing CU test
A = Skempton’s pore pressure parameter
strength of the soil?

• Does this shearing stress exceed the shearing strength of the soil, if water table rises to G/S?

Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019 Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019

Shearing strength theory concepts: Shearing strength theory concepts:

Unconsolidated undrained (UU) - Triaxial test UU- Triaxial test

The added axial stress at failure ∆ ! is practically the same regardless of the chamber confining pressure Reason for obtaining the same added axial stress, ∆ ! regardless of the confining pressure

• For saturated soils, under

isotropic stresses, the pore
water pressure increase is equal
R C u = undrained shear strength, and
to the total stress increase, so
equal to radius of the Mohr’s circle
∆"# ∆$%

Figure: Total stress Mohr’s circles and failure

envelope ( = 0) obtained from UU triaxial tests
Figure: The ( = 0) concept
Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019 Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019

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Shearing strength theory concepts: Shear strength theory concepts:

Unconfined compression test o Unconfined compression test:

• The confining pressure is zero and an axial load is rapidly applied to the specimen to cause failure

• At failure, the total minor principal stress 0 and the total major principal stress '

• A special type of
unconsolidated-undrained
test that is commonly
used for clay specimens.

Figure: Representation of unconfined compression test: (a) test arrangement; (b) stresses
Figure: Unconfined compression test equipment
Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019
acting on incremental element Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019

Shearing strength theory concepts: Shearing strength theory concepts:

Unconfined compression test Unconfined compression test

• the undrained shear strength is independent of the confining pressure

Table: General relationship of consistency and unconfined compression strength of clays

Consistency qu (kPa)
Very soft 0 - 25
Soft 25 - 50
Medium 50 - 100
()
Stiff 100 – 200
) Very stiff 200 - 400
Hard. > 400
Figure: Unconfined compression test results
Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019 Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019

Shearing strength theory concepts: Shearing strength theory concepts:

Reference Book: Sensitivity and thixotropy of clay

Fundamentals of Geotechnical Engineering – Braja M. Das

• The sensitivity ratio of most
clays ranges from about 1 to 8

Figure: Unconfined compression strength for undisturbed and remolded clay

Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019 Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019

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Shearing strength theory concepts: Shearing strength theory concepts:

Sensitivity of clay Anisotropy in undrained shear strength

Figure: Strength anisotropy in clay

Figure: Classification of clays based on sensitivity
Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019 Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019

Shearing strength theory concepts:

Anisotropy in undrained shear strength

Casagrande and Carrillo (1944)

) * + ) ,
Anisotropic soil Thank you very much / Dr. Tariq M. Bajwa
) * ) . ) ,

) * - ) ,
Isotropic soil

Figure: Directional variation of undrained strength in clay

Dr. Tariq Mahmood Bajwa /24/10/2019