Additional Example on Soil Strength

Geotechnical Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Cape Town
 Example 4
The results below were obtained in a series of triaxial tests carried
out on specimens of a saturated clay initially 38mm in diameter
and 76mm in height. Determine the values of the shear strength
parameters with respect to;
i) the total stress ii) effective stress.

2
 Example 4
Solution
The axial stress at failure in each test is obtained by dividing
the axial load by the cross-sectional area of the specimen at
failure.
The corrected cross-sectional area of the failed specimen is
calculated from the equation;

Deviator Stress at failure;

1   3 
Axial load at failure
Corrected cross section area of the sample 3
 Example 4
The initial values of length, area and volume for each specimen
are;
ho = 76 mm, Ao = 11.35 cm2; Vo = 86.0cm3 respectively.

Note: There is no volume change during an undrained test on a

saturated clay 4
 Mohr circles and the corresponding failure envelopes for both the undrained and
drained triaxial tests:

Total stress parameters (undrained strength) of the clay: cu = 85 kN/m2; ϕu = 0°

Effective stress parameters (drained strength) of the clay: c' = 20 kN/m2; ϕ’ = 26°