Cve 513-3

Shear Strength
Introduction
• The strength of a material is the greatest stress it can
sustain;
• So that the unit of strength is the same as stress (Pa in SI
unit system);
• The shear strength of a soil mass is the internal resistance
per unit area that the soil mass can offer to resist failure and
sliding along any plane inside it.
• The capability of the following comes from the soil shear

strength :
Support loading from structure

Support its own overburden
Sustain slope in equilibrium
Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 2
Shear Strength
Introduction
• The safety of any geotechnical structure is dependent on
the strength of the soil;
• If the soil fails, the structure founded on it can collapse.
• Understanding shear strength is the basis to analyze soil
stability problems like:–
lateral pressure on earth retaining structures,

slope stability,
bearing capacity.

Shear Strength
Introduction
• The shear strength of a soil is its resistance to shearing
stresses.
• It is a measure of the soil resistance to deformation by
continuous displacement of its individual soil particles.
• Shear strength in soils depends primarily on interactions
between particles.
• Shear failure occurs when the stresses between the

particles are such that they slide or roll past each other.

Shear Strength
COHESION

Shear Strength
INTERNAL FRICTION
Shear strength is not a unique property of a soil but depends

on many factors.
Introduction
Soil derives its shear strength from two sources:
 Cohesion between particles (stress independent

component) - c
 Cementation between particle grains.
 Electrostatic attraction between clay particles.
 Predominant in clayey soils.
 Frictional resistance between particles (stress

dependent component) - 
 Strength gained from internal frictional resistance
(interlocking action among soil particles).
 Predominant in granular soils.
Shear Strength
• Failure happens if the shear stress along the failure
surface reaches the soil’s shear strength.
• Soil generally fail in shear.
failure surface mobilised shear

resistance

Shear Strength
• At failure, shear stress along the failure surface ()

reaches the shear strength (f).

Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criteria
• Mohr presented in 1900 a

theory of rupture of
materials, that was the
result of a combination of
Charles Mohr both normal and shear
stresses.
• The shear stress at failure
is thus,
Charles Coulomb Coduto (1998)

Shear Strength
Mohr Circle
•Mohr is a German Engineer and Professor (1835)
•Mohr proposed graphical solution (Circle) to determine stresses
within a material
•Material fails because of a combination of normal and shear
stress, and not from either maximum normal or shear alone
i.e 𝜏𝑓=𝑓(𝜎)
•The equation above is gives failure envelope-the surface on
which failure occurs
•The equation gives a curve line (Non-linear)
•For example, we want to determine stress at along plane A
oriented 𝜃=38°with respect to horizontal A-A (see figure 5.10)
•Let's simplify stress state into 2D in order to look into detail the
stresses acting on a soil element and how Mohr-Circle can be
used to determine the stress
This theory states that a material fails because of a critical

combination of normal stress and shear stress, and not
from their either maximum normal or shear stress alone.

n

The limiting shear stress (soil strength) is given by :
 = c +  tan 
where
c = cohesion
 = angle of internal friction

Shear Strength
Shear Stress, 
Gradient of the line
Mohr-Coulomb
envelope
 = 
Interception of y-axis
C
Normal Stress,  = 
f is the maximum shear stress the soil can take without failure, under
normal stress of .
Shear Strength

Y
X X
Y Soil elements at different locations 
X ~ failure
Y ~ stable

Shear Strength
The soil element does not fail if
the Mohr circle is contained
within the envelope.
GL
 c
c c+
Initially, Mohr circle is 
Y c a point
As loading progresses, Mohr
circle becomes larger…
.. and finally failure occurs when

Mohr circle touches the
envelope. c 16
Dr Akeem Amuda NUN
Shear Strength

Shear Strength
Failure plane
oriented at 45 + /2
Y to horizontal
45 + /2
GL
45 + /2

c 
Y c 90+
c c+

Shear Strength

EFFECTIVE STRESS FAILURE CRITERION
• If the soil is at failure the effective stress failure criterion will
always be satisfied.
 c'  tan '

c’ and ’ are known as the effective (or drained) strength parameters.
• Soil behavior is controlled by effective stresses, and the

effective strength parameters are the fundamental strength
parameters. But they are not necessarily soil constants.

TOTAL STRESS FAILURE CRITERION
• If the soil is taken to failure at constant volume (undrained) then

the failure criterion can be written in terms of total stress as
  c u   n tan  u
cu and u are known as the undrained strength parameters.
• These parameters are not soil constants, they depend strongly

on the moisture content of the soil.

Shear strength parameters

Laboratory test to determine
shear strength parameters
Direct Shear Test
Unconfined
Triaxial Test
Compression
Test
Vane Shear Test

Laboratory tests
Field conditions
Before construction After and during construction

Laboratory tests
Criteria to determine shear strength
1.Peak deviator stress, ∆𝝈

2.Maximum principal stress, 𝝈𝟏
3.Minimum principal stress, 𝝈𝟑
4.Limiting strain
5.Critical state
6.Residual state

Direct shear test
Schematic diagram of the direct shear apparatus

DIRECT SHEAR BOX

Laboratory tests

DIRECT SHEAR BOX

DIRECT SHEAR BOX

DIRECT SHEAR BOX

DIRECT SHEAR BOX

DIRECT SHEAR BOX
TEST PROCEDURE
• Soil specimen (round or square) is placed in a relatively flat

box and subjected to a vertical load.
• The box consists 2 parts (upper and lower).
• If 1 part of the box held while another one being pushed, the
specimen will experience shear failure along the horizontal
surface.
• Vertical load and shear force that induced the failure of the
specimen is recorded.
• The failed sample is discarded and another sample is placed
in the box.
• Experiment is repeated several times.

DIRECT SHEAR BOX
TYPICAL RESULT
Shear Load (F)
Horizontal displacement (dx)

DIRECT SHEAR BOX
• In dense sand, the
resisting shear
stress increases
with shear
displacement until
it reaches a failure
stress f.
• f is called the
peak shear
strength.
• After failure, stress is attained, the resisting shear stress gradually

decreases as shear displacement increases until it finally reaches a
constant value called the ultimate shear strength.
DIRECT SHEAR BOX
DATA ANALYSIS
1. Draw suitable axes (x and y) on a graph paper. The same scale
should be used for both axes.
2. Using the axes, plot normal stress vs shear stress.
3. Draw a best fit line connecting all the points plotted.
4. Based on the plot, the following parameters obtained :
Cohesion, c – interception at y-axis.
Angle of internal friction,  = gradient of the straight line.

DIRECT SHEAR BOX

DIRECT SHEAR BOX

DIRECT SHEAR BOX
• ADVANTAGES • DISADVANTAGES
• Most easiest and quickest test. • The shear failure is forced to

• Large samples may be tested in occur along or across a
large shear boxes. Small samples predetermined plane which is
may give misleading results due not necessarily the weakest
to imperfections (fractures and plane of the soil specimen
fissures) or the lack of them. tested
• Samples may be sheared along • Non-uniform deformations and
predetermined planes. This is stresses in the specimen. The
useful when the shear strengths stress-strain behavior cannot be
along fissures or other selected determined. The estimated
planes are required. stresses may not be those
acting on the shear plane.

DIRECT SHEAR BOX
• ADVANTAGES • DISADVANTAGES
• Most easiest and quickest test. • The shear failure is forced to

• Due to the smaller thickness of occur along or across a
the sample, rapid drainage can be predetermined plane which is
achieved not necessarily the weakest
• Large samples may be tested in plane of the soil specimen
large shear boxes. Small samples • Area of the sliding surface
may give misleading results due changes as the test progresses
to imperfections (fractures and • Non-uniform deformations and
fissures) or the lack of them. stresses in the specimen. The
• Samples may be sheared along stress-strain behavior cannot be
plane of weakness or an determined. The estimated
identified failure plan. stresses may not be those
acting on the shear plane.

DIRECT SHEAR BOX
APPLICATION
• In practice shear box tests are used to get quick and crude
estimates of failure parameters.
• Since development of the much better triaxial test, the use of
the direct shear test has decreased.

DIRECT SHEAR BOX
WORK EXAMPLE
A direct shear test conducted on a soil sample yielded the
following results:
Normal Stress,  (psi) Max. Shear Stress, S (psi)

10.0 6.5
25.0 11.0
40.0 17.5
Determine shear strength parameters of the soil.

DIRECT SHEAR BOX
ANSWER :
20
Max. Shear Stress (psi)
15
10
0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Normal Stress (psi)
c  2.5 psi
(20  2.5)
tan   
 0.365
48
Dr Akeem Amuda    tan 1
(0.365)  20 NUN 44
Unconfined Compression Test (UC Test)

Unconfined Compression Test (UC Test)

Triaxial Shear Test
Developed by Casagrande in an attempt to overcome
some of the serious disadvantages of the direct shear
test.
• Advantages over DST

• More Versatile
• Drainage can be well controlled
• There is no rotation of the principal stresses like the
direct shear test
• Also the failure plane can occur anywhere

Triaxial Shear Test
Principles of the Triaxial Compression (TC) Test
• The triaxial compression test is used to measure the

shear strength of a soil under controlled drainage
conditions
• A cylindrical specimen of soil is subjected encased in a to
a confining fluid/air pressure and then loaded axially to
failure.
• The test is called "triaxial" because the three principal
stresses are assumed to be known and are controlled.

Triaxial Shear Test
Principles of the Triaxial Compression (TC) Test
• During shear, the major principal
stress, 𝜎1 is equal to the applied axial
stress (∆𝜎 = P/A) plus the chamber
(confining) pressure, 𝜎3
• The applied axial stress, 𝜎1 - 𝜎3 is

termed the "principal stress difference"
or sometimes the "deviator stress“
• The intermediate principal stress, 𝜎2

and the minor principal stress, 𝜎3 are
identical in the test, and are equal to
the confining or chamber pressure
Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test
Consists of 3 stages:
1.Saturation
2.Consolidation
Main stages
3.Shearing

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test
Unconsolidated-undrained Test
This test is also called the quick test.
𝜎3 and ∆𝜎 are applied fast so the soil does not have time to settle or
consolidate.
The test is performed with the drain valve closed for all phases of the
test. (Water is not allowed to drain)
UU test simulates short term shear strength for cohesive soils.
For this test, 𝜙 = 𝜙 ′ = 0
′ ′
(𝜎1 −𝜎3 )
s = cu = Su = (𝜎1−𝜎3) 2= 2

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test
Consolidated-drained Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test
Consolidated-undrained Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Shear Test

Triaxial Test Analysis






Saturation & use of back pressure
1.Reason for saturation
2.Principle of saturation
3.Maintaining saturation
4.Advantages of saturation

Reason for saturation
deal with partly saturated soils

complexity while measuring pore air pressure
To measure the shear strength at failure

Principle of saturation
• raised the pwp sufficiently enough for water to

absorb into the solution
• At the same time, 𝜎𝑐 is raised to maintain a small
positive 𝜎 ′ in the sample
• Reasonable magnitude = 50 kPa to 100 kPa
• Check B value:


Maintaining saturation
• elevated pwp should if possible be maintained

• Pwp should not be less than 150 kPa

Advantages of saturation
• Can dissolved any air trapped between

the membrane and the sample
• Any air bubbles remained in the pore
pressure and back pressure systems are
eliminated
• Reliable measurement of permeability can
be made on soils that are initially partly
saturated

Stress Point
v
h X
 t
stress point
stress point
(v-h)/2
h v  s
(v+h)/2
v h
t
v h 2
s
2
Dr Akeem Amuda
89
NUN 89
Stress Path
During loading…
Stress path

is the locus
t
of stress
points
Stress path
 s
Stress path is a convenient way to keep track of the

progress in loading with respect to failure envelope.
Dr Akeem Amuda
90
NUN 90
Failure Envelopes
 t failur
e
 tan-1 (sin )
c c cos  stress path
 s
During loading (shearing)….
Dr Akeem Amuda
91
NUN 91

Cve 513-3

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Shear Strength

• The capability of the following comes from the soil shear

Support loading from structure

lateral pressure on earth retaining structures,

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 3

• Shear failure occurs when the stresses between the

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 4

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 5

Shear strength is not a unique property of a soil but depends

 Cohesion between particles (stress independent

 Frictional resistance between particles (stress

failure surface mobilised shear

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 8

• At failure, shear stress along the failure surface ()

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 9

• Mohr presented in 1900 a

Charles Coulomb Coduto (1998)

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 10

This theory states that a material fails because of a critical

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 12

The limiting shear stress (soil strength) is given by :

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 13

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 15

.. and finally failure occurs when

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 17

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 18

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 19

 c'  tan '

• Soil behavior is controlled by effective stresses, and the

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 20

• If the soil is taken to failure at constant volume (undrained) then

• These parameters are not soil constants, they depend strongly

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 21

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 22

Direct Shear Test

Vane Shear Test

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 23

Before construction After and during construction

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 24

1.Peak deviator stress, ∆𝝈

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 25

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 27

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 28

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 29

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 30

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 31

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 32

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 33

• Soil specimen (round or square) is placed in a relatively flat

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 34

Shear Load (F)

Horizontal displacement (dx)

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 35

• After failure, stress is attained, the resisting shear stress gradually

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 37

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 38

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 39

• Most easiest and quickest test. • The shear failure is forced to

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 40

• Most easiest and quickest test. • The shear failure is forced to

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 41

Dr Akeem Amuda NUN 42