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Lab Report No. 8

TRIAXIAL COMPRESSION TEST ON COHESIVE SOIL
Introduction.
The triaxial test is used to determine the stress – strain - strength characteristics of soils under drained or
undrianed conditions, in a more realistic way than unconfined compression test
Axial load
Upper plate
Porous disk
Rubber membrane (to contain sample)

Soil specimen
Lucite pressure cell
(chamber fluid) 3 3
Porous disk bottom plate

Drainage Chamber

fluid to provide 3
There are three possible limiting-type shear tests, they are
1. Consolidated-Undrained, (CU); the drain is permitted during subjecting only
2. Unconsolidated-Undrained, (UU); the drain valve is closed during the test
3. Consolidated-Drained, (CD); the drain valves is opened during the test

Drained Shear: Sample saturation and drainage

In which the excess pore water pressure is negligible
Undrained Shear:
In which no escape of pore water is permitted
Purposes:
The CD tests are used to determine the friction angle ( φ) for various densities and confining pressure
(3) under drained conditions. While UU and CU tests are used to define the undrained shear strength
(Cu)
Apparatus:
1. Compression machine
2. Triaxial cell
3. Specimen mold, rubber membrane, rubber binding strips, and porous stones.
4. Specimen trimmer
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5. Balance
6. Drying oven
7. Timer
8. Suction device (membrane stretcher)
Procedure :
1. Prepare two specimen size 8.5 cm in height by 3.8 cm in diameter.
2. Enclose the specimen within the membrane by using membrane stretcher
Upper plate

Membrane stretcher Rubber membrane Suction Bottom plate

Note: moisten membrane with water for ease of insertion. Be sure to use to use damp or saturated
porous stone on the platen.
3. Remove the sample from the membrane stretcher and attach the lower platen to the base of the
triaxial cell. Also attach the upper platen.
4. Connect the top platen tube to the vacuum line, fill to overflowing the lines into and out of the
sample. Then close the valve of the line into the sample.
5. Apply a predetermined chamber pressure (equal to the overburden pressure that exist on the soil
sample in nature) for the lateral pressure 3.
6. Set the load and deformation dial to zero
7. Start the test and take simultaneous load-and deformation dial reading using the data sheets
provided. Take reading until the load holds constant and then falls off or to slightly beyond the
estimated 20% strain value.
Calculation :
1. Compute the unit strain Є, also compute the corrected area Ac
Change of sample height mm

Є= (mm/mm) Ac = (initial cross-sectional area of the soil sample (mm ) )

2

Initial sample height mm

2. Compute the deviator stress

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∆σ = (MPa) where P = the deviator load (N)

∆σ = deviator stress (MPa)

3. Plot a curve of unit deviator stress versus strain show and obtain the stress at peak point unless the
stress at 20% strain occurs first, show this value of the deviator stress on the graph

Deviator stress (MPa) Test No.1

100
90
80 Test No.2
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
4. With the maximum deviator stress from 0step 3, compute the major principal stress for each test as
0 5 10 15 20 25
1 = 3 + ∆1
Shear stress τ Cu

5. Plot Mohr's circle for the two tests on the same setUnit
of axes and
Strain fit a tangent to the circles. Measure
(mm/mm)
the Y-axis intercept for the cohesion of the soil and show this value on the graph.

Effective
UU apparent
A
A′ B


Normal stress  and ′

Triaxial compression tests on a saturated clay

Note: the apparent UU failure envelope is generally a straight horizontal line for saturated soil, and Cu is
independent of  .in the UU the external pressure, which is applied to the saturated soil sample is
entirely taken by the pore pressure, and not by the soil grains, at failure, the total stress Mohr circles A,
and B have the same size because the correspond to the same effective stress Mohr circle A′
6. Compute:
p = (1+3)/2 and q = (1 - 3)/2
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For each test and compute the coefficient of lateral stress (k)
( q / p ) = tan 
k = (1- tan)/ (1+ tan)
Discussion:
1. How many types of triaxial tests are there?
2. Define UU, CU, and CD triaxial tests
3. Why do we use rubber membrane in triaxial tests?
4. Which case in field does UU test simulate?

Dr. Rizgar Ali Hummadi Yousif Ismail Mauloud

21/2/2004 21/2/2004
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TRIAXIAL COMPRESSION TEST

Initial height (cm) =
Initial diameter (cm) =
Initial area of the sample (mm2) =
Area
Load dial Unit
Deformation correction Corrected Deviator
reading Strain
(mm)
(kg)x 9.81
Factor area Ac Stress kPa
H/Ho
1/( 1-
1 2 3 4 5 6
 
 0          
 
 1          
 
 2          
 
 3          
4
 
 5          
 
 6          
 
 7          
 
 8          
 
 9          
 
 10          
 
 11          
 
 12          
 
 13          
 
 14          
 
 15          
 
 16          
 
 17          
 
 18          
Lateral pressure on test specimen = (i) 2 kg /cm2…………(ii) 3 kg /cm2………

Maximum deviator stress (from stress strain curve)  = ………………………..

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Maximum value of vertical stress 

Dr. Rizgar Ali Hummadi Yousif Ismail Mauloud

21/2/2004 21/2/2004