Geotechnical & Foundation

Engineering
CEE-209
Shear Strength of Soil
Lecture no 3
Engr. Adnan Yousaf
engrayousaf@cuiatd.edu.pk

Department of Civil Engineering

COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus
SEQUENCE
• Shear Strength
• Definition
• Shear failure in Soil
• Mohr Coulomb failure criteria
• Mohr circle of stress
• Measurement of Shear strength
• Direct Shear Test
• Triaxial Test

2
Shear Strength
• The maximum resisting stress offered by the soil particles against
the deformation due to \ relative sliding of soil particles \ just
before the failure of the soil mass is called as shearing strength of
the soil mass.

• The strength of a material is the greatest stress it can sustain

• If the stress exceeds the strength failure occurs, e.g. A36 steel
(248MPa).
• Empirical evidence tells that ground is actually failing shear not in
compression.
Shear Strength
• Common geotechnical engineering problems
Shear failure
Soils generally fail in shear

embankment

strip footing

mobilized shear
resistance

failure surface

At failure, shear stress along the failure surface

reaches the shear strength.
6
Shear failure

failure surface
The soil grains slide over
each other along the
failure surface.

No crushing of
individual grains.

7
Shear failure mechanism

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

reaches the shear strength (f).
8
 Shear failure of soils
Soils generally fail in shear

Retaining
wall

9
 Shear failure of soils
Soils generally fail in shear

Mobilized shear
Retaining
resistance
wall

Failure
surface

At failure, shear stress along the failure surface

(mobilized shear resistance) reaches the shear strength.
10
Shear failure in soils
 Frictional Strength

s = σ’tanϕ’
or
s = (σ-u)tanϕ’

ϕ’ = tan-1 u
 Cohesive strength

s = c’ + σ’tanϕ’
or
s = c’ + (σ-u)tanϕ’
Shear Strength in soils
A geotechnical engineer is evaluating
the stability of the slope in figure
below. This evaluation is considering
the potential for a shear failure along
the shear surface shown. The soil has
ϕ’ = 30֯ and no cohesive strength.
Compute the shear strength at point A
along this surface when the ground
water table is at level B, then compute
the new shear strength if the ground
water table rises to level C. The unit
weight of soil is 120lb/ft3 above the
ground water table and 123 lb/ft3
below.
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion


 f  c   tan 


friction angle
cohesion
f
c


f is the maximum shear stress the soil can take without
failure, under normal stress of .
16
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
(in terms of total stresses)


 f  c   tan 


Friction angle
Cohesion
f
c



f is the maximum shear stress the soil can take without failure,
under normal stress of . 17
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
(in terms of effective stresses)


 f  c' ' tan  '

 '  u
’
u = pore water
Effective
pressure
cohesion Effective
f friction angle
c’
’ ’

f is the maximum shear stress the soil can take without failure,
under normal effective stress of ’. 18
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion

Shear strength consists of two components:

 cohesive and frictional.

f
 f  c' ' f tan  '
’f tan ’ frictional
’ component

c’ c’
’f '

19
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion

Shear strength consists of two components:

 cohesive and frictional.

f
 f  c   f tan 
f tan  frictional
 component
c c
f 
c and  are measures of shear strength.
Higher the values, higher the shear strength.
20
21
Strength Measurement of Soil
Laboratory Strength Test/ Ex-Situ Strength Test
• Direct Shear Test

• Unconfined Compression Test

• Triaxial Compression Test

• Vane Shear Test

Field Strength Test/ In-Situ Strength Test

• Standard penetration test

• Cone penetration test

• Dilatometer test

• Pressuremeter test

• Plate load test

Direct shear test
NEED AND SCOPE
In many engineering problems such as
• design of foundation
• retaining walls
• slab bridges
• sheet piling
The value of the angle of internal friction and cohesion of the
soil involved are required for the design.
Direct shear test is used to predict these parameters quickly.
Direct shear test
1. This test is performed to determine shear strength of a sandy to
silty soil.
2. The shear strength is one of the most important engineering
properties of a soil, because it is required whenever a structure is
dependent on the soil’s shearing resistance.
3. The shear strength is needed for engineering situations such as
determining the stability of slopes or cuts, finding the bearing
capacity for foundations, and calculating the pressure exerted by
a soil on a retaining wall.
Apparatus

1. Direct shear box apparatus

2. Loading frame (motor attached).
3. Dial gauge.
4. Proving ring.
5. Tamper.
6. Straight edge.
7. Balance to weigh up to 200 mg.
8. Aluminum container.
9. Spatula.
PROCEDURE
• Check the inner dimension of the soil container.
• Put the parts of the soil container together.
• Calculate the volume of the container. Weigh the container.
• Place the soil in smooth layers (approximately 10 mm thick). If a dense
sample is desired tamp the soil.
• Weigh the soil container, the difference of these two is the weight of the
soil. Calculate the density of the soil.
• Make the surface of the soil plane.
• Put the upper grating on stone and loading block on top of soil.
 PROCEDURE (Conti....)

8. Measure the thickness of soil specimen.

9. Apply the desired normal load.
10. Remove the shear pin.
11. Attach the dial gauge which measures the change of volume.
12. Record the initial reading of the dial gauge and calibration values.
13. Before proceeding to test check all adjustments to see that there is no connection
between two parts except sand/soil.
14. Start the motor. Take the reading of the shear force and record the reading.
15. Take volume change readings till failure.
16. Add 5 kg normal stress 0.5 kg/cm2 and continue the experiment till failure
17. Record carefully all the readings. Set the dial gauges zero, before starting the experiment
Direct shear test

•Direct shear test is most suitable for granular soils (e.g.: sand) or stiff clays
Preparation of a sand specimen

Porous
plates

Components of the shear box Preparation of a sand specimen

Direct shear test
Steel ball
Test procedure P
Pressure plate

Porous
plates

Proving ring to
measure shear
force

Step 1: Apply a vertical load to the specimen and wait for consolidation
Direct shear test
Steel ball
Test procedure P
Pressure plate

Porous
plates

Proving ring to
measure shear
force

Step 1: Apply a vertical load to the specimen and wait for consolidation

Step 2: Lower box is subjected to a horizontal displacement at a constant rate

Direct shear test
Dial gauge to
measure vertical
Shear box displacement

Proving ring to
measure shear
force

Loading frame to Dial gauge to measure

horizontal displacement
apply vertical load
 Direct shear test
Analysis of test results

Normal force (P)

  Normal stress 
Area of cross section of the sample

Shear resistance developed at the sliding surface (S)

  Shear stress 
Area of cross section of the sample

Note: Cross-sectional area of the sample changes with the horizontal

displacement
 How to determine strength parameters c and friction (ϕ)

Normal stress = n3

Shear stress, 
Normal stress = n2
Normal stress = n1
f2
f1
f3
Shear displacement

n3
Shear stress at failure, f

n2 Mohr – Coulomb failure envelope


n1

Normal stress, 
Direct shear tests
Stress-strain relationship

Dense sand/ OC

Shear stress, 
clay
f
Loose sand/ NC
f clay

Shear displacement
Expansion
Change in height of

Dense sand/OC Clay

the sample

Shear displacement
Compression

Loose sand/NC Clay

Direct shear tests on sands
•Some important facts on strength parameters c and  of sand
•Sand is cohesionless hence c = 0
•Direct shear tests are drained and pore water pressures are
dissipated, hence u = 0
•Therefore, ’ =  and c’ = c = 0
Shear stress at failure, f

Mohr – Coulomb failure envelope

Normal stress, 
Direct shear tests on clays

•In case of clay, horizontal displacement should be applied at a very slow

rate to allow dissipation of pore water pressure (therefore, one test
would take several days to finish)

Failure envelopes for clay from drained direct shear tests

Overconsolidated clay (c’ ≠ 0)

Shear stress at failure, f

Normally consolidated clay (c’ = 0)

’

Normal force, 
Advantages of direct shear apparatus

• Due to the smaller thickness of the sample, rapid drainage can be achieved
• Can be used to determine interface strength parameters
• Clay samples can be oriented along the plane of weakness or an identified
failure plane

Disadvantages of direct shear apparatus

• Failure occurs along a predetermined failure plane
• Area of the sliding surface changes as the test progresses
• Non-uniform distribution of shear stress along the failure surface
Triaxial Shear Test
• Triaxial compression test is the most complex but accurate shear test.

• In this test, a cylindrical soil sample of height to diameter ratio 2 to 3 is used.

• The soil sample enclosed in a rubber membrane.

• Porous plates are placed on each end.

• Sample is placed in water tight cell.

• Water is pumped into the cell and its pressure raised to 3 (cell pressure) which acts in all directions.

 Then applying the vertical stress, Ds (sometimes called the deviator stress) until failure.

 Minor principle stress= 3

 major principle stress= 1 = 3 +σd

Triaxial Shear Test
Triaxial Shear Test
Triaxial Shear Test

Specimen preparation (undisturbed sample), remold sample also can used for
research purposes.

Sampling tubes
Sample extruder
46
Triaxial Shear Test

Edges of the sample are carefully Setting up the sample in the

trimmed triaxial cell

47
Triaxial Shear Test

Sample is covered with a rubber Cell is completely filled with

membrane and sealed water

48
Main Types of Triaxial Test
• Consolidated – Drained Triaxial test (CD Test)
• Consolidated – Undrained Triaxial test (CU Test)
• Unconsolidated – Undrained Triaxial test (UU Test)
Consolidated – Drained Triaxial test (CD Test)
•The specimen is saturated

•Confining stress (σ3) is applied

− This squeezes the sample causing volume decrease

− Drain lines kept open and must wait for full consolidation (u = 0) to continue with
test

• Once full consolidation is achieved, normal stress applied to failure with drain lines still
open

− Normal stress applied very slowly allowing full drainage and full consolidation of
sample during test (u = 0)
Consolidated – Drained Triaxial test (CD Test)
• Test can be run with varying values of σ3 to create a Mohrs circle and to obtain a plot
showing c and φ

• Non cohessive soils (like sands) are free draining and consolidate quickly, therefore
these are tested under CD conditions.

• On clays, this test is usually used in research because it can take 4 to 6 weeks for
completion.
 Triaxial Compression Test
1- Consolidated Drained Test (CD) Deviator Stress
D
3
Step 1 Step 2

D Failure

1  D  3
Confining D 
Pressure
3 3

d
3 3 3

3 3 cd
3 3 1 3 1 1 n
D
1  3
1  3
 Consolidated – Undrained Triaxial test (CU
Test)
•The specimen is saturated
•Confining stress (σ3) is applied
− This squeezes the sample causing volume decrease
− Again, must wait for full consolidation (u = 0)
• Once full consolidation is achieved, drain lines are closed (no drainage for the
rest of the test), and normal stress applied to failure
− Normal stress can be applied faster since no drainage is necessary (u not
equal to 0)

53
 Consolidated – Undrained Triaxial test (CU
Test)
• Test can be run with varying values of σ3 to create a Mohrs circle and to obtain a
plot showing c and φ
• Applicable in situations where failure may occur suddenly such as a rapid
drawdown in a dam or levee
• This test is usually used for clayey samples.

54
 Triaxial Compression Test Deviator Stress
2- Consolidated Undrained Test (CU) D
3
Step 1 Step 2

D Failure


1  D  2

Confining D D
Pressure u
3 3

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 cu
3
3 3 1 3 1 1 n

3 1  3
3
1  3
D
Unconsolidated – Undrained Triaxial test (UU
Test)
•The specimen is saturated
•Confining stress (σ3) is applied without drainage or consolidation (drains closed the
entire time)
• Normal stress then increased to failure without allowing drainage or consolidation.
• This test can be run quicker than the other 2 tests since no consolidation or drainage is
needed. Test can be run with varying values of σ3 to create a Mohrs circle and to obtain
a plot showing c and φ
• Applicable in most practical situations – foundations for example.
• This test commonly shows a φ = 0 condition 56
Triaxial Compression Test
Deviator Stress
3- Unconsolidated Undrained Test (UU)
D
3
Step 1 Step 2

D Failure


1  D  3
Confining D
Pressure
3 3  c

cu
3 3 3
3 3 3 1 1 1 n

1  3
3 3
1  3
D
Unconfined Compression Test
1
• This test is used to determine the compressive strength of clayey soils but can also
be used for sandy samples.

• This test is rapid and without drainage taking palce.

3 = 0
• Undisturbed samples and remolded both sample can use for this test.

• Shape of the sample is Cylindrical. (dia=1.5’’ and height=3’’ 0r height to diameter

ratio 2 to 3 ) Uniaxial Compression

• No confining stresses

(i.e. 3 = 0)

• Axial stress = 1 (in compression)

• Load is applied with constant strain rate of 1.25 nn/min.

Unconfined Compression Test

1

3=0

Unconfined Compression
Unconfined Compression Test Data
qu
Unconfined Compression Test Data
Dl
e = axial strain at any stage of test
l0

A0
A = x- sectional area at any stage of test
1  e 

P A° = initial x-sectional area of the test sample= π/4 (D2)

  qu 
A qu= unconfined compressive strength
Cu= Undrained shear strength/ cohession = qu/2
 The Real World
•Triaxial tests rarely run
•The unconfined test is very common
•In most cases, clays considered φ = 0 and c is used as the strength
•Sands are considered c = 0 and φ is the strength parameter
•Direct shear test gives us good enough data for sand / clay mixes (soils with both
c and φ)

62
Comparison of Direct shear and Triaxial tests
Direct shear Triaxial
Soil sample is made to fail along a pre- Soil sample is free to fail weakest plane.
determined plane which may not be the The failure plane is not pre-determined.
weakest plane.
There is little control over drainage There is total control over drainage
conditions. conditions.

Applications are limited Any type of test can be performed on any

soil type.
There is unequal distribution of shear There is relatively uniform distribution of
stress over the sliding plane shear stress over the sliding plane

Effective stress cannot be computed Effective stress at various stages can be

computed