Module 4: Shear Strength of Soil

◼ Capacity of material to resist internal and

external forces which slide past each other.
◼ It is the maximum internal resistance offered
by the soil against sliding of soil along a plane
without shear failure.
◼ Important components
◼ Cohesion (C), Internal friction(f), Angle of
Internal friction (ϕ) normal stress (ϭ)
 Cohesion
◼ Cohesion (C) is a measure of forces that cement
the particles of soil.
Angle of friction
Angle of friction
Stresses
◼ Normal stress (): Stress which acts normal to
the plane and tends to compress the soil grains
towards each other.
◼ Shear stress (): Stress which acts tangential to
the plane and tends to slide the grains relative to
each other.
Shear Failure
Shear failure
Landslides: Shear Failure
 Mohr-Coulomb theory
◼ Coulomb stated that shear stress at failure is a
function of normal stress

◼ Theory states that – Material fails because of the

critical combination of normal stress and shear
stress, and not from either maximum normal or
shear stress alone.
 Mohr-Coulomb theory
◼ A – Shear failure will not occur.
◼ B – Shear failure will occur.
◼ C – Shear failure does not exist.

◼ Equation of shear strength

Mohr-Coulomb theory
 Mohr circle of stress

◼
 Mohr circle of stress
◼
Examples
Examples
Examples
 Shear Strength of Soil
◼ Laboratory tests commonly used:
◼ Direct Shear Test.
◼ Unconfined Compression Testing.

◼ Tri axial shear Test.

◼ Vane Shear Test.

Direct Shear Test
 Procedure
◼ Measure the dimensions of shear box and take its empty weight.
◼ Find the weight of shear box with the sand to find the density of
soil.
◼ Place the grid plates on the bottom of shear box; fill it with
cohesion less soil (generally sand) and place top grid plate along
with loading block/pad.
◼ Remove the shear pins from box. Apply the desired normal load
on loading frame.
◼ Make the dial gauge touch the shear box to measure the
deformation. Proving ring arrangement will give shear force.
◼ Set the dial gauge and proving ring reading to zero. Start the
motor; note the readings at different normal stresses.
 Procedure
◼ Take values of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 kN/mm2 as
normal stresses.
◼ Correspondingly take values of proving ring and
dial gauge reading.
Observations
Results
Results
Experimental Video
Relationship between major and
minor principal stresses at failure
Relationship between major and
minor principal stresses at failure
 Unconfined Compressive
Strength
◼ Failure compressive load per unit area of cylindrical
soil specimen without any lateral support at
constant strain rate is called unconfined
compressive strength.
Test Conditions
Instrument set up
 Procedure
◼ Determine the dry density (d) and water content (W)
of soil by conducting compaction tests.
◼ Measure the dimensions (internal diameter and height)
of the UC test mould and calculate its volume.
◼ Find the weight of soil, Ws = d x V and weight of water
is Ww = W/100
◼ Mix the soil with water. Apply oil on the inner sides of
mould and compress the mix fully inside.
◼ Remove the cylinder specimen from mould. Place it
between bearing plates of testing machine such that
proving ring, center of bearing plates and center line of
specimen are in same line.
◼ Use a dial gauge to measure the vertical compression of
specimen.
◼ Apply the load and record the readings of proving ring
and dial gauge and continue loading till failure of
specimen occurs indicated by bulging of specimen.
◼ Proving ring will show a maximum reading and come
back to initial. Take dial gauge reading corresponding to
maximum value.
Failure
Observations
 Result
◼
Experimental Video
 Sensitivity and Thixotropy
◼ Strength of clay soil changes because of
remoulding.
◼ Remoulding results in change of structure and
hence decrease in strength.
◼ Disturbance of undisturbed clay sample due to
remoulding is expressed by sensitivity.

◼ SENSITIVITY = (qu undisturbed/qu remoulded)

Sensitivity
Thixotropy
◼ Sensitive clays when used in construction loose
strength due to remoulding.
◼ Strength increases in time but not to original
level.
◼ This activity of strength loss – strength gain with
no change in volume or water content is
thixotropy.
◼ Thixotropy is an Isothermal , reversible, time
dependent process.
◼ Larger the sensitivity, larger the thixotropic
hardening.
 Thixotropy
◼ Reasons for Loss of Strength on remoulding:
◼ The loss of strength due to remoulding is due to:
◼ Change in the structure of in-situ layers.
◼ Reorientation of the molecules in the layers.
◼ Reasons for the gain in strength with time :
◼ Regain of the molecular structure of the soil
◼ Due to thixotropic property (cementing
agents/cohesive property in soil)
Triaxial
Shear
Test
 Triaxial Shear Test
◼ The test consists of 2 stages:
1. In 1st stage, sample is set in the triaxial cell.
Cell pressure (ϭ3) is applied to the sample and
is subjected to normal stresses only.
2. In 2nd stage, additional axial stress i.e deviator
stress (ϭd) is applied and shear stresses are
induced in sample
Triaxial Shear Test
Stresses developed
Procedure
1. Triaxial Tests are done on cylindrical soil
samples.
2. Sample is 3.8 cm dia, 7.6cm height.
3. 3 outlets are provided through the base (cell
input) pore water outlet from the bottom and
drainage outlet from top.
4. Compressor is is used to apply fluid pressure in
cell.
Procedure
5. Pore pressure in specimen is measured using
pore pressure measuring instrument.
6. Specimen is fitted between end caps and with
rubber membrane.
7. The sample is subjected to an all round
pressure, ϭ3 by applying pressure to water in
cell.
Procedure
8. An additional vertical stress called deviator
stress ϭd = ϭ1- ϭ3 is applied by loading the
sample through the ram on top end.
9. Ram is forced under constant rate, recording
the load until the sample fails.
10. Test is repeated on different samples under
different cell pressures (ϭ3) and results are
obtained by plotting Mohr’s circles.
Mohr’s Circle
Relation between major and
minor principal stress
Types of Triaxial Tests
Problems
1. A direct shear test was carried out on a cohesive soil
sample and the following results were obtained:

Normal stress 150 250

(kN/m2)
Shear stress at 110 120
failure (kN/m2)

What would be the deviator stress at failure if a triaxial

test is carried out on the same soil with cell pressure of
150kN/m2
2. Unconfined compression strength of soil is
150kN/m2. A sample of soil failed at deviator
stress of 200kN/m2 when it is tested in triaxial
test with a cell pressure of 50 kN/m2.
Determine the shear parameter.
4. Unconfined compression test is conducted on
a saturated clay specimen 40mm in diameter
and 90mm in length measured on its sides. The
specimen has coned ends and its length
between the pieces of cone is 80mm. The
specimen fails under an axial compression of
460N and axial deformation of 10mm.
Calculate the unconfined compression strength
of clay.
5. A cylindrical specimen of a saturated soil fails
under axial stress 150kN/m2 in an unconfined
compression test. The failure plane makes an
angle of 52 degree with the horizontal.
Calculate the cohesion, angle of internal
friction of the soil. Solve the problem both
graphically and analytically.
6. Two identical specimens were tested in a triaxial
apparatus test. Specimen 1 failed at a deviator stress of
770kN/m2 and cell pressure of 200kN/m2 and
specimen 2 failed at a deviator stress of 1370kN/m2
and cell pressure of 400kN/m2. Determine C and ϕ
analytically. If on the same soil a direct shear test is
conducted under a normal stress of 600kN/m2,
estimate the shear stress at failure. Also check
graphically.
4. Vane Shear Test
◼ It is a quick test to
determine the insitu-
undrained shear strength of
soft clays and silts.
◼ Test can be conducted in
field as well as laboratory.
◼ It can be used to find
undrained shear strength,
Sensitivity, Analysis of
slope stability.
◼ Vane shear test
equipment consists of 4
bladed vane.
◼ Height of the vane is
twice its diameter.
◼ Vane is welded
orthogonally to a steel
rod.
◼ Boring is made to depth
at which the test is to be
performed.
◼ Vane is inserted at the
bottom of boring.
◼ Insert the vane in the
ground and slowly rotate.
◼ The torque is applied
until the soil fails in
shear.
◼ Undrained Shear strength
is computed from this
torque.
 Problems on Vane Shear Test
1. In a vane shear test conducted in a soft clay
deposit, failure occurred at a torque of 42Nm.
Afterwards the vane was allowed to remove
rapidly and the test was repeated in the
remoulded soil. The torque at failure in the
remoulded soil was 17Nm. Calculate the
sensitivity of the soil in the both cases, the vane
pushed completely inside the soil. The height
of vane and diameter across blades are 100mm
and 80mm respectively.
2. A vane shear test was conducted at the bottom
of a borehole by pressing the vane 10cm long
and 8cm in diameter fully into the clay. Torque
was applied gradually and the failure took place
when torque was 4.5Nm. After the failure the
vane was rotated rapidly to remould the clay
completely, the remoulded clay was once again
subjected to shearing and the failure was
observed at a torque 10Nm. Calculate the
cohesion of the clay in the natural and
remoulded state. Also calculate the value of
sensitivity of the clay.
3. A vane 112.5mm long and 75mm in diameter was
pressed into a soft soil at a the bottom of a bore hole.
Torque was applied to fail the soil. The shear strength
of clay was found to be 37kN/m2. Determine the
torque that was applied.
 Test Under Different Drainage
Conditions
1. Unconsolidated – Undrained Test (UU Test).
2. Consolidated Undrained test (CU Test).
3. Consolidated drained test (CD test)
1. Unconsolidated –Undrained
test (UU test)
 1. Unconsolidated –Undrained
test (UU test)
◼ Here drainage is prevented in both during
application of normal as well as shear stress.
◼ Sample under initial stress is not allowed for
consolidation and shearing process is started.
◼ Shear strength parameters obtained from this
test are Cu and ϕu.
◼ Ex: Earth pressure against bracings in
excavation, Foundation pressure on clay soil
after construction.
2. Consolidated Undrained(CU
test)
Consolidated Undrained(CU test)
◼ Complete drainage is allowed during application
of normal stress.
◼ Consolidation of sample is permitted before
actual shearing process is started under initial
stress.
◼ Sample is then sheared with no drainage.
◼ Ex: Stability of earthen dams under conditions
of rapid drawdown of water.
3. Consolidated Drained
(CD)test
 Consolidated Drained (CD)test
◼ Complete drainage is permitted throughout the
test so that no pore pressure is developed at any
stage of test.
◼ The stresses are effective stresses at all times.

◼ Ex: Final bearing capacity of soil where the

foundation is constructed more slowly than soil
consolidates.
 Factors effecting Shear Strength
◼ The shearing strength, is affected by:

◼ Soil composition: mineralogy, grain size distribution,

shape of particles.

◼ Initial state: State can be describe by terms such as:

loose, dense, over consolidated, normally consolidated,
stiff, soft, etc.

◼ Structure: Arrangement of particles within the soil mass;

the manner in which the particles are packed or
distributed. Features such as layers, voids, pockets,
cementation, etc, are part of the structure.
 Factors effecting Shear Strength
Cohesion less soils Cohesive soils

Shape of the particles – Sharp particles Clay content – As clay content increase,
have higher shear strength than rounded angle of shearing resistance increase.
particles.
Gradation – Well graded sand has higher Drainage condition – Undrained condition
shear strength than uniform sand. shows low shear strength.

Denseness – Greater is the denseness, Confining pressure – Shear strength

greater is the strength. increase with increased confining pressure.

Confining pressure – Shear strength Plasticity Index – Angle of shearing

increases with increase in confining resistance decrease as plasticity index
pressure. increase.
Moisture – Cohesion decreases in sand as it Degree of disturbance – Shear strength of
becomes saturated. disturbed sample is less than undisturbed.
 Total and effective shear stress

Total Stress Effective Stress

1. It exists in saturated soil. 1. It exists in dry soil.
2. Stress generated due to soil 2. Stress generated due to soil
solids and water. solids.
3. Total stress is equal to sum 3. Effective stress is equal to
of effective stress and pore total stress minus pore
water pressure. water pressure.