SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL
PROBLEMS:
1. A dry sand sample is tested in direct
shear. The test procedure includes
having a normal (compressive) stress of
200kPa imposed while the sample
undergoes shearing. The sample fails
when the shear stress reaches 135kPa.
a. a. Determine the angle of
internal friction for this soil.
34deg
b. A second sample of the same
sand is also be tested in direct
shear but the applied normal
(compressive) stress will be
145kPa. What shear stress is
expected to cause the sample to
fail. 97.9kPa
2. The following are the results of direct
shear tests performed in two identical
samples of the soil. In test one, the
sample shears at a stress of 71kPa when
the compressive normal stress is 95kPa.
In test two, the sample shears at a stress
of 104kPa when the normal stress is
150kPa
a. Determine the value of apparent
cohesion 14kPa
b. Determine the value of internal
friction for the damp sand
30.95deg
3. In a direct shear test, the soil was c. Drained angle of internal
determined to have an angle of internal friction of the soil possess a
friction of 31deg and cohesion of 26kPa. cohesion of 12kPa 23.68
If the normal stress is 150kPa. Determine 6. A cohesive soil with an angle of shearing
the ff: resistance of 28deg has a cohesion of
a. Total shear stress 116.13kPa 32kPa. Determine the ff.
b. Force required to cause failure a. Normal Stress 60.19
when the sample has a b. Confining pressure 21.73
dimension of 50mm by 50mm c. Maximum principal stress 166.69
and height of 75mm 290N 7. The soil sample in a tri-axial test have the
4. A sample of soil is subjected to direct ff. stresses
shear testing at its normal water Cell Deviator Pore
content. Two tests are performed. For Pressure stress Stress
one of the test, the sample fails at a 25kPa 20kPa 12kPa
34kPa 31kPa 10kPa
shear stress of 3000psf when the normal
stress is 4000psf. In the second test, the
Compute the ff:
sample shears at a stress of 4000psf
a. Drained angle of internal friction
when the normal stress is 6000psf.
Determine the ff: 19.47
b. Cohesion of soil 2.47kPa
a. Angle of internal friction
c. Angle of failure in shear 54.74kPa
26.56deg
b. Cohesion of soil 1000psf
5. A consolidated-undrained soil test was
conducted on a normally consolidated
sample with a chamber pressure of
140kPa. The sample failed when the
deviator stress was 124kPa. The pore
water pressure in the sample at that
time was 75kPa. Determine the ff.
a. Undrained angle of internal
friction 17.87
b. Drained angle of internal
friction 29.22