University of Benghazi

Faculty of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department

Soil Mechanics Lab (CE331)

Lab10 – Unconfined Compression test

Standards | ASTM D 3080 - 03

Date of test | 23/9/2012
Teacher | Ghassan Gehani

‫ ميالد عادل حويو‬: ‫االس ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ــم‬ 

1 : ‫املج ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ـ ــموع ــة‬ 
17935 : ‫الرقم الدراسي‬ 
Hydraulic Conductivity Tests

1) Abstract :
In this test we’ll measure the unconfined compressive strength
of fine-grained soils.

2) Introduction :
The unconfined compression test is used to measure the
unconfined compressive strength of fine-grained soils.
This test is applicable only to fine soils such as saturated and
unsaturated clays or cemented soils that have shear strength
without confining pressure.
Clean sands cannot be tested using the unconfined compression
test as they can’t keep their form without coning pressure.
This test finds its application in the rapid determination of
untrained shear strength of fine-grained soils.
The test is described in ASTM standard D2166, "Standard Test
Method for Unconfined Compressive Strength of Cohesive Soil."

3) Theory :
To determine the unconfined
compressive strength, an axial
deformation is applied to the specimen
at a predetermined deformation rate.
(This type of test is known as strain
controlled.)
As the deformation increases, the
axial (vertical) force N is measured at
regular deformation intervals. When a
soil specimen fails, one half the stress Figure 1 | Unconfined Compression test
at that point is referred to as the
undrained shear strength.
The Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion indicates that the shear
strength of a soil is :
τ =c a +σ . tan ∅

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 Where τ is the shear strength, c a is the shear intercept, σ is the
normal stress, and ∅ is the angle of friction.
For undrained tests of saturated clays, the angle of friction (∅ ) is
zero, and the undrained shear strength ( Su) of soils is :
Su=c a+ σ . tan ⁡(0)
Where σ is the total stress along the shear plane.
The unconfined compression test is a quick method for
determining Su for clayey soils. The unconfined compressive
strength is given by:
qu
Su = Undrained Shear Strength
2
Where q u is the maximum normal stress at failure:
N max
q u= Unconfined compressive strength
Ac
Where N max is the maximum axial force at failure, and Ac is the
corrected area of failure.

Typical test results indicate that if the clay specimen is

saturated, the unconfined compressive strength decreases with
the increase in moisture content (void ratio increases).
If the soil specimen is unsaturated and has a constant unit
weight regardless of the water content, then the unconfined
compressive strength decreases with the increase in the degree of
saturation.
This occurs because when the water content increases, the
capillary forces decrease.

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 4) Apparatus :
1) Compression Device :
The compression device may be a
platform weighing scale equipped
with a screw-jack-activated load
yoke, a hydraulic loading device, or
any other compression device with
sufficient capacity and control.
For soil with an unconfined
compressive strength of less than
100 kPa the compression device
shall be capable of measuring the
compressive stress to within 1 kPa.
For soil with an unconfined
compressive strength of 100 kPa or
greater, the compression device
shall be capable of measuring the Figure 2 | Shear Device
compressive stress to the nearest 5
kPa.
2) Sample Extruder :
Capable of extruding the soil core from the sampling tube in
the same direction of travel in which the sample entered the
tube, at a uniform rate, and with negligible disturbance of the
sample.
Conditions at the time of sample removal may dictate the
direction of removal, but the principal concern is to keep the
degree of disturbance negligible.

3) Deformation Indicator :
The deformation indicator shall be a dial indicator
graduated to 0.03 mm (0.001 in.) or better and having a
travel range of at least 20 % of the length of the test
specimen, or some other measuring device, such as an
electronic deformation measuring device, meeting these
requirements.

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 4) Miscellaneous Apparatus:
Trimming and carving tools, remolding apparatus, remove
the water content cans, and data sheets.

5) Procedure:

1) Obtain a soil specimen for the test. If it is an

undisturbed specimen, it has to be trimmed to
the proper size by using specimen trimmer. The
cylindrical soil specimen should have a height-to
diameter (L/D) ration of between 2 and 3. In
many instances, specimens with diameters of 1.4
in. (35.56 mm) and heights of 3.5 in. (88.9 mm)
are used.
2) Measure the diameter (D) and length (L) of the
specimen and determine the mass of the Figure 3 | Loading
specimen.
3) Place the specimen centrally between the two loading plates of
the unconfined compression testing machine. Move the top
loading plate very carefully just to touch the top of the
specimen. Set the proving ring dial gauge to zero.
4) Turn the machine on. Record loads and the corresponding
specimen deformations. During the load application, the rate
of vertical strain should be adjusted to 0.5% to 2% per minute.
A the initial stage of the test, readings are usually taken every
0.01 in. (0.254 mm) of specimen deformation. However this
can be varied to every 0.02 in. (0.508) of specimen
deformation at the later stage of the test when the load-
deformation curve begins to flatten out.
5) Continue taking readings until :
a) Load reaches a peak and then decreases.
b) Load reaches a maximum value and remains approximately
constant thereafter (take about 5 readings after it reaches
the peak value).
c) Deformation of the specimen is past 20% strain before
reaching the peak; this may happen in the case of soft clays.
6) Unload the specimen by lowering the bottom loading plates.
7) Remove the specimen from between the two loading plates.
8) Draw a free-hand sketch of the specimen after failure. Show
the nature of the failure.

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 9) Put the specimen in the Oven and determine the moisture
content.

6) Readings and Calculations :

Table 1 | Readings

Data Value

Specimen Diameter 3.27 cm

Height 6.84 cm
Weight 118.1 g
Moisture Content 21%

Table 2 | Loading Readings and calculations

Corrected Area
Specimen Vertical Strain
Proving ring Load Ao Stress
Deformation (∆ L ) ∆L Ac =
ϵ= dial reading (N) 1+ϵ (kN/m2)
(mm) L
(mm2)
1 0.0146 25 19.25 852.2786 22.5865
2 0.0292 65 50.05 865.1141 57.8536
3 0.0439 85 65.45 878.3422 74.5154
4 0.0585 102 78.54 891.9810 88.0512
5 0.0731 118 90.86 906.0501 100.2814
6 0.0877 130 100.1 920.5702 108.7370
7 0.1023 141 108.57 935.5632 116.0477
8 0.1170 151 116.27 951.0526 122.2540
9 0.1316 160 123.2 967.0636 127.3960
10 0.1462 166 127.82 983.6229 129.9482
11 0.1608 173 133.21 1000.7592 133.1089
12 0.1754 179 137.83 1018.5032 135.3260
13 0.1901 181 139.37 1036.8877 134.4119
14 0.2047 181 139.37 1055.9481 131.9856
15 0.2193 176 135.52 1075.7224 125.9805
16 0.2339 162 124.74 1096.2515 113.7878
17 0.2485 149 114.73 1117.5794 102.6594

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 160
140
120
100
Stress (kPa) 80
60
40
20
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Axial Strain (%)

Graph 1 | Stress Vs. Axial Strain

From Graph 1 we get peak stress σ =¿ 136 kN/m2.

So that q u = 136 kN/m2.

7) DISCUSSION:
1) We should have done 2 other test with two other identical
specimens to get an average value for q u.
2) Using the table :

Consistency q u (Ib/ft2)
Very Soft 0 – 500
Soft 500 – 1000
Medium 1000 – 2000
Stiff 2000 – 4000
Very Stiff 4000 - 8000
And by converting out value to (Ib/ft2) we got q u
=(2840.101 Ib/ft2) ; so that we have a stiff soil.
8) Conclusion :
In this test we’ve done unconfined compression test for a soil
specimen and we have got a value of (q u = 136 kN/m2).
9) References :
 Manual of soil laboratory testing - K.H.head (CRC press).
 Das Principles Geotechnical Engineering 7th.

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