Shear Strength of Soil

Soil Shear Strength

Soil in weak in shear

To determine the shear strength of soil Mohr-Coulomb Yield Criterion is used

t
t = c + sn tan f Yield Surface

Angle of Friction f
Soil Cohesion

c
sn

Determination of soil strength parameters ( c and f ) in the lab

1- Direct Shear Test

2- Unconfined Compression Test
3- Triaxial Compression Test
Direct Shear Test

Normal
Force N
t = T/A
Shearing s = N/A
D = Horizontal Displacement
Force
T

T Failure

D
Direct Shear Test

t t t
s3
s1 s2

t Failure
t Failure t Failure

D D D

Test # Normal Stress (sn) Shear at Failure (t)

1 √ √
2 √ √
3 √ √

t2 t3
c t1

s1 s2 s3 sn
Unconfined Compression Test

Deviator Stress
Ds

Ds Failure

t= cu

Cu = qu/2

s1 sn

qu = s1
qu = Unconfined compressive strength
Cu = Unconfined shear strength
TRIAXIAL COMPRESSION TEST

Failure Surface
 Triaxial Compression Test
Deviator Stress
1- Consolidated Undrained Test (CU)
Ds
s2
Step 1 Step 2

Ds Failure

t
s1 = Ds + s2

Confining Ds Ds
Pressure fu
s2 s2

s2 s2 s2 s2 s2 s2 s2 cu
s2
s2 s2 s1 s2 s1 s1 sn

s2 s1 - s2
s2
s1 - s2
Ds
 Triaxial Compression Test
2- Consolidated Drained Test (CD) Deviator Stress
Ds
s2
Step 1 Step 2

Ds Failure

s1 = Ds + s2
Confining Ds t
Pressure
s2 s2

fd
s2 s2 s2

s2 s2 cd
s2 s2 s1 s2 s1 s1 sn
Ds
s1 - s2
s1 - s2
 Triaxial Compression Test
3- Unconsolidated Undrained Test (UU)
Deviator Stress
Ds
s2
Step 1 Step 2

Ds Failure

t
s1 = Ds + s2
Confining Ds
Pressure
s2 s2 t= c

cu
s2 s2 s2
s2 s2 s2 s1 s1 s1 sn

s1 - s2
s2 s2
s1 - s2
Ds
Triaxial Compression Test 1- Applying
Confining
2- Loading 3- At Failure

Stresses Axial
= F1 stress
)F Deviator stress = )Ff
+ +
F2 F2 Confining stress = F2

Each Circle F2 F2 F2 F2 F2 F2
= 2
One Test
F2 F2 F2 Failure
+ + Surface
)F )Ff
F1 = Major Principle Stress = F1
F2 = Minor Prencipal Stress )F= deviator stress

Failure Surface

Cohesion = c 2
F2 F1
F2 F2 F1 F1
Fn