Shear Strength of Soil

By

Kamal Tawfiq
Fall 2007

Soil Shear Strength

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

= c + n tan
Soil Cohesion

Angle of Friction

Yield Surface

tan
c n

c
n

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

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

Direct Shear Test

Normal
Force
Shearing
Force

= Horizontal Displacement

= N/A

Failure

Direct Shear Test

Failure

Failure

Failure

Test #
1
2
3

Normal Stress (n)

Shear at Failure ()

tan
c n

Unconfined Compression Test

Deviator Stress

Failure

cu
Cuqu/2

qu = Unconfined compressive strength

Cu = Unconfined shear strength

qu

TRIAXIAL COMPRESSION TEST

Failure Surface

By Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.

Triaxial Compression Test

Deviator Stress

1- Consolidated Undrained Test (CU)

Step 1

Step 2

Failure

Confining
Pressure

n
c

cu

tan

Triaxial Compression Test

2- Consolidated Drained Test (CD)

Deviator Stress

Step 1

Step 2

Failure

Confining
Pressure

n
c

tan

cd

Triaxial Compression Test

3- Unconsolidated Undrained Test (UU)
Deviator Stress

Step 1

Step 2

Failure

Confining
Pressure

cu

Triaxial Compression Test

1- Applying
Confining
Stresses

2- Loading

Each Circle
=
One Test

2
2

3- At Failure

Deviator stress = f
+

Axial
= 1 stress
+

Confining stress = 2

2
+

1 = Major Principle Stress

2 = Minor Prencipal Stress

Failure
Surface

f
= deviator stress

=1

Failure Surface

Cohesion =

2 1

n
By Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.

Triaxial Compression Test

1- Applying
Confining
Stresses

Consolidated Undrained Compression Test

total = eff + u

2- Loading
(Undrained)

(Consolidation)

Total
Stresses
= total
Effective
Stresses
= eff

(Undrained)
Axial
= 1 stress
Deviator stress = f

3- At Failure

Confining stress = 2

Pore Water
Pressure
=u

2
+

Pore
Water
Pressure
( u)

1 = Major Principle Stress

2 = Minor Prencipal Stress

f
= deviator stress

=1

Total
Stress
Circle

Ceff or C
Cohesion = c

Effective
Stress
Circle

ufailure

ufailure

n
By Kamal Tawfiq, Ph.D., P.E.