CE 240

Soil Mechanics & Foundations

Lecture 11.1

Shear Strength of Soil I

(Das, Ch. 11)

Class Outlines
Shear strength in soils
Introduction
Definitions

Mohr-Coulomb criterion
Introduction
Lab tests for getting the shear strength

Direct shear test

Introduction
Procedure & calculation
Critical void ratio

Shear Strength
The strength of a material is the
greatest stress it can sustain;
So that the unit of strength is the same
as stress (Pa in SI unit system);

Significance of Shear Strength

The safety of any geotechnical structure
is dependent on the strength of the soil;
If the soil fails, the structure founded on
it can collapse.
Understanding shear strength is the
basis to analyze soil stability problems
like:
lateral pressure on earth retaining
structures (Chs. 12, 13),
slope stability (Ch. 14), and
bearing capacity (Ch. 15).

Shear Failure in Soils

Slope Failure in Soils

Failure due to inadequate

strength at shear interface

Static: Transcosna Grain Elevator

Canada (Oct. 18, 1913)

West side of foundation sank 24-ft

Bearing Capacity Failure

Dynamic: Foundation failure by liquefaction

after the 1964 Niigata Earthquake. (USGS)

Dynamic: Lateral Spreading caused by the 1906 San

Francisco Earthquake at Moss Landing, CA
(USGS Professional Paper 993)

Shear Strength in Soils

The shear strength of a soil is its resistance to
shearing stresses.
It is a measure of the soil resistance to
deformation by continuous displacement of its
individual soil particles
Shear strength in soils depends primarily on
interactions between particles
Shear failure occurs when the stresses between
the particles are such that they slide or roll past
each other

Shear Strength in Soils

(cont.)
Soil derives its shear strength from two
sources:
Cohesion between particles (stress
independent component)
Cementation between sand grains
Electrostatic attraction between clay particles

Frictional resistance between particles (stress

dependent component)

Shear Strength of Soils: Cohesion

Cohesion (C), is a measure of the forces that

cement particles of soils

Dry sand with no cementation
Dry sand with some cementation
Soft clay
Stiff clay

Shear Strength of Soils; Internal

Friction
Internal Friction angle (), is the measure of the

shear strength of soils due to friction

Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criteria

This theory states that a material fails
because of a critical combination of
normal stress and shear stress, and not
from their either maximum normal or
shear stress alone.

Mohr-Coulomb Failure
Criterion
Shear
Strength,S
=

Normal Stress,

n = = h

 f = c + n tan = c + n
'
'

f = c + n tan = c + ' n

(11.2)
(11.3)

where
f = shear strength
c = cohesion; c =effective cohesion
= angle of internal friction; = effective angle of internal friction

= coefficient of friction; ' = effective coefficient of friction.

=tan
0.51-0.58
0.58-0.70
0.70-0.78
0.58-0.70
0.70-0.84
0.84-1.00
0.67-1.11
0.49-0.70

Mohr-Coulomb shear failure criterion

1
3

Failed Zone

f = c + n

(, )

c
3

ff

2
1

From trigonometric equalities we have

Way 1: Increase the normal

stress in one direction
1

n
f

major principle stress

Minor principle stress

Confining stress

Way 2: directly apply the shear stress

Consider the following situation:
- A normal stress is applied
vertically and held constant
- A shear stress is then applied
until failure

Normal stress n

Shear
stress

Normal stress n

Determination of Shear Strength Parameters

The shear strength parameters of a soil are
determined in the lab primarily with two types
of tests: 1) Direct Shear Test; and 2) Triaxial
Shear Test.
(1)

(2)
Normal stress n

Shear stress 3

Soil

Direct Shear Test

Direct shear test is Quick and Inexpensive
Shortcoming is that it fails the soil on a
designated plane which may not be the
weakest one
Used to determine the shear strength of
both cohesive as well as non-cohesive
soils
ASTM D 3080

Direct Shear Test (cont.)

The test equipment consists
of a metal box in which the
soil specimen is placed
The box is split horizontally
into two halves
Shear stress
Vertical force (normal
stress) is applied through a
metal platen
Shear force is applied by
moving one half of the box
relative to the other to
cause failure in the soil
specimen

Normal stress n

Soil

Direct Shear Test

Direct Shear Test

Direct Shear Test

Shear stress

Direct Shear Test Data

Peak Strength
Residual Strength

Direct Shear Test Data:

Volume change

Direct Shear Test: Procedure

1.Measure inner side or diameter of shear box and find the
area
2.Make sure top and bottom halves of shear box are in
contact and fixed together.
3.Weigh out 150 g of sand.
4.Place the soil in three layers in the mold using the funnel.
Compact the soil with 20 blows per layer.
5.Place cover on top of sand
6.Place shear box in machine.
7.Apply normal force. The weights to use for the three runs
are
2 kg, 4 kg, and 6 kg if the load is applied through a lever arm,
or 10 kg, 20 kg, and 30 kg, if the load is applied directly.
Note: Lever arm loading ratio 1:10

(2kg weight = 20 kg)

Direct Shear Test: Procedure

8. Start the motor with selected speed (0.1 in/min) so that
the rate of shearing is at a selected constant rate
9. Take the horizontal displacement gauge, vertical
displacement gage and shear load gage readings.
Record the readings on the data sheet.
10. Continue taking readings until the horizontal shear load
peaks and then falls, or the horizontal displacement
reaches 15% of the diameter.

Calculations
1. Determine the dry
unit weight, d
2. Calculate the void
ratio, e
3. Calculate the normal
stress & shear
stress

e=

Gs w

N
=
A

V
; =
A

Figures
Peak Stress
Shear stress, s

s3
s2
s1

N3 = 30 kg
N2 = 20 kg
N1 = 10 kg

Horizontal displacement, H

Shear Stress, s (psf)

Figures (cont)

(2,s2)

(3,s3)

(1,s1)

Normal Stress

, psf

Vertical displacement

Figures (cont)

Horizontal displacement

Reading Assignment:
Das, Ch. 11
HW: Problem 11.1