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Shear Strength of Soils

Direct Shear-Box Test

Objective
Estimate the angle of friction () of soils
Estimate the cohesion of soils

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Schematic of Shear Box Apparatus

Soil sample in the direct shear box

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 Stress State at Failure

Shear Box Test (Procedure)

A rectangular prism is carefully cut out from a soil
sample (or remoulded)
The sample is fitted into a square metal box split
horizontally at the centre of the specimen
The specimen is sandwiched within the box between
ridged metal plates & porous ceramic stones
A pressure pad is placed on top and the box itself
placed in an outer box (water bath) that runs
horizontally on roller bearings
Vertical load is then applied by means of a static
weight hanger
Soil is sheared by applying a horizontal force with a
screw jack at a constant rate of strain
Shearing force is measured via a proving ring or
electronic load cell

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 Determining point of failure
The proving ring reading is taken at fixed
displacements
Failure of specimen is indicated by a sudden
drop in the magnitude of the proving ring
reading or a leveling off in successive readings
The procedure is repeated on 3 -5 specimens
of the same soil.
Values of normal stress and shear stress on
the failure plane are computed and plotted.

Steps in Shear Box Test Calculations

From the Lab results (shear distance, shear force
and normal force) for each sample do the following:

1. Prepare a table for calculated shear stress and

normal stress for each shear distance and normal
force for each sample
2. Plot shear stress vs shear distance for each sample
to obtain max shear stress (~15% of shear box
length)
3. Plot max shear stress vs normal stress for each
sample (same scale)
4. Draw a straight line three the points
5. Read the value of c (y intercept) and (angle with
horizontal)

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 Advantages of Shear Box method
Both shear stress and normal stress on the
plane of failure are measured directly; ' , c '
are defined in terms of these direct stresses
It is possible to maintain a constant normal
stress throughout the test
It is easier to test cohesionless soil (sand and
gravel) & drained tests on such soils can be
carried out in reasonably short time
It is easier to measure volume changes
during the test
It is possible using a reversible shear box, to
carry out tests involving large displacements
e.g. residual strength tests on clays

Disadvantages of shear box tests

The distribution of shear stress over the plane of
failure is assumed to be uniform whilst its not
It is not possible to control drainage from the
sample or to measure the pore pressure within
the sample. Therefore only measurements can
be made, except when the rate of shearing is
kept slow enough to ensure no rise in pore
pressure (cohesionless soils)
The normal stress cannot easily be varied
The shear plane is determined by the apparatus

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Engineering & the Built Environment: Civil Engineering

Engineering & the Built Environment: Civil Engineering

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Engineering & the Built Environment: Civil Engineering

Engineering & the Built Environment: Civil Engineering