Unconfined Compression Test PDF

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Civil & Environmental Engineering Department
Measurement of Shear Strength of Soil with

Unconfined Compression Test
Shear Strength of Soil

Shear strength of soil is the internal resistance of soil to shearing forces.
Determination of the shear strength of soil is one of the most important aspects of
geotechnical engineering. Ultimate shear strength and the deformation behavior of
soil under an applied load are critical for design of foundations, earth structures,
retaining structures, and many others. Shear strength is fundamentally due to the
combination of friction between particles and the work required to cause the sample
to change in volume, or: 1) Inter-granular friction, μ, and 2) Dilation, or volume
change, ν. Naturally, any factor which influences friction or volume change will
influence the strength of a specimen. The most influential factors (state
parameters) that affect volume change include void ratio and confining stress (σ3’).
Grain shape and roughness are two factors that influence friction.
Shear strength at failure is normally defined by Mohr-Coulomb Failure criteria.
Mohr-Coulomb Failure criteria

Material fails with the combined effect of normal stress (σn’) and shear stress (τ).
According to Mohr,
τf = f (σ)
Figure 1 Mohr-Column Failure Envelope
In most of the soil mechanics problems, failure envelope is considered as a straight line,
given by the equation,
τ failure = c + σ n tan φ
EGCE 324L (Soil Mechanics Laboratory) Spring 2008

Instructor: Binod Tiwari, PhD Date: 4/21/2008
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Where,
c is the cohesion
φ is the angle of friction.
σn is the normal stress on the failure plane at failure.
This equation is called Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criteria.
The strength parameters c’ and φ’ are determined from the slope and intercept on a Mohr
diagram of a best-fit line tangent to a series of Mohr circles at failure. The influence of
inter-granular friction, dilation, and true cohesion are assumed to be represented by these
two parameters.
In saturated soil, σ = σ’ + u and
τ failure = c'+σ n ' tan φ '

Where,
c’ is the effective stress value of cohesion (very small)
φ’ is the effective stress (or drained) angle of friction.
σ’n is the normal stress on the failure plane at failure.
Table 1 Typical values of drained angle of internal friction angles for sands and silts
For sand and gravel, c’ = 0 (they are called cohesionless soil)

For normally consolidated and remolded clays, c’ = 0
3
For over consolidated clays, c’ = f (OCR)
¾ Below the shear envelope - failure does not occur

¾ At and above shear envelope - failure occurs
Inclination of Plane of Failure
Figure 2 Stress systems in a soil mass
Here, σ1’ = Major principal stress

σ3’ = Minor principal stress
We can draw Mohr circle for the stress condition shown above as shown in the figure 3.
Figure 3 : Failure envelope developed from the Mohr Circle

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Let’s extend failure envelope to touch the x-axis at f.
Then, at a plane inclined at an angle of θ from major principal axis,
φ’ + 900 = 2θ
φ
Therefore, θ = 45 0 +
2
From figure,
φ' φ'
σ 1 ' = σ 3 ' tan 2 (45 0 + ) + 2c' tan(45 0 + )
2 2
Here, c’ and φ’ are the effective shear strength parameters.

For earth structures and soil-structure interaction (foundations) the Factor of
Safety against failure is given by:
⎛ Strength of soil ⎞
FS = ⎜ ⎟
⎝ Shear stress to soil ⎠
Determination of Shear Strength
Shear strength of soil can be measured in laboratory or in-situ.
Laboratory Measurement
There are different methods to measure shear strength of soil in laboratory.
a. Direct Shear Test
b. Triaxial Shear Test
c. Unconfined Compression Test
d. Simple Shear Test
e. Ring shear device
Figure 4 : Sketch of an unconfined compression test device

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Unconfined Compression Test
Application
Unconfined compression test gives shear strength of soil. Shear strength is
important in all types of geotechnical designs and analyses.
Equipment
Strain controlled unconfined compression test device
Scale
Balance sensitive to 0.1 g
Moisture cans
Oven
Procedure
1. Get three trimmed soil specimens provided to you.
2. Measure the dimensions of the specimen (diameter and length).
3. Measure the weight of the specimen.
4. Load the samples into the unconfined compression device. They should be placed
in between two platens.
5. Lower the upper platen slowly (or raise the lower platen depending upon the
machine), just to make contact with the top of the soil specimen.
6. Set the vertical displacement dial gauge and loading proving ring dial gauge to
zero.
7. Lower the upper platen (or raise the lower platen) at the speed of 0.5%/min.
8. Record the load and displacement dial gauge readings at every 5 or 10 seconds
depending on the type of the soil. Usually the readings are taken at every 0.01
inch of displacement.
9. The compression load goes on increasing, peaks, and then decreases.
10. After it starts to decrease, stop the test.
11. Reverse the platen movement, and remove the specimen.
12. Draw a free hand sketch of the specimen after failure.
13. Determine the moisture content of the specimen.
14. Repeat this procedure for two more specimens.
Calculations
ΔL
1. Calculate axial strain. ε=
L
ΔL = Vertical deformation of the specimen.
2. Calculate vertical load on the specimen.
Vertical load = Load cell reading x 1 Lb
A0
3. Calculate the corrected area of the specimen (Ac) Ac =
1− ε
A0 = Initial cross-sectional area i.e. π x D2/4
4. Calculate the stress σ on the specimen.
Load
σ=
Ac

6
qu
5. Plot σ versus axial strain. Peak σ is qu. Then calculate su. su =
2
Figure 5 Stress-strain curve and Mohr circle generated from UC Test
Table 2 Relationship between consistency and UC strength

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Soil Mechanics Laboratory

Unconfined Compression Test Laboratory Data Sheet
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
Tested by: Date tested:
Lab partners/organization:
Client: USUF Project: 324L
Boring no.: NA Recovery depth: NA
Recovery date: NA Recovery method: NA
Soil description:
II. TEST DETAILS

Initial specimen diameter, Do: Initial specimen area, Ao:
Initial specimen length, Lo: Initial specimen volume, Vo:
Moist mass of specimen, M: Dry mass of specimen, Ms:
Moisture content, w: Total unit weight, γ: Dry unit weight, γd:
Specimen preparation method: Hand Compaction
Deformation indicator type: Dial gauge Axial strain rate, Δε1/Δt:
Deformation dial gauge conversion factor, KL: x10-3 in
Force measurement instrument type: Load cell
Proving ring dial gauge conversion factor, KP: 1 lb
III. MEASUREMENTS AND CALCULATIONS

EQUATIONS:
Deformation Axial Load Axial Axial Corrected Axial
Reading Deformation Reading Load Strain Area Stress ε1 = ΔL/Lo
(GL) (ΔL) (GP) (P) (ε1) (A) (σ)
A = Ao/(1-ε1)
σ1 = P/A
ΔL = GLKL
P = GPKP
su = qu/2
Unconfined compressive strength, qu:

Undrained shear strength, su:

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Soil description:
II. TEST DETAILS


EQUATIONS:
(GL) (ΔL) (GP) (P) (ε1) (A) (σ)
A = Ao/(1-ε1)
σ1 = P/A
ΔL = GLKL
P = GPKP
su = qu/2


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Soil description:
II. TEST DETAILS


EQUATIONS:
(GL) (ΔL) (GP) (P) (ε1) (A) (σ)
A = Ao/(1-ε1)
σ1 = P/A
ΔL = GLKL
P = GPKP
su = qu/2



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1

Civil & Environmental Engineering Department

Measurement of Shear Strength of Soil with

Shear Strength of Soil

Mohr-Coulomb Failure criteria

Figure 1 Mohr-Column Failure Envelope

EGCE 324L (Soil Mechanics Laboratory) Spring 2008

This equation is called Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criteria.

In saturated soil, σ = σ’ + u and

τ failure = c'+σ n ' tan φ '

 For sand and gravel, c’ = 0 (they are called cohesionless soil)

¾ Below the shear envelope - failure does not occur

Inclination of Plane of Failure

Figure 2 Stress systems in a soil mass

Here, σ1’ = Major principal stress

Figure 3 : Failure envelope developed from the Mohr Circle

EGCE 324L (Soil Mechanics Laboratory) Spring 2008

Here, c’ and φ’ are the effective shear strength parameters.

Figure 4 : Sketch of an unconfined compression test device

EGCE 324L (Soil Mechanics Laboratory) Spring 2008

EGCE 324L (Soil Mechanics Laboratory) Spring 2008

Figure 5 Stress-strain curve and Mohr circle generated from UC Test

Table 2 Relationship between consistency and UC strength

EGCE 324L (Soil Mechanics Laboratory) Spring 2008

Soil Mechanics Laboratory

II. TEST DETAILS

III. MEASUREMENTS AND CALCULATIONS

Unconfined compressive strength, qu:

EGCE 324L (Soil Mechanics Laboratory) Spring 2008

II. TEST DETAILS

III. MEASUREMENTS AND CALCULATIONS

Unconfined compressive strength, qu:

EGCE 324L (Soil Mechanics Laboratory) Spring 2008

II. TEST DETAILS

III. MEASUREMENTS AND CALCULATIONS

Unconfined compressive strength, qu:

EGCE 324L (Soil Mechanics Laboratory) Spring 2008

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For sand and gravel, c’ = 0 (they are called cohesionless soil)