Lab. Report NO.

10
SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL
DEFINITION

The shear strength of the soil mass is the internal resistance per unit area that the soil
mass can offer to resist failure and sliding along any plane inside it.

INTRODUCTION

1. The shear strength of a granular soil is made of two components :-

a) Mineral to mineral friction due to sliding and rolling.

b) Degree of interlocking.

2. The shear strength of cohesive soil is cohesion due to the bonding between
particles.

3. The component (c) of the shear strength is known as cohesion. Cohesion holds the
particles of the soil together in a soil mass. The angle (Φ) is called the angle of
internal friction. It represents the fractional resistance between the particles.

UNCONFINED COMPRESSION TEST

DEFINITION

The unconfined compression test is used to measure the unconfined shear strength
of fine-grained soils, which is an approximate value of their undrained shear
strength.

INTRODUCTION

 In the unconfined compression test, the cylindrical soil specimen loaded axially
(compressive axial stress ) without a lateral support, which is mean that the minor
principle stress &  (confining pressure) is zero as shown in Fig.(1).







Figure 1: A small cubical element undergoes a compressive axial stress  only.

 The Mohr circle can be drawn for stress condition at failure. As the minor principle
stress is zero, the Mohr circle passes through the origin as shown in Fig. (2). The
failure envelope is horizontal (Φ = 0). The cohesion intercept is equal to the radius of
the circle.

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 q
Su  cu 1  u
2 2

 Each point on the Mohr’s circle gives the stresses σ and τ on a particular plane.

A
45°
Failure plane
Axial stress 

Failure envelope
Φ=0

Su = cu
A

 Pole
Axial strain Є σ1 = qu

(a) (b)
Figure 2: (a) A typical stress-strain response during the unconfined compression test,

(b) The corresponding evolution of the Mohr circle in the total stress.

 The unconfined compression test may be either strain-controlled or stress-controlled.

 Height-to-diameter ratio:

The length – diameter ratio of the test should be long enough to a void interference
of potential 45° failure planes of Fig. (3) and short enough that we do not obtain a
"column" failure. The L/d ratio to satisfy these criteria is:

2 < Lo/Do < 3

Do Do

45o
When Lo/Do < 2,
potential failure zones
overlap
Lo < 2Do
When Lo/Do > 2, no When Lo/Do > 3, specimen
overlap of failure zones may act as column with
bulging failure

Figure 3: Lo/Do ratios for any soil compression test (unconfined, Triaxial or other).

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 Types of failure

Three types of failure are recognized

1- Plastic Failure: in which the specimen bulges laterally into a ‘barrel shape’ without
splitting as in Fig. (4.a).

2- Brittle Failure: in which the specimen shears along one or more well defined
surfaces as in Fig. (4.b).

3- Semi-plastic Failure: failure in a manner intermediate between (a) and (b) as in

Fig.(4.c).

(a) Plastic failure (b) Brittle failure (c) semi- plastic failure
(barreling) (shear plane)
(intermediate).
Figure 4: Modes of failure in compression test specimens

 Area correction:

It is essential to correct area for each reading during testing which is explained in
Fig.(5).

Figure 5: Barreling deformation of compression specimen.

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PURPOSES

The unconfined compression test is widely used for a quick economical means of
obtaining the approximate shear strength of a cohesive soil.

APPARATUS
1. Mechanical load frame, either hand operated or machine driven.
2. Device for Load and deformation measurements (dial gauges or transducer).
3. Apparatus for extruding and trimming specimens (Split mould 38mm dia., 83mm
long).
4. Vernier calipers.

PROCEDURE
a) Preparation of apparatus:

1) Ensure that the load frame stands firmly on a solid level support.
2) Check that the load and deformation measurement device (transducer) are connected
with transducer read-out.
3) If a motorized unit is used, select the gear position which with give a platen speed of
between 1 and 2% of the specimen length per minute.
b) Preparation of specimens:
The method of preparation depends upon the type of sample available, the most
usual being as follows:
1- Undisturbed specimens from sample tube.
Extrude specimen from the base end of the sample tube which is taken in-situ by
extruder devices.
2- Remolded (disturbed) specimens.
It can be prepared by compacting a soil in a cylindrical mold (compaction mold), then it is
extrude from the mold by extruder devices.

c) Test procedure
1. Measure the length and diameter of the specimen.
2. Place the specimen centeraly on the lower platen on the machine and check that
the specimen axis is vertical.
3. Adjust the stress and strain gauges (transducer read out) to read zero.
4. Start the test and record the reading of load and deformation from transducer read
out every (20 sec or 0.5mm).
5. Continue loading and taking reading until it is certain that failure has occurred according
to one of the following criteria:
a) Load decreases on sample significantly. b) Load holds constant for 4 readings.
c) Deformation is significantly past 20% strain (very plastic clay).

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CALCULATION
1. Compute the axial strain (Є), the corrected area (Ac) and the compressive axial stress

 for all readings to define stress strain curve.

L A0 P
Є *100 , Ac  and qu = 
L0 1  Ac
So the undrained shear strength (Su) of the soil is:
qu
Su 
2
where: 
axial strain, ΔL= change in length. Lo= initial length of specimen.
Ao initial area of the specimen, P  axial load at failure, Ac  corrected area

qu = The axial stress ()at which the specimen fails.

2. Plot stress versus strain show qu on the graph, to obtain the corrected max. value of
qu, place a ruler along the vertical axis and a set-squire against it so that a horizontal
line can be drawn in just touch the peak of the curve as shown in Fig.(6).

3. Draw the corresponding Mohr circle and show the value of the soil cohesion (cu) as
shown in Fig. (2.b).


4. Compute the second modulus of elasticity (E = ) of soil for stress of 0.75qu only.


Figure 6:

Plot of unconfined compression test data to obtain

a stress-strain modulus and best value of qu.

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DISCUSSION

1. How can you determine the sensitivity of a soil by UCT? Explain.

2. In which type of soil, deformation during UCT exceeds 20% strain?

3. According to relative consistency (very soft, soft, firm (stiff), hard and very hard),

what is your soil consistency?