Civil, Architectural & Env Engineering

DIRECT SHEAR TEST

ON SAND

ASTM D 3080
Introduction
The strength of a soil depends of its resistance to shearing stresses; in turn this is made from two
components; the frictional and the cohesive. The frictional component is developed due to the friction
between the individual soil solid particles, while the cohesive is developed due to the adhesion between
the soil particles, which will vary based on the moisture content. These two components are combined
in Colulomb’s shear strength equation seen below, and depicted in Figure 1:

τ = c + σ tan ø

Where τ = shearing resistance of soil at failure

c = apparent cohesion of soil
σ = normal stress on failure plane
ø = angle of shearing resistance of soil (angle of internal friction)

Figure 1 – Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion

This test is performed to determine the consolidated-drained shear strength of a sand, and therefore no
cohesion is developed. The shear strength is one of the most important engineering properties of a soil,
since it is required for structures dependent on the soil’s shearing resistance, as well as to determine the
stability of slopes or cuts, finding the bearing capacity for foundations, and calculating the pressure
exerted by a soil on a retaining wall. The test is performed by applying a normal and shear force to a soil
sample, as depicted in Figure 2.

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Figure 2 – Soil sample in direct shear box, subject to normal and shear forces.

Objectives
 Understand the resistance of soil provided by shearing stresses.
 To determine the shear strength parameters for a given soil (sand) using the direct shear test (see
 Table 1 for definitions).
 Show the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion for soils and estimate the angle of friction.

Apparatus
1. Direct shear test machine (refer to Figure 3).
2. Balance sensitive to 0.1 g.
3. Porcelain evaporating dish.
4. Tamper (for compacting sand in the direct shear box).
5. Spoon.

Figure 3 - Schematic illustration of Direct Shear machine

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Procedure
1. Remove the shear box assembly. Remove the loading head. Insert the two vertical pins to keep
the two halves of the shear box together.
2. Determine the mass of some dry sand in the porcelain dish, M1. Fill the shear box with sand in small
layers. Compact the sand. The top of the compacted specimen should be about ¼ in. below the top
of the shear box. Level the surface of the sand specimen. Determine the mass of the porcelain dish
and dry sand remaining after compaction, M2.
3. Determine the volume of the soil specimen, V (i.e. length (L), width (B) and height (H)).
4. Slip the loading head down from the top of the shear box to rest on the soil specimen.
5. Put the shear box assembly in place in the direct shear machine.
6. Apply the desired normal load N on the specimen, by hanging dead weights to the vertical load
yoke. The top crossbar will rest on the loading head of the specimen which, in turn, rests on the soil
specimen.
7. Remove the two vertical pins, which were inserted to keep the two halves of the shear box together.
8. Advance the two vertical screws located on the sidewalls of the top half of the shear box, to separate
the two halves of the box. The space between the two halves of the box should be slightly larger
than the largest grain size of the soil specimen.
9. Attach the horizontal and vertical dial gauges to the shear box.
10. Apply the horizontal load S to the top half of the shear box. The rate of the shear displacement should
be between 0.1 and 0.02 in./min (2.54 – 0.51 mm/min).
11. For every tenth small division displacement in the horizontal dial gauge, record the readings of
the vertical dial gauge and the proving ring gauge, which measures the horizontal load, S.
12. Continue until after either:
a) The proving ring dial gauge reading reaches a maximum and then falls,
b) The proving ring dial gauge reading reaches a maximum and then remains constant.

Calculations
1. Determine the dry unit weight of the specimen.
3
γd (lb/ft ) = (M1 – M2) / V * 3.808
2. Calculate the void ratio of the specimen.

e = G s * γw / γd – 1
3
where, Gs is the specific gravity of the soil, γw is the unit weight of water (62.4 lb/ft ).
3. Calculate the normal stress, σ’, and the shear stress, τ, on the specimen.
4. Per each test, plot:
a. The shear stress versus the horizontal displacement; and
b. The vertical displacement versus the horizontal displacement.
5. Plot the maximum shear stress measured for each test versus the normal stress at which the
relative test was conducted.

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Table 1 - Definitions for data collection of Direct Shear Test

Normal Horizontal Vertical No. of division in Shear force Shear stress,

stress, σ’ Displacement Displacement proving ring dial (lb) τ
(psi) (in.) (in.) gauge (psi)
Calculated as One reading One reading One reading every Calculated as the no. of Calculated as
the normal every 0.01 in. every 0.01 in. 0.01 in. division in proving ring the shear
load divided displacement displacement of the dial gauge multiplied force divided
by the area of of the horizontal dial by the proving ring by the area of
the specimen. horizontal gauge. calibration factor the specimen.
dial gauge. (lb/div.). =0.346

References
Das, M. “Soil Mechanics Laboratory Manual.” 2009 Oxford Press, NY, Seventh edition.

Head, K. H., 1982, Manual of soil laboratory testing, Vol 2, Pentech Press, ISBN 0-7273-1305-3

ASTM D3080, Standard Test Method for Direct Shear Test of Soils Under Consolidated Drained
Conditions

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Data Sheet

Void Ratio Calculation

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Stress and Displacement Calculation

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