DIRECT SHEAR STRENGTH TEST

LAB REPORT

GROUP 8

NAME: SEBIN GEORGE

STUDENT ID: 501533
 CONTENT
NO. CONTENT PAGE NO.
1. AIM 3
2. EQUIPMENT 3
3. INTRODUCTION 3
4. THEORY 4
5. APPARATUS AND 5
METHOD
6. SOIL 6
7. PROCEDURE 6
8. RESULTS AND 7
ANALYSES
9. DISCUSSION 12
10. ADVANTAGES 12
11. DISADVANTAGES 12
12. REFERENCES 12
1. Aim
 To find the behaviour of sand when tested in a shear box
 To estimate the shear strength parameters when tested in a shear box
 To investigate the effect of sand density on the shear strength
2. Equipment
 Direct shear testing machine
 Providing ring with electrical output
 Dial gauges or displacement transducers
 Sand samples
3. Introduction
In the design of foundation, retaining walls, pipes, sheet piling, slab bridges the
angle of internal friction and cohesion of the soil are required for the design.
The shear strength of the test is used to find the amount of shear stress that a
soil resists before failing. The bonding between the particles helps the soil to
maintain its strength. When subjected to shear tests the particles may expand or
contract in its size. The purpose of the direct shear test is to determine the soil
bearing capacity, angle of internal friction, shear stress deformation of soil.
In the test a horizontal and vertical force is applied which forces the soil to fail.
If the sample is dense the shear resistance increases to a peak and then drops to
an ultimate value which increases the volume of the sample. If the sample is
losing the ultimate strengths are identical and there is a decrease in the volume.
At the ultimate state there is no further change in volume and the void ratio is
the same as the sample of the soil selected is the same which is known as the
critical void ratio
The apparatus for the experiment contains a test box which is of two halves
which can move relative to each other for making the soil to shear. The box is
designed in such a way that load can be applied to the soil. The test is to be
repeated for different normal loads and shear for different loads is determined.
4. Theory
The strength of a soil depends of its resistance to shearing stresses. It’s made up
of
 Frictional- due to friction between individual particles
 Cohesive- due to adhesion between the soil particles
The shear strength is expressed as
τ = c+tan Coulomb’s shear strength equation)
where normal stress on the failure plane
angle of friction
c = (apparent) cohesion

 Shear stress
px
Shear stress = τ = N/mm2
(95×95)
 Normal stress,
Applied load
Normal stress = σz = N/mm2
9.81×(95×95)
5. Apparatus and Method

Shear Box test apparatus

As the plate is a square one the area of the inner plate is estimated as 95*95
The sands which are loose are selected for the experimental purpose. The
ultimate and peak strength are similar to that of dense one but the shearing is by
a downward vertical movement which has a volume decrease.
6. Soil
Soil is with the size of 75μm which is placed on to the shear box for testing
7. Procedure
1) The apparatus for shear test is prepared
2) The shear box is assembled
3) The dimensions of the box is measured
4) The soil sample selected is compacted to the mould after bringing it to
optimum moisture content
5) The sample is transferred into the shear box
6) Place the load block on the top of the soil. Loading plate is placed on the
top of the load block. Load of 10kg is placed on the load block with
another apparatus
7) The dial gauges were positioned and set to zero. Remove the alignment
screws if there which holds the two halves of the shear box together
8) Start the motor to produce a desired constant shearing
9) Readings were taken from the graphs displayed on the screen. The
horizontal displacement, shear displacement and vertical displacement
graphs are plotted. The readings are taken until the shear stress remains
constant.
10) Remove the vertical load and the soil in the box and relocate the
shear box to its starting position. Repeat steps 4 to 9 with other vertical
loads with the same soil sample

Note: - There is a constant loading rate throughout the test

 Loading rate: - 2mm/min
 Horizontal displacement 𝑣 = ∆𝑥/∆𝑡
The horizontal displacement is found by the loading rate of 𝑣 and ∆𝑡
 The measured inside area of top or bottom plate = 95*95mm
8. Results and Analyses
8.1. Shear stress vs Horizontal graphs for each vertical loading
tests

(i) Results for 5kg vertical loading test

Shear stress vs Horizontal displacement
0,01

0,008
Shear stress(N/mm^2)

0,006

0,004

0,002

0
0,00E+00 5,00E-01 1,00E+00 1,50E+00 2,00E+00
-0,002
Horizontal displacement(mm)

 Maximum shear stress= 9.50*10-3N/mm2

 Normal stress for 5kg vertical load= 5.65*10-5N/mm2

(ii) Results for 10kg vertical loading test

 Maximum shear stress=1.25*10-2N/mm2

 Normal stress for 10kg vertical load=1.13*10-4N/mm2
 (iii) Results for 20kg vertical loading test
Shear stress vs Horizontal displacement
0,014

0,012
Shear stress(N/mm^2)

0,01

0,008

0,006

0,004

0,002

0
0,00E+00 5,00E-01 1,00E+00 1,50E+00 2,00E+00 2,50E+00 3,00E+00
-0,002
Horizontal displacement(mm)

• Maximum shear stress=1.30*10-2N/mm2

• Normal stress for 20kg vertical load= 2.26*10-4N/mm2

(iv) Results for 30kg vertical loading test

Shear stress vs Horizontal displacement
0,03

0,025
Shear stress(N/mm^2)

0,02

0,015

0,01

0,005

0
0,00E+00 1,00E+00 2,00E+00 3,00E+00 4,00E+00 5,00E+00
-0,005
Horizontal displacement(mm)

 Maximum shear stress= 2.50*10-2N/mm2

 Normal stress for 30kg vertical load= 3.39*10-4N/mm2
(v) Results for 40kg vertical loading test
Shear stress vs Horizontal displacement
0,035

0,03
Shear stress(N/mm^2)

0,025

0,02

0,015

0,01

0,005

0
0,00E+00 5,00E-01 1,00E+001,50E+002,00E+002,50E+003,00E+003,50E+004,00E+00
-0,005
Horizontal displacement(mm)

• Maximum shear stress=2.90*10-2N/mm2

• Normal stress for 40kg vertical load=4.52*10-4N/mm2

(vi) Results for 50kg vertical loading test

Shear stress vs Horizontal displacement
0,035

0,03
Shear stress(N/mm^2)

0,025

0,02

0,015

0,01

0,005

0
0,00E+00 5,00E-01 1,00E+00 1,50E+00 2,00E+00 2,50E+00
-0,005
Horizontal displacement(mm)

• Maximum shear stress= 1.30*10-2N/mm2

• Normal stress for 50kg vertical load=5.65*10-4N/mm2
 8.2. Critical Nominal stress vs Nominal normal stress

Test Normal stress(N/mm^2) Critical shear stress (N/mm^2)

5kg 5.65E-05 9.50E-03
10kg 1.13E-04 1.25E-02
20kg 2.26E-04 1.30E-02
30kg 3.39E-04 2.50E-02
40kg 4.52E-04 2.90E-02
50kg 5.65E-04 1.30E-02
Stress values for each test

Critical shear stress (N/mm^2)

3,50E-02

3,00E-02 y = 51,124x + 0,0057

Normal stress(N/mm2)

2,50E-02

2,00E-02

1,50E-02

1,00E-02

5,00E-03

0,00E+00
0,00E+00 1,00E-04 2,00E-04 3,00E-04 4,00E-04 5,00E-04
critical shear stress(N/mm2)

Critical shear stress vs normal stress

50 kg load have unusual critical shear stress so we can reject the value of
drawing. This could occur due to instrumental error or practical error.
(i) Cohesion is the intersection of critical shear stress axis
So, we can get the cohesion from the best fitted line equation
y= 51.124x+.0057
For getting cohesion x=0
Then we get c=.0063N/mm2
(ii) Friction Angle is the gradient of the above best fit line
(𝑦2 −𝑦1 )
Ø=𝑡𝑎𝑛−1
𝑥2 −𝑥1
Ø= 88.85
 8.3. Shear stress VS Horizontal displacement

Shear stress vs Horizontal displacement

0,045
0,04
0,035
Shear stress(N/mm^2)

0,03
0,025
0,02
0,015
0,01
0,005
0
0,00E+005,00E-011,00E+001,50E+002,00E+002,50E+003,00E+003,50E+004,00E+004,50E+005,00E+00
-0,005
Horizontal displacement
(mm)

5kg test 10kg test 20kg test 30kg test 40kg test 50kg test

8.4. Vertical Displacement vs Horizontal Displacement

Vertical displacement vs Horizontal displacement

0,4

0,3
Vertical displacement(mm)

0,2

0,1

0
0,00E+00 5,00E-01 1,00E+001,50E+002,00E+002,50E+003,00E+003,50E+004,00E+004,50E+005,00E+00
-0,1

-0,2

-0,3
Horizontal displacement(mm)

5kg test 10kg test 20kg test 30kg test 40kg test 50kg test
9. Discussion
The test is carried on a confined space of square cross-section which is split
horizontally. The soil is sheared by moving the top half of the box relative to the
bottom half. If the soil sample is saturated the porous stones and the metal
plates are placed on both sides of the sample to prevent drainage. Vertical
normal load is applied to the sample and the stress is gradually increased
horizontally which causes the box to move relative to each other.
The drawing values of critical shear stress vs normal stress we get cohesion as
.0063N/mm2. When the vertical force increases the shear stress also increases
and the critical shear stress also increases. In the direct shear test the
cohesionless soil varies and is roughly equal to zero. The range of cohesion
varies from 30-40 degrees which could occur due to experimental errors during
the test.
Test on gravels and sands should be performed under dry condition as the water
does not affect the drain strength. The rate of shearing is to be selected for clays
to prevent the excess pore pressure builds up.
10. Advantages
 This method is easy to test gravels and sands
 It is possible to shear along predetermined plane or other selected planes
when needed
 It can be used to test large samples because small samples can give
imperfect test results.
 The test is simple and it’s easy to prepare the sand specimen for testing

11. Disadvantages
 Only the normal stress could be found with this method
 The apparatus cannot give undrained strength because it’s very difficult to
prevent the drainage from the shear plane.
 It is not possible to determine effective stresses from undrained tests
 The drained conditions are not controlled

12. References
(i) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S16742001080017
39
(ii) http://theconstructor.org/geotechnical/shear-strength-of-soil-by-
direct-shear-test/3112/
(iii) http://www.geotechdata.info/geotest/direct-shear-test.html