por 1- SHEAR ST ... OF SOIL.pdf SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL LEARNING OUTCOMES, At the end of the chapter the student shall be able to: «Understand the theory behind the shear strength of soils. + Determine the shear strength of soil based on various tests. MOHR - COULOMB FAILURE CRITERION The shear strength of a soil mass is the internal resistance per unit area that it ean offer to resist failure and sliding along any plane inside it. The shear resistance of soil is a result of friction and interlocking of particles, and possibly bonding at particle contacts. ‘According to Mohr, materials fail because of 2 critical combination of normal and shearing stress. The relationship between normal stress and shcar stress on a failure plane is expressed as y= fo) Although the relationship is a curved line, it is sufficient to consider that the shear stress, tr, can be expressed as a lincar function of the normal stress, ¢, based on Coulomb’s theory. ty =C+otanp Where c= cohesion of soil @ = angle of internal friction o = normal stress on the failure plane 1, = shear strength of soil The figure shows a combination of normal and shear stresses in a soil clement at failure. Line ab represents the failure plane of the soil clement. For saturated soils, the total normal stress is expressed as o=o'tu ‘Where a! = effective stress = pore water pressure The effective stress o’ is carried by soi! solids. The Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion expressed in terms of effective stress is ty =e’ +0" tang Where c! = cohesion of soil @! = drained friction anglepor 1- SHEAR ST... OF SOIL.pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL Shear stress, 7 Effective normal stress, 0” From the graph shown, points A, B and C represent a combination of normal and shear stresses in a soil element. The diagonal line represents the plot of the equation of the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion. The value of the soil cohesion indicates the intercept of the failure criterion along the vertical axis. Point A represents a point in a region where the normal and shear stresses are well below the maximum strength of the soil. Point B represents the maximum shear stress at failure. Point C is impossible since the stresses are well beyond the failure criterion, Table of approximate values for drained friction angles Soil Type ' (degrees) Sand: Rounded grains Loose 27-30 Medium 30-35 Dense 35-38 ‘Sand: Angular Grains Loose 30-35 Medium 35-40 Dense 40-45 Gravel with some sand 34-48 Silts 26-35 ‘Table of range of values for soil cohesion. Soil Type ¢ Sand, inorganic Silt 0 Nonmally consolidated clay =0 Over-consolidated clay >0eens a =a F SOIL.pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL ‘The Mohr circle shown represents the shear and normal stresses in the soil element. ‘The vertical stress represents the msjor principal stress, o{, and the horizontal stress represents the minor principal stress, cj. These stresses are plotted and are represented as points and ¢, respectively. The soil element is stressed by increasing 0; while holding a} as constant. This increases the size of the Mohr circle until it reaches the failure criterion (line ff} and the soil element fails. Line ab represents the major principal plane at AB and line ad represents the failure plane EP. The angle of inclination of failure plane with the major principal plane is expressed as, a= 45+ e The major principal effective stress 0} derived from the graph is expressed by the formula ot ojen (1642) 20 (a+) In terms of total stresses a and a, a= me (14) 20m (a4) SHEAR TESTS The most common laboratory methods of determining the shear strengih parameters Gc. €. 8, c/, 0) of various soil specimens are the Direct Shear Test and the Triaxial Test. Direct Shear Test The direct shear test is the oldest and simplest form of shear test arrangement. The test equipment consists of a metal shear box in which the soil specimen is placed. The soil specimens may be square or circular in plan. Shear force is applied by moving one-half of the box relative to the other to cause failure in the soil specimen. Normal stress normal force cross — sectional area Shear stress shear force cross — sectional areapor _1- SHEAR ST... OF SOIL. pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL Normal force DL Loading plate El] Porous stone For dry sand, ¢ = 0! and ¢ = 0, therefore 17 =o'tang Direct shear tests are repeated on similar specimens at various normal stresses. The normal stresses and the corresponding values of ty obtained from a number of tests are plotted on a graph from which the shear strength parameters are determined. Plot for dry sand specimen. Shear sess. + Eficctive normal stress, 0° Plot for saturated clay specimen Overconsolidated cay 77= ef + o tan 6" (e! #0) Normally consolidated clay 1)= 0" tan 6” (c" = 0) = shear ares at fle ‘Effective normal stress."1- SHEAR ST... OF SOIL.pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL, ‘The direct shear testis simple to perform, but it has some inherent shortcomings: 1. The reliability of the results may be questioned because the soil is not allowed to fail along the weakest plane but is forced to fail along the plane of split of the shear box. 2. The shear stress distribution over the shear surface of the specimen is not uniform. Triaxial Test In a triaxial test, a soil specimen about 36 mm in diameter and 76 mm long generally is used. The specimen is encased by a thin rubber membrane and placed inside a plastic cylindrical chamber that usually is filled with water or glycerine. The specimen is subjected to a confining pressure by compression of the fluid in the chamber. To cause shear failure in the specimen, one must apply axial stress known as the deviator stress through a vertical loading ram. Axial load ‘To ell pressure contol ‘Connections for drainage or pore pressure measurement GB Waser [i Porous ise £9 Specimen enclosed in a rubber membrane The standard types of triaxial tests are: 1. Consolidated - Drained Test (CD) 2. Consolidated — Undrained Test (CU) 3. Unconsolidated — Undrained Test (UU) Consolidated — Drained Test The saturated specimen first is subjected to an all around confining pressure, a3, by compression of the chamber fluid. As confining pressure is applied, the pore water pressure of the specimen increases by ug if drainage is prevented. In a CD test, the connection to drainage is opened and dissipation of the excess pore water pressure occurs and thus consolidation happens. With time, ue will become equal to 0.T ... OF SOIL. pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL Next, the deviator stress, Ag, on the specimen is increased slowly. The drainage connection is kept open, and the slow rate of deviator stress application allows complete dissipation of any pore water pressure that developed as a result, Aug= 0. a ‘The pore water pressure developed during the test is completely dissipated, Aug= 0, thus Total effective confining stress 05 = 03 ‘Total effective axial stress at failure 91 = 01 = 93 + (Boa) ‘jor principal effective stress at failure jinor principal effective stress at failure Shear stress Effective stress failure envelope from drained tests on sand and normally consolidated claypor 1-SHEARST ... OF SOlL.pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL ‘The radius of the Mohr cirele is equivalent to one-half of the deviator stress at failure (Agy), and can be expressed as A= % Reng ing’ == ant Rtas Cohesion for sand and normally consolidated clays are equal to 0. Consolidated — Undrained Test The consolidated-undrained test is the most common type of triaxial test. In this test, the saturated soil specimen is first consolidated by an all-around chamber fluid pressure, 05, ‘that results in drainage causing the pore water pressure to dissipate, After the pore water pressure generated by the application of confining pressure is dissipated, the deviator stress, ‘ag, on the specimen is increased to cause shear failure. During this phase of the test, the drainage line from the specimen is kept closed as a result pore water pressure, Aug, increases. Total major principal stress at failure O = 95 + (Aca); oF a3 of a ‘Normal stress ‘Total and effective stress failure envelopes for consolidated undrained triaxial tests= SHEAR ST.... OF SOIL.pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL, Effective major principal stress at failure oy = 0 — Ata) 5 Effective major principal stress at failure 5 = 03 — Quads For sand and normally consolidated clays, ¢ = ¢' = 0. Consolidated-undrained tests are conducted on soils with pore pressure measurements to obtain the drained shear strength parameters. Because drainage is not allowed in these tests during the application of deviator stress, they can be performed quickly. Unconsolidated - Undrained Test In unconsolidated-undrained tests, drainage fiom the soil specimen is not permitted during the application of chamber pressure a3. The pore water pressure in the soil specimen increases by ue. The test specimen is sheared to failure by the application of deviator stress, ‘Aog, and drainage is prevented. The pore water pressure further increases by Aug. The total pore water pressure in the specimen is usu, t dug This test usually is conducted on clay specimens and depends on a very important strength concept for cohesive soils if the soil is fully saturated. The added axial stress at failure (Ao), is practically the same regardless of the chamber confining pressure. The failure envelope is a horizontal line and hence, the undrained friction angle becomes 6 = 0. a g 4 Total suess Mokr’s circles at failure Zpor 1-SHEAR ST ... OF SOIL.pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL Shear strength at failure ty on Where , = undrained shear strength and is equal to R Do note that @=0 concept is applicable only to saturated clays and silts. The failure envelope is a horizontal line and hence, the undrained friction angle becomes @ = 0. Unconfined Compression Test In unconsolidated-undrained test ‘The unconfined compression test is a special type of unconsolidated-undrained test that is commonly used for clay specimens. In this test, there are no confining prossure (03 = 0). An axial load is rapidly applied to the specimen to cause failure. At failure, the total minor principal stress is zero and the total major principal stress is 03. The undrained shear strength is independent of the confining pressure as Tong as the soil is fully saturated and fully undrained, Where Gu = the unconfined compression strength Sheor stress. Total stress Mohr's circle at failure | o3=0 1nd Normal stresspor 1-SHEARST ... OF SOIL.pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL, ILLUSTRATIVE PROBLEMS Example 1.1 Direct shear tests were performed on a soil. The size of the specimen was 100 mm x 100 mm x 25 mm. Find the cohesion and angle of friction of the soil using the test results shown. Test Normal Force at failure (N) Shear Force at failure (N) 1 370 200 2 520 340 3 1260 760 4 1750 1080 SOLUTION ‘Normal stress jormal force in kN (10 mye Shear stress V _ shear force inkN (0.10 mi)? Normal Force | ShearForce at | Normal Stress | Shear Stress at Test at failure failure at failure failure ) ) (kPa) (kPa) 1 370 200 7 20 2 520 340 52 34 3 1260 760 126 76 4 1750 1080 15 108 125 100 & % 75 5 5 50 a5 a ° ° 50 100 130 200 Normal stress (kPa) By plotting a graph, we obtain values c’ = O and @’ = 32°. 10por 1- SHEARST ... OF SOIL pdf CHAPTER 1-SHEAR STR! 31H OF SOW. Example 1.2 A consolidated-drained triaxial test was conducted on a normally consolidated clay. The soil was subjected to a confining pressure of 150 kPa and failed at a deviator stress of 90 kPa, Determine the drained angle of friction and the angle that the failure plane makes with the major principal plane. SOLUTION [fective stress failure envelope, ° a From the figure Solving for R Drained friction angle AS kPa 45 kPa + 150 kPa O = 13.34° Angle that the failure plane makes with the major principal plane o=45+ > sing’ 13.34° 2 @=51.67° 9 = 45+por_1-SHEARST ... OF SOIL.pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL Example 1.3, A consolidated-drained triaxial test was conducted on a normally consolidated clay, ‘The soil was subjected to a chamber pressure of 280 kPa and failed at a major principal stress of 560 kPa, Determine the normal and shear stress at failure. SOLUTION of = 560 kPa From the figure R Rea sing! = Solving for R 1 — 03 _ 560 kPa — 280 kPa BES 2 = 140 kPa Drained friction angle 140 kPa 140 kPa + 280 kPa O =19.47° sin Shear stress at failure cosd’ =— ot cos 19.47° = Tee 17 = 131.99 kPa ‘Normal stress at failure x tang’ =~ OF tan 19.470 = 23498 o% 07 = 373.35°por 1-SHEARST... OF SOIL.pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL Example 1.4 The results of two drained triaxial tests on a saturated clay are: Specimen I: + Chamber confining pressure = 70 kPa + Deviator stress at failure = 130 kPa Specimen IE + Chamber confining pressure = 160 kPa + Deviator stress at failure = 224 kPa ‘Determine the cohesion and drained friction angle. SOLUTION Using the formula of = 03 tan? («= + 5) +2c'tan (4s + ‘Specimen I: of = 70 kPa + 130 kPa = 200 kPa 200 kPa = (70 kPa) tan? (4s° +3) + 2c'tan (ss + Specimen IE: 4; = 160 kPa + 224 kPa = 384 kPa 384 kPa = (160 kPa) tan? (16 +o +2! tan (45° + 5) By elimination 200 kPa = (70 kPa) tan® (4° 5) + 2c! tan (ss +5) — 384kPa = (160 kPa) tan? (54 5) 2c’ tan (0s + 5) 2 fase 4 —184 kPa = —(90 kPa) tan? {45° + > ' = 20.06° Cohesion 2 2 200 kPa = (70 kPa) tan? (4s° + ae) + 2c' tan ( + ae) c'=19.9kPa Example 1.5 A consolidated-undrained test was performed on a specimen of saturated sand under a chamber pressure of 160 kPa. The axial stress was increased and the specimen failed when the axial deviator stress reached 110 kPa. The pore water pressure at failure was 80 kPa. ‘Determine the undrained friction angle and the drained friction angle.por _1-SHEAR ST... OF SOIL pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL SOLUTION \ \a 4 ad ° % 110kPa {Aus = 80KPa a = 160kPa (Ao), = 110KPa : From the figure, the CU test is represented by the Mohr circle with radius AB. Undrained friction angle ng = Ska Sin® = Se yPa+ 160 kPa @ = 14.82° For the drained friction angle 3+ 110 kPa + 80 kPa = 160 kPa + 110 kPa o; = 80kPa then ia 55 kPa Sin? = 55 kPa + 80 kPa @ = 24.08ror 1-SHEARST ... OF SOIL.pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL. Example 1.6 An unconsolidated undrained test was conducted on a saturated clay. The all-around confining pressure wes 220 kPa and failure occurred under a deviator stress of 180 kPa. Determine the major principal stress at failure and the undrained shear strength. SOLUTION ‘Shear stress Failure envelope ¢ = 0 ‘Major principal stress o, = 220 kPo + 180 kPa 0; = 400 kPa Undrained shear strengthPOF 1- SHEAR ST ... OF SOIL.pdf CHAPTER 1 - SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL, EXERCISES 1 A direct shear test was conducted on dry silty sand. Specimen diameter is 71 mm with a height of 25 mm. The normal stress at failure was 150 kPa and the shear force at failure is 276N. a) Determine the angle of friction. b) For @ nonmal stress of 200 kPa, what shear force is required to cause failure? (Ans. 24.9°, 367.6 KN) Direct shear tests were performed on a soil. The specimen has a diameter of 63.5 mm. Find the cohesion and angle of friction of the soil using the test results shown. Provide a :ph For your data, (Ans. 27 kPa,_27.5°) Test ‘Normal Force at failure (N) Shear Force at failure (N) I 200 105 2 400 205 3 300 414 4 1600 330 A consolidated-drained triaxial test on sand yields the results: + Allaround confining pressure = 207 kPa + Deviater stress at failure = 662 kPa Determine the soil cohesion and drained angle of friction. (Ans. 0, 38°) Ina consolidated-drained triaxial test on ¢ normally consolidated clay, the specimen with failed when the deviator stress reached 185 kPa. If the drained friction angle is 23°, what was the effective confining pressure at failure? (Ans. 145 kPa) Following are the results of two consolidated-drained tests on a soil. ‘Test I: + Chamber confining pressure = 140 kPa * Major princtpat stress at failure = 368 kPa Test IE + Chamber confining pressure = 280 kPa * Major principal stress at failure = 701 kPa Determine the cohesion and drained friction angle. (Ans. 12 kPa, 34°) A consolidated-undrained triaxial test was conducted on a saturated, normally consolidated clay. The chamber pressure was 90 kPa and the specimen failed when the major principal stress reached 221 kPa. Pore water pressure at failure was 38 kPa. Determine the drained angle of friction, undrained angle of friction, undrained cohesion, and drained cohesion of the soil. (Ans. = 0,0 = 25°,c! = 0,0" = 34°) Undisturbed samples from a normally consolidated clay layer were collected during a field exploration program. Drained triaxial tests showed that the effective friction angle @’ = 28°. The unconfined compressive strength of a similar specimen was found to be 148 kN/m?. Determine the pore pressure at failure for the unconfined compression test. (Ans. —83.6 kPa)