PROJECT QUESTIONS

1. For which types of engineering analyses do you need the results of direct shear
tests?
2. Why is the shear strength of dense sands higher than that if loose sands?
3. Is it possible to plot the evolution of the Mohr stress circle during a direct shear test?
4. Is it possible to determine the state of strain of the tested sample during the direct
shear test?
5. Under which assumptions can we determine the normal failure stress on the vertical
surface of a sheared sample?

6. What is the effect of the change in the contact area during a direct shear test?
7. In which parts of the soil sample are the strains concentrated during a direct shear
test?
8. What is the effect of density on the friction angle of sands?
9. Define peak and residual friction angles
10. What is the critical state theory in the case of the direct shear test on sand?

11. What is the purpose of s direct shear test? Which soil properties does it measure?
12. Why do we use mounting pins in a direct shear test? Can you predict what will
happen if you do not remove them during the test?
13. Why are the porous stones of direct shear box serrated or provided with teeth?
14. What is the rationale for determining the spacing between the two parts of a direct
shear box? What are the effects of a poorly selected spacing?
15. What is the purpose of the counterweight mechanism in direct shear apparatus?

16. What is the range of the rate of shear displacement that us typically achievable with
direct shear loading device?
17. Under which circumstances for which soils should a very slow shearing speed are
used?
18. Give an approximate duration for a very slow direct shear test.
19. Is the shear strength of a coarse-grained soils influenced by the rate of shearing in a
direct shear test? On what basis is the rate of shearing selected for coarse-grained
soils?
20. How many and which types of direct shear tests are possible to perform on fine-
grained soils?

21. How is the shearing rate determined for the CD direct shear tests of fine-grained
soils?
22. What soil properties are determined from the unconfined compression test?
23. What test is the unconfined compression test derived from?
24. What type of soils is the unconfined compression test applicable to?
25. Does the pole of the Mohr circle move during the unconfined compression test?

26. What is the theoretical inclination of failure planes predicted for purely cohesive
material during an unconfined compression test?
27. What is the range of unconfined shear strength for soils?
28. What is the relation between the unconfined shear strength and the undrained shear
strength measured from UU and CU triaxial compression tests?
29. What is the effect of the water content on the unconfined shear strength?

30. What is the purpose of the unconfined compression test?

31. To which types of soil is the unconfined compression test applicable?
32. What are undisturbed and remolded samples?
33. What method can you use to prepare undisturbed samples?
34. What is the typical loading rate for the unconfined compression test?