SOIL MECHANICS REPORT ON SLOW DIRECT SHEAR BOX TEST

CIVIL 3.2 GROUP A2

26TH NOVEMBER 2021
Group members
1. MAUREEN NKIROTE KARITHI ENC211-0215/2018
2. ESTHER LOICE ATIENO ENC211-0014/2018
3. MURIMI DERRICK IAN ENC211-0339/2018
4. ODHIAMBO ISAAC ONWONGA ENC211-0344/2018
5. MUSUMBA NOAH WAKADHA ENC211-0345/2018
 3.
Objective
To determine the shear strength characteristics of saturated cohesionless soils in free-draining
condition.
Background
The direct shear box test is run to measure shear strength properties of soil or rock material, or
of discontinuities in soil or rock masses. The test is run by applying force to a soil sample in a
parallel direction, rather than holding it in tension. Testing is performed by applying load to soil
sample until the soil sample shears.
From this test one can determine the shear strength parameters of a soil, cohesion and
frictional angle, which can be used to compute shear strength of a soil and hence asses its
suitability for a certain construction project.
Apparatus.
1. Shear box.
2. Dial gauges. a) Horizontal displacement dial gauge.
b) Proving ring.
c) Vertical displacement dial gauge.
3. Porous and non-porous plates.
Procedure.
1. The two halves of the shear box were positioned together and a locating pin used to
lock them.
2. The sample was carefully placed in the box and the locating pin removed. The sample
was 6cm.
3. A normal load which was vertical was then applied to the top of the sample. This was
the normal stress and it was kept constant throughout the test. Different stresses were
used. (0.4,0.8,1.6kgf/cm2).
4. The vertical and horizontal dial gauges were then adjusted.
5. A shearing force was applied until the sample failed.
6. The readings of the divisions on the proving ring at required intervals of shearing
displacements were then taken.
Raw data and analysis.
Normal stress = 0.4kgf/cm2.

Proving ring Vertical dial gauge

Horizontal Divisions Shear Divisions Vertical
displacement stress, T Displacement.(mm)
0 0 0 0 0
20 5.5 0.078 -1.4 -0.020
40 7.4 0.104 -2.5 -0.035
60 8.8 0.123 -3.4 -0.048
80 9.8 0.137 -4.3 -0.060
100 10.6 0.148 -4.9 -0.069
120 11.3 0.158 -5.4 -0.076
140 11.9 0.167 -5.7 -0.080
160 12.4 0.174 -5.9 -0.082
180 12.4 0.174 -6.2 -0.087
200 12.4 0.174 -6.5 -0.091

Normal stress = 0.8kgf/cm2.

Proving ring Vertical dial gauge

Horizontal divisions Shear Divisions Vertical
displacement stress, T Displacement.
0 0 0 0 0
20 6.8 0.095 -8.1 -0.113
40 10.3 0.144 -14.5 -0.203
60 12.7 0.178 -17.4 -0.244
80 14.9 0.209 -20.1 -0.281
100 15.6 0.218 -22.0 -0.308
120 16.8 0.235 -23.8 -0.333
140 17.9 0.251 -24.9 -0.349
160 18.5 0.259 -26.0 -0.364
180 19.2 0.269 -27.1 -0.379
Horizontal
200 divisions
19.8 Shear
0.277 Divisions
-28.4 Vertical
-0.397
displacement
220 20.1 stress,
0.281 T -29.0 Displacement.
-0.406
0
240 0
20.6 0
0.288 0
-29.4 0
-0.412
20
260 27.2
21.1 0.381
0.295 -9.3
-29.7 -0.130
-0.416
40
280 33.0
21.4 0.462
0.300 -15.1
-29.9 -0.211
-0.419
60
300 37.1
21.9 0.519
0.307 -18.6
-30.1 -0.260
-0.421
80
320 39.2
22.3 0.549
0.312 -21.5
-30.3 -0.301
-0.424
100
340 40.3
22.5 0.564
0.315 -23.9
-30.4 -0.335
-0.426 .
120
360 42.0
22.5 0.588
0.315 -25.8
-30.5 -0.361
-0.427
140
380 43.1
22.5 0.603
0.315 -27.1
-30.6 -0.379
-0.428
160
400
Proving ring 43.7 0.612 -28.5 -0.399
Vertical dial gauge
180 44.0 0.616 -29.6 -0.414
200 44.6
Normal stress =1.6kgf/cm 2 0.624 -30.2 -0.423
220 45.0 0.630 -31.6 -0.442
240 45.2 0.633 -32.4 -0.454
260 45.4 0.636 -32.7 -0.458
280 45.4 0.636 -33.0 -0.462
300 45.4 0.636 -33.3 -0.466
320 45.4 0.636 -33.6 -0.470
Area of sample used = 28.27 cm2
Ring factor =0.014kg/f/cm2

A graph of shear stress (T) against horizontal displacement

Shear stress,T vs horizonatal displacement

0.7

0.6

0.5
shear stress ,T

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380 400
horizontal displacement

From the graph,

maximum shear stress (Tmax) trial 1 0.18
trial 2 0.32
trial 3 0.64

Using data obtained from the above graph

shear stress normal stress
0.18 0.4
0.32 0.8
0.64 1.6

A graph of maximum shear stress against normal stress.

shear stress vs normal stress

0.7

0.6

0.5
Shear Stress

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

Normal Stress

Discussion
The shear strength parameters for the soil used in this test are:
Cohesion c, = 0.04
Friction angle Φ =19.3 degrees
The cohesion intercept and angle of shearing resistance are determined by plotting a graph
between shear stress at failure and normal stress. 
The specimen failed on a pre-determined horizontal plane that depended on the dimensions of
the shear box.since initial area is known as shearing proceeds,the shearing surface changes and
corresponds to the intersection of the bottom and the top part of the shear box.The soil has
negligible cohesion and therefore derives most of its shear strength from intergranular friction
between its particles
The equation for calculating shear strength is therefore:
S= σ tan Ф + 0.04
The sample is normally saturated before the test is run. For this experiment we use clean sand
as a sample so there is no problem as  as the pore pressure dissipates readily.
Conclusion
 This test is simple and fast for sands. The condition of the machine also impacts the results.
Ifthe machine is old then results might vary. This test is simple and fast to operate. As thinner
specimens are used in the shear box, they facilitate drainage or pore water from a saturated
sample in a shorter time.
Another advantage of this test is that the apparatus required is cheaper and no technical skill is
required to operate it.One disadvantage is that there is no mechanism to measure pore water
pressure hence this test is not suitable for fine grained soils.