CVNG 2009

SOIL MECHANICS II

Lecture 6
Soil Behavior in Shear

Craig’s Soil Mechanics

by J.A. Knappett & R.F. Craig, 9th ed, Spon Press, 2020
 Soil Behavior in Shear
Main Goals: In this chapter we understand how soil may be
modelled as a continuum, and how its mechanical behavior
(strength and stiffness) may be adequately described using
constitutive models
Course Outcomes:
- Understand how soil may be modelled as a continuum,
and how its mechanical behavior (strength & stiffness)
may be adequately described using elastic & plastic
material (constitutive) models
- Understand the method of operation of standard laboratory
testing apparatus & derive strength & stiffness properties
of soil from these tests for use in subsequent geotechnical
analyses
 Soil Behavior in Shear
Course Outcomes (continue):
- Appreciate different strength characteristics of soils
- Understand the critical state concept
- Use simple empirical correlations to estimate strength
properties of soil based on the results of index tests (Ch.1 )

Contents
1. Introduction to Continuum Mechanics
2. Simple Models of Soil Elasticity and Plasticity
3. Laboratory Shear Tests
4. Shear Strength of Coarse-grained & Fine-grained Soils
5. Critical State Framework
6. Estimating Strength Parameters from Index Tests
Shear Strength of Coarse-grained Soils
• Mechanics of dilatancy in coarse-grained soils
- Determination of peak strength from direct shear test data
- Determination of peak strength from drained triaxial test data
Example 5.1
ϕcv΄=32.6o
 Shear Strength of Saturated Fine-grained Soils
• Consolidation characteristics: 1D & Isotropic consolidation
• Typical results from CU & CD triaxial tests
• Failure envelopes & stress paths in triaxial tests

NC Clays
OC Clays

Corresponding Mohr-Coulomb
failure envelop
Example 5.2
• Undrained strength – UU triaxial test

• Sensitivity
Some fine-grained soils are very sensitive to remoulding, suffering
considerable loss of strength due to their natural structure being
damaged or destroyed. The sensitivity of a soil is defined as the
ratio of the undrained strength in the undisturbed state to the
undrained strength, at the same water content, in the remoulded
state, and is denoted by St. The sensitivity of most clays is between
1 and 4. Sensitive (4<St<8), extra sensitive (8<St<16), quick
clays (St>16).
Example 5.3

As the samples are all from the

same depth but tested at
different confining pressures, cu
should theoretically be the same
for all samples, so an average is
taken as cu = 16.3 kPa.
Example 5.4