ASTM D3080- Standard Test Method for Direct

Shear Test of Soils Under Consolidated Drained

Conditions
Shear Strength Parameters
 Shear strength in soils is the resistance to movement between
particles due to physical bonds from:
 Cohesion between particles (stress independent component)
 Chemical bonds (cementation) such as crystallized calcium carbonate.
 Electrostatic attraction between clay particles.

 Frictional resistance between particles (stress dependent component).

Cohesion
 Cohesion (C), is a measure of the forces that cement particles of soils.
 Sand is cohesionless hence C = 0
Internal Friction
  Internal Angle of Friction (), is the measure of the shear strength of
soils due to friction.
Influencing Factors on Shear Strength
 The shearing strength, is affected by:

 Soil composition: mineralogy, grain size and grain size distribution, shape of
particles, pore fluid type and content, ions on grain and in pore fluid.

 Initial state: State can be describe by terms such as: loose, dense, over-
consolidated, normally consolidated, stiff, soft, etc.

 Structure: Refers to the arrangement of particles within the soil mass; the
manner in which the particles are packed or distributed. Features such as
layers, voids, pockets, cementation, etc, are part of the structure.
Slope Stability: Failure is an Example of
Shearing Along Internal Surface
Shear Failure Under Foundation Load
Shear Failure: Earth Dam
Shear failure

embankment
strip footing

mobilized shear resistance

failure surface
At failure, shear stress along the failure surface reaches the shear strength.
Example: Embankment

failure surface

The soil grains slide

over each other along
the failure surface.

No crushing of
individual grains.
Shear Failure Mechanism






At failure, shear stress along the failure surface ()

reaches the shear strength (f).
Example: Retaining Wall

Retaining wall

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Retaining wall Mobilized shear resistance

Failure surface

At failure, shear stress along the failure surface (mobilized

shear resistance) reaches the shear strength.
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 svc + Ds

Laboratory tests
shc shc
Simulating field conditions in the laboratory st
e
ia lt
svc ax svc + Ds
0 Tr
Di svc
re
shc shc ct
s
0 0 he
ar t
te
st
svc t
0
Step 1 svc
Representative
soil sample Set the specimen in Step 2
taken from the the apparatus and Apply the
site apply the initial stress corresponding field
condition stress conditions 16
Direct Shear Test P Steel ball
Porous Pressure plate
plates

Proving ring
to measure
shear force

1. A normal stress is applied vertically and held constant (wait for consolidation).
17
Direct Shear Test
P Steel ball

Pressure plate
Porous
plates

Proving ring
to measure
shear force

• A shear stress is then applied (at a constant rate) until failure. 18

 Direct Shear Test on Sands

Shear stress, t
Dense sand/ OC clay

tf
Stress-strain relationship Loose sand/ NC clay
tf

Expansion
Shear displacement

Change in height of Dense sand/OC Clay

the sample
Shear displacement
Compression

Loose sand/NC Clay

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Direct Shear Tests on Sands

Normal stress = s3

Normal stress = s2
Shear stress, t

tf2 Normal stress = s1

tf1
tf3

Shear displacement

Use values from this graph to determine strength parameters c and f.

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Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criteria
 This theory states that a material fails because of a critical
combination of normal stress and shear stress, and not from either of
their maximum normal or shear stress alone.
Shear stress at failure, tf

Mohr – Coulomb failure envelope

f

Normal stress, s
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
Shear strength consists of two components: cohesive and frictional.
• c and  are measures of shear strength.
 • Higher the values, higher the shear strength.

friction angle  f  c' ' f tan  '

f
cohesion ’f tan ’ nt frictional component
’ m po ne
v e co
c’ c’ esi
co h
’f '
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
(in terms of total stresses)


 f  c   tan 
f is the maximum
nve l op e  shear stress the soil
e
fa ilure can take without
failure, under normal
f stress of .
c
 

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Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
(in terms of effective stresses)
 

u = pore water
 f  c' ' tan  ' Pressure
Direct shear tests are drained
lop e ’
re enve and pore water pressures are
failu
dissipated, hence u = 0
f Therefore,
c’ and
’ ’

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Test Set-up
 The test equipment consists
of a metal box in which the
soil specimen is placed
 The box is split horizontally
into two halves
• The soil sample has a porous
stone at the top and bottom
to allow free drainage
• Above the upper stone is a
metal platen which applies
the normal stress.
Test Set-up

• Shear force is applied by

moving one half of the box
relative to the other to
cause failure in the soil
specimen.
Consolidation Stage
1.  A dial indicator, or other suitable device for measuring the change
in thickness of the sample, is mounted and a zero reading taken.
2. A consolidation pressure is then added to the top of the sample
using the load-application system of the apparatus.
3. Readings of settlement are taken as a function of time to allow
appropriate calculation of consolidation coefficients and to ensure
that the sample has come to equilibrium prior to the start of shear.
1. AKA. Sample has reached the end of primary consolidation and can be
determined.
Preparation for the Shearing Stage
 During the consolidation stage, the upper and lower halves of the
shear box have been tightly screwed together (Fig. 3) to prevent the
soil from extruding out from between the boxes.
 These screws are now removed.
Preparation for the Shearing Stage
 Next, the upper half of the box must be raised to provide a small
separation between the boxes and ensure that the shearing and
normal stresses are actually transmitted through the soil rather than
from box to box.
Shearing Stage
 The shearing stage is usually performed at a constant rate of
deformation.
 Readings are taken of horizontal displacement, vertical movement of
the top cap, and shearing force, as a function of time.
 Stress conditions in the sample become increasingly uncertain as
deformation continues so the test is usually stopped at a horizontal
deflection of about 0.25 inch even if the shearing stress has not
reached a peak value.
Dismantling Stage
 When the test is over, the shearing stress is reduced to zero.
 Equipment for measuring deformations is removed.
 The normal load is then reduced to zero as quickly as possible and the
apparatus dismantled.
 The soil sample starts to rebound as soon as the normal load begins to
decrease so the dismantling stage must be quite rapid if there is any
desire to measure the water content at the failure stage.
 Often, a water content sample is taken from the shear zone, and then
the water content sample and the rest of the specimen are dried to
obtain a final dry weight (and thus an initial water content).