Shear Strength II

The Triaxial Test

Mr. Jerome Daly
BEng(Hons). MSc, PgCE

Edited from USW slides by Dr. Emma Britton

BEng(Hons). Phd. MEI, PgCDPPHE
 The Triaxial Test
• The test specimen is cylindrical with a height:diameter ratio of 2
– Typical Dimensions are:
• 38mm diameter

• 76mm high

• Specimen is enclosed in a rubber membrane and placed inside

the apparatus

• An independent all round isotropic pressure (cell) and a vertical

force acting through a piston are applied to the sample.
Axial force

Cell
pressure
 𝜎 𝑎=𝜎 1
• Two main tests possible: 1
Axial force
– The vertical force is
compressive and its effect
is to increase the axial
stress to a value greater
than the horizontal (radial)
stress applied by the cell
pressure
– In this case the axial stress
is the major principal stress
and the radial is the minor Cell
= pressure
𝜎 𝑟 =𝜎 3
 𝜎 𝑎=𝜎 3
• Two main tests possible: 2
Axial force
– The vertical force is not
compressive and its effect
is to reduce the axial stress
to a value less than the
horizontal (radial) stress
applied by the cell pressure
– In this case the axial stress
is the minor principal
stress and the radial is the
major. Cell
= pressure
𝜎 𝑟 =𝜎 1
 The Triaxial test
• What about the intermediate principal stress?
• It is generally assumed that under a polar coordinate
system that:

• For a compressible test:

• For an Extension test:

• Note : No tensile tests in a Triaxial apparatus.

 The Triaxial test
• To determine strength plot Mohr Circles
T, Shear Stress, τ

𝜙❑

𝝈𝟑 Centre
𝝈𝟏
N, Normal Stress, σn
T, Shear Stress, τ
𝜙❑

𝝈𝟑 Centre
𝝈𝟏
N, Normal Stress, σn

From the geometry of the Mohr circle:

 Types of Triaxial tests
• Unconsolidated undrained (UU)
– The specimen is subjected to an all round pressure and then a deviator
stress, q, is applies with no drainage being allowed at any stage, determines
cu.
• Consolidated Undrained (CU)
– The specimen is subjected to an all round pressure until consolidation is
complete. The deviator stress is then applied with no drainage being
permitted, determines c’ and ϕ’
• Consolidated Drained (CD)
– drainage of the specimen is being allowed under an all round pressure until
consolidation is complete. Drainage is allowed as the deviator stress is
increased, determines cd and ϕd

Specifically looking at the UU Triaxial test this year

 Measurements in the Triaxial test
• The quantities measured in the Triaxial test
– The cell pressure, σ3 (kN/m2)
– The ram load, Q (kN)
– The pore water pressure, u (kN/m2)
– The change in sample height, ∆h (mm)
– The change in sample volume, ∆v (mm 3)

Q is used to determine the difference between the

axial stress and the cell pressure
 Measurements in the Triaxial test
𝜎 𝑎=𝜎 1
Axial force, Q

Where A is the cross

sectional area of the
specimen at that
particular stage of the
test.
Cross
sectional
Area

Cell
pressure
𝜎 𝑟 =𝜎 3
Measurements in the Triaxial test

• Axial deformation

• Radial deformation

• Volume
deformation
 Measurements in the Triaxial test
• The axial strain

– Where ∆h is the change in height of the sample

during the test
– ho is the initial height of the sample at the start of
the current stage of the test.
 Measurements in the Triaxial test
• The volumetric strain

– Where ∆V is the change in volume of the sample

during the test
– Vo is the initial volume of the sample at the start of
the current stage of the test.
 Measurements in the Triaxial test
• The radial straincan be calculated from the
radial and volumetric strains
– Assuming the sample remains cylindrical in shape
• In the undrained test, volume is constant
Vo=constant and ∆V=0

• As stated earlier in compression

 Measurements in the Triaxial test
• The area of the specimen can then be
calculated by:

Where Ao is the original cross sectional area of

the sample.
 The Triaxial Test
• Unconsolidated undrained test (UU)
– the sample is loaded without drainage being
allowed
• No consolidation of the sample
• Undrained test
– The increase in pore water pressure during the test
will equal the increase in total stress (undrained
loading),
– No increase in effective stress of the sample,
 Undrained shear strength of clay soils in the
triaxial
Total stress plot
𝑆h𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 ,𝜏

Tangent to the Mohr Circles 𝜙 𝑢 =0

𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 , 𝜎 𝑛
Undrained shear strength of clay soils in the
triaxial
Effective stress plot
𝑆h𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 ,𝜏

𝜙 ′ 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑡

Mohr Circles lie on

top of each other

Passes through
𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 , 𝜎 𝑛
origin
 Undrained shear strength of clay soils in the
triaxial

• UU is a very straight forward test, however:

– Care needs to be taken in selecting an appropriate
rate for the shearing stage
• Too fast – and excess pore water pressure is generated
which will result in a reduced shear strength being
recorded
• Too slow – pore pressure redistribution will occur in the
sample resulting in an incorrect shear strength
 Triaxial test – Example 1
• The results from a UU Triaxial test on a 38mm (diameter) x 76mm

(high) sample of saturated clay are presented below. Determine the

shear strength parameters of the clay with respect to the total stress.

All round pressure Axial load (N) Axial deformation

(kN/m2) (mm)
200 222 9.83
400 215 10.06
600 226 10.28
 original height, ho (mm)
Solution original area, Ao (mm2)
76   1134

axial
Vertical displacement, ∆h pressure, major principal stress,
all round pressure (kN/m )
2
axial load (N) axial load (kN) Area (m )
2
σ1-σ3 σ1 (kN/m2)
∆h (mm) h0
(kN/m2)

200 222 9.83 0.222 0.129342 0.001304 170 370

400 215 10.06 0.215 0.132368 0.001308 164 564
600 226 10.28 0.226 0.135263 0.001313 172 772

• Calculate the initial area of the sample, Ao=1134mm2=1.134x10-3m2

• To calculate the area of the sample at each stage of shearing we need to calculate the
volumetric and axial strains

• However as in an undrained unconsolidated test we can assume that the volume is

constant therefore εv=0

• Axial pressure (commonly known as the deviator stress) is load over area
=
• Centre of Mohr circle

• Radius of Mohr circle

𝑆h𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 ,𝜏

Centre Radius
kN/m2 kN/m2
285 85 Tangent to the Mohr Circles
𝜙 𝑢 =0
482 82
686 86
𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 , 𝜎 𝑛

𝝓
𝒄 𝒖=𝟖𝟔 𝒌𝑵 /𝒎 𝟐
𝒖= 𝟎 °
 Triaxial test – Example 2
The results from a CU Triaxial test on a 38mm
(diameter) x 76mm (high) sample of saturated clay
are presented below. Determine the shear strength
parameters of the clay with respect to the effective
stress.

Axial
All round pressure Axial load Pore water
deformation
(kN/m )
2
(N) pressure (kN/m2)
(mm)

200 272 9.42 80

400 315 10.05 154
600 426 10.28 222
 Solution
EFFECTIVE
TOTAL STRESS STRESS

major minor
Pore axial major
All round Axial Axial axial effective effective
water ∆ h Area (m2) pressure, principal principal
pressure load deformation load principal
pressure σ1-σ3 stress, σ1
(kN/m ) (N)
2
(mm)
(kN/m2)
(kN) h0 (kN/m2) (kN/m2)
stress, σ'1 stress, σ'3
(kN/m2) (kN/m2)

200 272 9.42 80

400 315 10.05 154

600 426 10.28 222

Students complete the table

 Solution
EFFECTIVE
TOTAL STRESS STRESS

major minor
Pore axial major
All round Axial Axial axial effective effective
water ∆ h Area (m2) pressure, principal principal
pressure load deformation load principal
pressure σ1-σ3 stress, σ1
(kN/m ) (N)
2
(mm)
(kN/m2)
(kN) h0 (kN/m2) (kN/m2)
stress, σ'1 stress, σ'3
(kN/m2) (kN/m2)

200 272 9.42 80 0.272 0.1239 0.001294 210 410 330 120

400 315 10.05 154 0.315 0.1322 0.001307 241 641 487 246

600 426 10.28 222 0.426 0.1353 0.001311 325 925 703 378
• Centre of Mohr circle

• Radius of Mohr circle

Students complete table and plot Mohr’s circles and tangent line

Centre Radius
𝑆h𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 ,𝜏
l es
h r C i rc
kN/m2 kN/m2 Tang en t t o t
he Mo

𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 , 𝜎 𝑛

𝒄 ′ =? 𝒌𝑵 / 𝒎
𝝓 𝟐 ′
=? °
• Centre of Mohr circle

• Radius of Mohr circle

Centre Radius
𝑆h𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 ,𝜏
l es
h r C i rc
kN/m2 kN/m2 Tang en t t o t
he Mo

225 105
367 121
540 162
𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 , 𝜎 𝑛

𝝓
𝒄 ′ =𝟔𝟓 𝒌𝑵 / 𝒎 𝟐
′ =𝟏𝟏 °
• Triaxial Test
• Youtube presentation video
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq4UlLm
8oIs&list=PLKVvJWYS08Yd_XLubt6GFhL
EN4dHbzCKV&index=10&t=53s
• Ref: CE 326 Mod 12.9b Triaxial Shear Test, Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering, William A Kitch,
2015, accessed 15 Oct. 2020