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• The shear strength of soils are required for the analysis of soil
stability problems such as; bearing capacity, slope stability and
lateral pressure
• Singapore 2004.
Theory
• Any load applied to a soil mass will produce stresses of varying
intensity and as a result deformations. The consequences of this
mechanism requires consideration under two main topics;
• These are the parametric equations of a circle of stress in the XY plane known as a Mohr-Diagram
(created by Otto Mohr in 1882) to obtain the stresses at a point by graphical means.
Theory – Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
• The shear strength of a soil (tf) at a point on a particular slip plane was originally expressed by
Coulomb (in the late 1700s) as a linear function of the normal stresses (sf) on the plane at the same
point:
𝜏𝑓 = 𝑐 + 𝜎𝑓 tan ∅
where, 𝑐 and ∅ are cohesion intercept and angle of shearing resistance (or internal angle of
friction), respectively.
• According to Terzaghi’s fundamental concept that shear stress in a soil can be resisted only by the
solid grains (i.e. skeleton of solid particles), shear strength is expressed as a function of effective
normal stress:
𝜏𝑓 = 𝑐 + 𝜎𝑓 tan ∅
• When Mohr Circle is applied to represent the state of stress, then tf will be a linearly increasing line
tangent to the Mohr Circle at the point where a critical combination of shear stress and effective
normal stress develops, also called point of failure.
Theory - Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
• If a number of stress states producing shear failure in soil are known, these can be represented
using Mohr Circles, from which a failure envelope can be drawn by a common tangent to these
Mohr Circles.
Laboratory Determination of Shear Strength Parameters
• A vane with four blades is inserted into the sample and a torque
is applied until failure is obtained. The applied torque is then
equated to the undrained shear strength using circumferential
shear stress developed along the shaft formed by the rotation of
the vane.
Direct Shear Box Test
• Shear failure of the soil sample along a thin, pre-determined slip plane is measured. The test is
carried out under a constant normal stress applied vertically to the sample. The bottom half of the
box is moved laterally with respect to the top half, which is connected to a load ring for
measurement of the shear forces developed along the slip plane.
Direct Shear Box Test
• During testing, the shear resistance, horizontal displacement and vertical displacement of the
sample is measured.
Direct Shear Box Test
• The horizontal displacement measurement at failure is used to estimate the area of the slip plane, 𝐴𝑓 ,
and considering the shear force at failure, 𝑇, one can also calculate the shear stress at failure as
𝑇 𝑁
𝜏𝑓 = , and also, normal stress is calculated as, 𝜎𝑛 =
𝐴𝑓 𝐴𝑓
𝐴0
where, 𝐴𝑓 =
∆𝑙
1+ 𝑓 𝐿0
Carrying out the test three times under various normal
stresses, the failure envelope can be plotted as;
𝜏𝑓
𝐿0 ∆𝑙𝑓
∅
𝑐
𝜎𝑛
Direct Shear Box Test
• Typical behaviour obtained in the test results are plotted in the following figures,
Triaxial Test
• Cassagrande (1930), was the first the develop triaxial testing equipment which is capable of
testing soils in three dimensional stress state. Detailed testing methods were later published by
Bishop and Henkel (1962). Triaxial test is widely used as it is suitable for all types of soils and have
the advantage of simulating the insitu sress state best compared to other shear strength tests.
• In the most common types of triaxial test, a cylindrical soil sample is loaded with an all round
pressure (confining stress) to simulate the insitu effective stress, and once the insitu stress state is
attained the shear strength behaviour is tested by applying a compressive stress. The test can be
carried out by an effective control of the drainage conditions, hence both undrained and drained
behaviour can be measured. During the test, pore water pressure and/or volume change
measurements can be carried out.
Triaxial Test
s1: major principal stress = s3 + Ds
Ds: Deviator stress
(compressive stress)
s3: All-round
pressure
Triaxial Test
• In a triaxial compression test, the all-round pressure applied is the minor principal stress s3, and
the major principal stress then becomes the total of the all-round pressure and the compressive
stress applied;
• The maximum shear stress at failure occurs along the weakest plane in the sample, which is
inclined with an angle of from the horizontal, where = 45 + f/2 (slip plane, failure plane). If the
test is carried out three times under various all-round pressures, then a failure envelope can be
drawn by the help of Mohr Circles.
• In the triaxial test, the drainage conditions can be controlled. Hence, if drainage is allowed during
the test, i.e. the test is carried out without allowing for excess pore water pressures to develop,
then the effective shear strength parameters can be measured.
Triaxial Test
• The following standard triaxial compression tests can be carried out.