GEOTCH2 MODULE 3: SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL

Stress Transformation Equations

If we vary θ from 0° to 360°, we will get all possible values of σ x1 and τx1y1 for a given stress state. It
would be useful to represent σx1 and τx1y1 as functions of θ in graphical form.

To do this, we must re-write the transformation equations.

Eliminate θ by squaring both sides of each equation and adding the two equations together.

Define σavgand R

Substitute for σavg and R to get

Which is the equation for a circle with centre (σavg, 0) and radius R.

This circle is usually referred to as Mohr’s circle, after the German civil engineer Otto Mohr (1835-
1918). He developed the graphical technique for drawing the circle in 1882. The construction of Mohr’s
circle is one of the few graphical techniques still used in engineering. It provides a simple and clear
picture of an otherwise complicated analysis.

Sign Convention for Mohr’s Circle

Notice that shear stress is plotted as positive downward. The reason for doing this is that 2θ is then
positive counterclockwise, which agrees with the direction of 2θ used in the derivation of the
transformation equations and the direction of θ on the stress element. Notice that although 2θ appears
in Mohr’s circle, θ appears on the stress element.

Procedure for Constructing Mohr’s Circle

1. Draw a set of coordinate axes with σx1as abscissa (positive to the right) and τ x1y1 as ordinate
(positive downward).
2. Locate the center of the circle c at the point having coordinates σx1= σavg and τ x1y1 = 0.
3. Locate point A, representing the stress conditions on the x face of the element by plotting its
coordinates σx1= σx and τ x1y1= τ xy. Note that point A on the circle corresponds to θ = 0°.
4. Locate point B, representing the stress conditions on the y face of the element by plotting its
coordinates σx1= σy and τ x1y1= −τ xy. Note that point B on the circle corresponds to θ = 90°.
5. Draw a line from point A to point B, a diameter of the circle passing through point c. Points A and B
(representing stresses on planes at 90° to each other) are at opposite ends of the diameter (and
therefore 180° apart on the circle).
6. Using point c as the center, draw Mohr’s circle through points A and B. This circle has radius R.

Stresses on an Inclined Element

1. On Mohr’s circle, measure an angle 2θ counterclockwise from radius cA, because point A
corresponds to θ = 0 and hence is the reference point from which angles are measured.
2. The angle 2θ locates the point D on the circle, which has coordinates σx1 and τ x1y1. Point D
represents the stresses on the x1face of the inclined element.
3. Point E, which is diametrically opposite point D on the circle, is located at an angle 2θ + 180° from
cA (and 180° from cD). Thus point E gives the stress on the y1 face of the inclined element.
4. So, as we rotate the x1y1 axes counterclockwise by an angle θ, the point on Mohr’s circle
corresponding to the x1 face moves counterclockwise through an angle 2θ.
EXAMPLE:

Using the principles of Mohr’s circles for the soil element in the
figure shown, determine the following:
a. Maximum and minimum principal stresses
b. Normal and shear stresses on the plane AB

SHEAR STRENGTHS OF SOIL

One of the most important and the most controversial engineering properties of soil is its shear
strength or ability to resist sliding along internal surfaces within a mass. The stability of a cut, the slope
of an earth dam, the foundations of structures, the natural slopes of hillsides and other structures built
on soil depend upon the shearing resistance offered by the soil along the probable surfaces of slippage.
There is hardly a problem in the field of engineering which does not involve the shear properties of the
soil in some manner or the other.

In Coulomb's equation c and ф are empirical parameters, the values of which for any soil depend upon
several factors; the most important of these are:
1. The past history of the soil.
2. The initial state of the soil, i.e., whether it is saturated or unsaturated.
3. The permeability characteristics of the soil.
4. The conditions of drainage allowed taking place during the test.

Shear strength of soil is its ability to resist shear stresses. It is a great importance in foundation design,
such as determining the soil bearing capacity, slope stability analysis, lateral earth pressure
computations in retaining walls and piling designs.

Coulomb Equation:

τ = C + σ tan ϕ

where : τ - shear strength of soil, C – cohesion of soil, σ - effective inter granular normal pressure or
normal stress on the failure plane, ϕ - angle of internal friction, tanϕ - coefficient of friction

METHODS OF DETERMINING SHEAR STRENGTH PARAMETERS

Methods
The shear strength parameters c and 0 of soils either in the undisturbed or remolded states may be
determined by any of the following methods:
1. Laboratory methods
(a) Direct or box shear test
(b) Tri-axial compression test

2. Field method: Vane shear test or by any other indirect methods

Advantages and Disadvantages of Direct and Tri-axial Shear Tests

Direct shear tests are generally suitable for cohesionless soils except fine sand and silt whereas the tri-
axial test is suitable for all types of soils and tests. Undrained and consolidated undrained tests on clay
samples can be made with the box-shear apparatus. The advantages of the tri-axial over the direct
shear test are:

1. The stress distribution across the soil sample is more uniform in a tri-axial test as compared to a
direct shear test.
2. The measurement of volume changes is more accurate in the tri-axial test.
3. The complete state of stress is known at all stages during the tri-axial test, whereas only the
stresses at failure are known in the direct shear test.
4. In the case of tri-axial shear, the sample fails along a plane on which the combination of normal
stress and the shear stress gives the maximum angle of obliquity of the resultant with the normal,
whereas in the case of direct shear, the sample is sheared only on one plane which is the horizontal
plane which need not be the plane of actual failure.
5. Pore water pressures can be measured in the case of tri-axial shear tests whereas it is not possible
in direct shear tests.
6. The tri-axial machine is more adaptable.

Advantages of Direct Shear Tests

1. The direct shear machine is simple and fast to operate.
2. A thinner soil sample is used in the direct shear test thus facilitating drainage of the pore water
quickly from a saturated specimen.
3. Direct shear requirement is much less expensive as compared to tri-axial equipment.

DIRECT SHEAR TEST

The soil specimen is placed in a metal shear box as shown in the figure. The soil specimens maybe
square or circular in cross sections with sizes usually 50 mm x 50 mm or 100 mm x 100 mm and 25
mm high. The metal shear box is split into halves. The normal stress is applied from the top of the
shear box, then a shear force is applied by moving one half of the box relative to the other to cause
failure in the soil specimen.

RELATION OF NORMAL STRESS AND SHEAR STRESS

A. For normally consolidated clay, C = 0

τ = σ tan ϕ
where: τ - shearing stress, σ - normal stress, ϕ –angle of internal friction

B. For overconsolidated clay

τ = C + σ tan ϕ
where; τ - shearing stress, C – cohesion of clay, σ - normal stress

 In loose sand, the resisting shear stress increases with shear displacement until a failure shear
stress is reached. After that, the shear resistance remains approximately constant for any
further increase in shear displacements.
 In dense sand, the resisting shear stress increases with shear displacements until it reaches a
failure stress. This stress is called peak shear strength. After failure stress is attained, the
resisting shear stress gradually decreases as shear displacement increases until it finally reaches
a constant value called ultimate shear strength.

EXAMPLE:

1. The size of sand specimen in a direct shear test was 50 mm x 50 mm x 30 mm (height). It is

known that for sand, tan ϕ = (0.65 / e), where e = void ratio and the specific gravity of solids
is 2.65. During the test, a normal stress of 138 kPa was applied. Failure occurred at a shear
stress of 104 KPa. Find the void ratio, dry unit weight of sand, and the weight of the sand
specimen.
2. The following are the results of direct shear test performed on two identical samples of the soil.
In test one, the sample shears at a stress of 71 KPa when the compression normal stress is 95
KPa. In test two, the sample shears at a stress of 104 KPa when the normal stress is 150 KPa.
Determine the value of the apparent cohesion, the angle of internal friction for the damp sand,
and the shear stress at a depth of 4 m if the unit weight of soil is 15.6 KN/m 3.
 SEATWORK/ASSIGNMENT: Solve the following problem on your formatted bond paper. Provide
your neat and detailed solution.

1. Following are the results of four drained direct shear tests on an overconsolidated clay:
• Diameter of specimen = 50 mm
• Height of specimen = 25 mm

Determine the relationships for peak shear strength (τf ) and residual shear strength (τr).

Tri-axial Compression Test

In the tri-axial compression test, three or more identical samples of soil are subjected to uniformly
distributed fluid pressure around the cylindrical surface. The sample is sealed in a watertight rubber
membrane. Then axial load is applied to the soil sample until it fails. Although only compressive load is
applied to the soil sample, it fails by shear on internal faces. It is possible to determine the shear
strength of the soil from the applied loads at failure.

TRIAXIAL SHEAR TEST (SINGLE TEST)

FOR NORMALLY CONSOLIDATED CLAY (COHESIONLESS SOIL, c = 0)

 FOR OVERCONSOLIDATED CLAY (COHESIVE SOIL)

Where:

σ3 – chamber confining stress, cell stress, lateral stress, minor principal stress at failure
σ1 – major principal stress at failure
ϕ - angle of internal friction
τ - shear stress
c – cohesion of soil
θ – angle that the failure plane makes with the major principal plane

DRAINED AND UNDRAINED TRIAXIAL TEST

For drained tri-axial test σ’ 1 and σ’3 are taken as the effective principal stresses. For undrained tri-axial
test, σ1 and σ3 are taken as the total principal stresses.

Where: ϕD = drained friction angle, ϕu = undrained friction angle

TRIAXIAL TEST (SERIES)

UNCONFINED COMPRESSION TEST (UNAXIAL)

where qu = unconfined compression strength

EXAMPLE:
1. A consolidated drained tri-axial test was conducted on normally consolidated clay. The
results were as follows: chamber confining pressure = 300 KPa and deviator stress = 400
KPa. Compute: a) angle of internal friction of the clay sample, b) the stress on the failure
plane, c) the effective normal stress on the plane of maximum shear.

2. The results of two drained tri-axial tests on a saturated clay are recorded as follows:
Specimen A: chamber of confining pressure = 104 KPa and deviator stress at failure = 210
KPa; Specimen B: chamber of confining pressure = 170 KPa and deviator stress at failure =
324 KPa. Compute: a) angle of internal friction, b) cohesion of soil, and c) if the clay
specimen above is tested in a tri-axial apparatus with a chamber confining pressure of 248
KPa, compute the major principal stress at failure.

3. A consolidated – undrained test on a normally consolidated clay yielded the following

results: chamber of confining pressure = 140 KPa, deviator stress = 125 KPa, and pore
pressure = 75 KPa. Compute the consolidated undrained friction angle and the consolidated
drained friction angle.
4. A clay soil is subjected to a tri – axial test under unconsolidated – undrained conditions. At
failure, the major and minor principal stresses are 140 KPa and 50 KPa respectively. a)
determine the cohesion of the soil, b) if this soil was subjected to an unconfined
compression test, what axial stress would result at failure?, c) what is the magnitude of the
shearing stress at a depth of 3 m below the ground surface. Unit weight of soil is 15KN/m 3.