Shear Strength of Soil

LECTURE NOTES
ENGR. NIÑO MAR H. CLARITO

The shear strength of a soil mass is
the internal resistance per unit area that
the soil mass can offer to resist failure
and sliding along any plane inside it.
Engineers must understand the nature of
shearing resistance in order to analyze
soil stability problems such as bearing
capacity, slope stability and lateral
pressure on earth retaining structures.
The shear strength parameters of a
soil are determined in the laboratory
primarily with two types of tests: direct
shear test and tri-axial test.
This is the oldest and simplest form of
shear test arrangement. The test equipment
consists of a metal shear box in which the soil
specimen is placed. The soil specimens may be
square or circular. The size of the specimens
generally used is about 20-25 sq.cm. across
and 25 to 30 mm high. The box is split
horizontally into halves. Normal force on the
specimen is applied from the top of the shear
box.
1. Normally Consolidated Clay
C=0
2. Over consolidated Clay
C ǂ0
The tri-axial shear test is one of the
most reliable methods available for
determining the shear strength
parameters. It is widely used for both
research and conventional testing.
 It provides information on the stress-
strain behavior of the soil that the direct
shear test does not.
 It provides more uniform stress
conditions than the direct shear test does
with its stress concentration along the
failure plane.
 It provides more flexibility in terms of
loading path.
In the tri-axial shear test, a soil specimen
about 36 mm in diameter and 76 mm long is
generally used. The specimen is encased by a
thin rubber membrane and placed inside a
plastic cylindrical chamber that is usually filled
with water or glycerine. The specimen is
subjected to a confining pressure by
compression of the fluid in the chamber. (Note
that air is sometimes used as a compression
medium.). To cause shear failure in the
specimen, axial stress is applied though a
vertical loading ram (sometimes called
deviator stress. Stress is added in one of two
ways.
 Stress is added in one of two ways.
1. Application of dead weights or hydraulic pressure in equal

increments until specimen fails. (Axial deformation of the
specimen resulting from the load applied through the ram is
measured by a dial gauge.)
2. Application of axial deformation at a constant rate by a geared

of hydraulic loading press. This is a strain-controlled test. The axial
load applied by the loading ram corresponding to a given axial
deformation is measured by a proving ring or load cell attached to
the ram.
1. Consolidated Drained(CD) Test
2. Consolidated Undrained (CU) Test

σ1= σ3 (tan2 θ) + 2C (tan θ)
θ = 45o + φ/2
3. Unconsolidated Undrained (UU) Test:

qu = Δd = 2R
Cu = R = qu /2
Where:
Cu = undrained shear strength
qu = unconfined compressive strength
The following are the results of a 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 compressive 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 following:
19. Value of the apparent cohesion.

Ans. 14 KPa
20. Angle of internal friction.
Ans. 30.96o
21. Shear stress at a depth of 4m if the unit weight of soil is 15.6
KN/m3
Ans. 51.43 KPa
The following data was recorded during the consolidated- undrained tri-axial test on a clay soil.
CELL PRESSURE 100 250 400

DEVIATOR STRESS @ FAILURE 320 425 530
PORE PRESSURE @ FAILURE -33.5 53 140
Determine the following:
22. Undrained value of angle of shearing resistance.

Ans. 15.03o
23. Undrained value of cohesion.
Ans. 95.9 KPa
24. Drained value of angle of shearing resistance.
Ans. 26.91o
25. Drained value of cohesion.
Ans. 30.46 KPa
An unconsolidated undrained test was conducted on
saturated clay. The cell pressure was 200 KPa and failure occurred
under a deviator stress of 220 KPa. Determine the following:
26. Angle of shearing resistance.

Ans. 0o
27. Maximum principal stress at failure.
Ans. 420 KPa
28. Undrained shear strength.
Ans. 110 KPa
A soil specimen is subjected to a tri axial test. The soil
specimen is cohesionless. If the shear stress that causes failure is
300 KPa and the normal stress at failure is only 500 KPa, determine
the following:
29. Angle of shearing resistance.

Ans. 30.96o
30. Angle that the failure plane measured from the major principal
plane.
Ans. 60.48o
31. Total axial stress at which failure is expected to occur.
Ans. 1,029.81 KPa
Using the principles of Mohr’s circle for the soil element
shown, determine the following:
32. Maximum principal stress.

Ans. 160.36 KPa
33. Minimum principal stress.
Ans. 89.64 KPa
34. Normal Stress on the plane AB.
Ans. 157.05 KPa
35. Shear stress on the plane AB.
Ans. 14.94 KPa

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LECTURE NOTES

ENGR. NIÑO MAR H. CLARITO

1. Application of dead weights or hydraulic pressure in equal

2. Application of axial deformation at a constant rate by a geared

2. Consolidated Undrained (CU) Test

3. Unconsolidated Undrained (UU) Test:

19. Value of the apparent cohesion.

CELL PRESSURE 100 250 400

Determine the following:

22. Undrained value of angle of shearing resistance.

26. Angle of shearing resistance.

29. Angle of shearing resistance.

32. Maximum principal stress.

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