PART A: SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL BY DIRECT SHEAR TEST

1.1

INTRODUCTION

Shear strength is a term used in soil mechanics to describe the magnitude of

the shear stress that a soil can sustain. The shear resistance of soil is a result
of friction and interlocking of particles, and possibly cementation or bonding
at particle contacts. Due to interlocking, particulate material may expand or
contract in volume as it is subject to shear strains. If soil expands its volume,
the density of particles will decrease and the strength will decrease; in this
case, the peak strength would be followed by a reduction of shear stress. The
stress-strain relationship levels off when the material stops expanding or
contracting, and when inter-particle bonds are broken. The theoretical state
at which the shear stress and density remain constant while the shear strain
increases may be called the critical state, steady state, or residual strength.
In many engineering problems such as design of foundation, retaining walls,
slab bridges, pipes, sheet piling, the value of the angle of internal friction
and cohesion of the soil involved are required for the design. Direct shear
test is used to predict these parameters quickly. The laboratory report cover
the laboratory procedures for determining these values for cohesionless
soils.

1.2

OBJECTIVE

To determine the shear strength of a soil specimen by direct shear test, hence find
the angle of internal friction () and cohesion of the soil (c).

1.3

THEORY

Shear strength of a soil is its maximum resistance to shearing stresses. The shear
strength is expressed as

Where c = effective cohesion,

resistance.

= effective stress,

= effective angle of shearing

The shear tests can be conducted under three different drainage conditions. The
direct shear test is generally conducted on sandy soils as a consolidated drained
test.

1.4 EQUIPMENTS

Shear box, divided into two halves by a horizontal plane, and fitted with
locking and spacing screws
Box container to hold the shear box
Base plate having cross grooves on its top surface
Grid plates, perforated, 2 Nos.
Porous stones, 6mm thick, 2 Nos.
Loading pad
Loading frame
Loading yoke
Proving ring, capacity 2kN.
Dial gauges, accuracy 0.01mm, 2 Nos.
Static or dynamic compaction devices.
Spatula
Vibrator to compact the sand

1.5 PROCEDURES
2. Fix the upper part of the box to the lower part using the locking screws. Attach
the base plate to the lower part.
3. Place the grid plate in the shear box keeping the serrations of the grid at right
angles to the direction of shear. Place the porous stone over the grid plate.
5. Place the soil specimen in the box. Tamp it directly in the shear box at the
required density. When the soil in the top half of the shear box is filled up to 10 to
15mm depth, level the soil surface.
8. Bring the upper half of the box in contact with the proving ring. Check the contact
by giving a slight movement.
10. Mount the loading yoke on the ball placed on the loading pad.
11. Mount the dial gauge on the loading yoke to record the vertical displacement
and another dial gauge on the container to record the horizontal displacement.
12. Place the weights on the loading yoke to apply a normal stress of 50kN/cm 2.
Allow the sample to consolidate under the applied normal stress. Note the reading
of the vertical displacement dial gauge.
13. Remove the locking screws. Using the spacing screws, raise the upper part
slightly above the lower part such that the gap is slightly larger than the maximum
particle size. Remove the spacing screws.
14. Adjust all the dial gauges to read zero. The proving ring should also read zero.
15. Apply the horizontal shear load at a constant rate of strain of 0.2mm/minute.

16. Record the reading of the proving ring, the vertical displacement dial gauge and
the horizontal displacement dial gauge at regular time intervals. Take the first few
readings at closer intervals.
17. Continue the test till the specimen fails
Repeat the test on identical specimens under the normal stresses of 100 and 200
kN/cm2

Fig: Direct Shear Test Apparatus