DIRECT SHEAR TEST OF SOILS

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effective shear strength parameters of the soil, the cohesion and the angle of friction
of soil

MAIN PRINCIPLES

In the direct shear test a square prism of soil is laterally restrained and sheared along a mechanically
induced horizontal plane while subjected to a pressure applied normal to that plane. The shearing
resistance offered by the soil as one portion is made to slide on the other is measured at regular
intervals of displacement. Failure occurs when the shearing resistance reaches the maximum value of
the soil can sustain.

By carrying out tests on a set of (usually three) similar specimens of the same soil under different normal
pressures, the relationship between measured shear stress a failure and normal applied stress is
obtained.
The shear-box apparatus can be used only for carrying out drained tests for the determination of
effective shear strength parameters. There is no control of drainage, and the procedure cannot be used
for untrained tests.

The test specimen is consolidated under a vertical normal load unit the primary consolidation is
completed. It is the sheared at a rate of displacement that is slow to prevent development of excess
pore pressures. Test data enable the effective shear strength parameters (cohesion and angle of friction)
to be derived.

REFERENCE

ASTM D3080

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND MATERIAL

- Soil
- Shear box
- Funnel
- Direct shear machine

TEST PROCEDURE

1. Assemble the shear box and fill it with soil provided by your laboratory technician. Place the
soil in the shear box by dropping in through the funnel from a height of approximately 1.0
in. Using a consistent specimen preparation method assures uniformity between specimens
to obtain a linear Mohr-Coulomb failure envelope.
2. Measure the diameter of the soil specimen and calculate the area A.
3. Place advance the screw manually so that all moving parts (screw, shear box, and load
cell/proving ring) are sealed snugly against one another.
4. Place the normal load, N, onto the specimen to achieve the desired level for σ. Use normal
stress equation to calculate the amount of loads needed. If your machine by the mechanical
advantage to calculate the true normal force applied to the specimen. If your machine is
configured with a hydraulic or pneumatic system instead of a dead weight system. Ask the
technician for guidance.
5. Position and zero the deformation indicators and load cell. If your machine is configured
with analog dial gauge for measuring deformation, record the displacement conversion
factors for the horizontal and vertical dial gauges, KH and KV. If your machine is configured
with a proving ring instead of a load cell record the proving ring constant, KF.
6. REMOVE THE LOCKING PINS FROM THE SHEAR BOX and turn the separating screws one-
quarter of a turn to separate the top and bottom halves of the shear box.
7. Begin shearing the specimen at a deformation are ∆H/∆t of approximately 0.02 in/min.
record your data on the attached Direct Shear Test Data Sheet, and use additional sheets as
needed.
a. If your deformation indicators are digital dial gauges, LVDTs, or proximities, your
horizontal and vertical measurements will be ∆H and ∆V, and will be in units of
length. If your machine is configured with analog dial gauges. Your horizontal and
vertical measurements will be GH and GV, and will be in units of divisions.
b. If your force indicator is a load cell, your measurement will be F, and will be in units
of force, If your force indicator is a proving ring, your measurement will be GF, and
will be in units of divisions.
c. Record measurements frequently enough so that the peak value for F is recorded (a
recording intervals of ∆H = 0.01 in should be adequate), Shear the specimen until ∆H
reaches 0.3 in.
d. Vertical displacement readings will be either positive or negative, depending on
whether your specimen dilates or contacts. Make sure you know he sign convention
for the vertical deformation indicator so that you can accurately determine whether
the specimen dilated or contracted
8. If your deformation indicators are analog dial gauges, convert the horizontal and vertical dial
gauges reading GH and GV to horizontal and vertical displacement, ∆H and ∆V using following
relationship:
∆H = GHKH
And
∆V = GVKV
If your machine is configured with a proving ring, convert the proving ring reading GF to
shear force F using the following relationship:
F = GFKF
9. Calculate τ for each measurement using shearing stress equation and plot τ versus ∆H to
identify τf. For dense soils, τf will correspond to the peak value of τ at large strains, where τ
has reached a constant value.
10. Repeat Steps 1 – 9 using different value for σ to derive 4 or more points for plotting of the
Mohr-Coulumb failure envelope. Plot τf versus σ using these points to identify c’(cohesion)
and ɸ’ (angle of firction).

CALCULATION

Normal Stress, σ

𝑁
𝜎=
𝐴

Shear stress, τf

𝐹𝑓
𝜏𝑓 =
𝐴

𝜏𝑓 = 𝑐 ′ + 𝜎 ′ 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜑′

Where

N = normal force

Ff = shear force

A = area of the block

C’ = cohesion (intercept of the Moht-Coulumb failure envelope)

ɸ’ = angle of friction