Shear Strength of Soils

2150609–Soil Mechanics
Dr. Siddharth G. Shah
Head & Associate Professor
Faculty of PG studies & Research
MEFGI-Rajkot
Direct Shear Test (DST) Triaxial test(TST) Unconfined
compression test(UCS)
vc vc + D vc + D


hc hc 0=hc


vc vc + D vc + D

Three pair of ‘’ & ‘’ Three pair of ‘1’ & Only one value of ‘1’
‘3’ & ‘3’ =0
 f = c' ' tan  '
 '   ' 
 1' =  3' Tan2  45    2c' Tan 45  
 2  2

 f = c'
, f

CD=slow test= CU=med test= total UU=quick test= total

A clay specimen has unconfined
strength of 100 kPa & is subjected
to UU Triaxial test under a cell
pressure of 100 kPa. Find its axial
stress at failure. (GTU Dec 2010 )
As UCS is performed on clayey sample
only for this sample Ф=0

And cohesion is half of the uncondfined

compressive strength therefore,

C = qu / 2 = 100 / 2 = 50 kN/ m2

In triaxial test
In this case
( GTU June 2011) From the Undrained
Triaxial test results given below,
determine the total shear strength
parameters c & φ by plotting
conventional failure envelope or
modified failure envelope. Also state
that at normal stress of 500 kPa,
what would be the shear strength?

Sr. No. Cell Pressure(kPa) Deviator Stress(kPa)

1 100 180
2 200 320
3 300 500.
Sr. Cell Deviator 1 =
No Pressure(kPa) Stress(kPa) d 3 +d (kPa)
3
1 100 180 280
2 200 320 520
3 300 500 800
The shear parameters are
C =12.9 kN/m2 and  =24.3
1 = 3 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2)

For the first specimen: Cell pressure 3 = 100 kN/m2

Deviator Stress d = 1 – 3 = 180 kN/m2 1 = 3 + 180 = 280 kN/m2
 280 = 100 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2) ………..(1)

For the second specimen : Cell pressure 3 = 200 kN/m2

Deviator Stress = 1 – 3 = 320 kN/m2  1 = 3 + 320 = 520 kN/m2
 520 = 200 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2) ………..(2)

Subtracting Equation (1) from Equation (2), we get;

240 = 100 tan2(45 + /2)   = 24.31
Substituting this value in equation (1) we get;
280 = 100 tan2(57.17) + 2C tan(57.17) ………..(1)
280 = 240 + 2C (1.549) at normal stress of 500 kPa, what would
 C = 12.91 kN/m2. be the shear strength = c +  tan
= 12.91 + 500 tan 24.31
= 238.82 kN/m2
In a direct shear test on a specimen of clean, dry sand, a
normal stress of 200 kPa was applied and failure occurred
at a stress of 140 kPa. Find its angle of shearing
resistance (GTU Dec 2010 )
Given data :
Normal stress =  = 200 kN/m2
failure stress = f = 140 kN/m2
f= C +  tan Ø (for dry sand, C = 0)
140 = 0 + 200 tan Ø
tan Ø =0.7
Angle of shearing resistance Ø is = 35˚.
Two identical specimen of a soil were tested in triaxial apparatus.
First specimen failed at a deviator stress of 770kN/m2 when the cell
pressure was 200kN/m2, while the second specimen failed at a
deviator stress of 1400 kN/m2 under a cell pressure of 400kN/m2.
Determine the shear parameters of the soil. Verify your results
graphically. (GTU Dec.2011)

For the first specimen

Cell pressure 3 = 200 kN/m2
Deviator Stress = 1 – 3 = 770 kN/m2
 1 = 3 + 770 = 970 kN/m2
1 = 3 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2)
 970 = 200 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2) ………..(1)
For the second specimen
Cell pressure 3 = 400 kN/m2
Deviator Stress = 1 – 3 = 1400 kN/m2
 1 = 3 + d =400+1400 = 1800 kN/m2
1 = 3 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2)
 1800 = 400 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2) ………..(2)

Subtracting Equation (1) from Equation (2), we get;

830 = 200 tan2(45 + /2)
  = 37.71
Substituting this value in equation (1) we get;
 C = 34.41 kN/m2.
Shear strength parameters
Cohesion ‘c’ is 34.41 kN/m2. &
angle of internal friction  = 37.71
Determine the shearing strength parameters from the Direct Shear
Test results given below. The proving ring constant is 0.5 kg/Div.
Sr. No. Normal Stress (kg/cm2 ) Shear Force (kg)
1. 1.0 100
2. 2.0 150
3. 3.0 220
What would be shearing strength at the normal stress of 15 kg/cm2 ? .
( GTU June 2011)
Solution:
The use of proving ring constant is to obtained the force from the
reading of the force dial gauge In this problem the direct shear box test
reading are given for shear force in (kg), Hence shear stress is obtained
by dividing the area sheared in the soil sample. The size of the shear box
is 6cm x 6 cm . hence area sheared is 36 sq cm. hence in column no 4
shear stress is obtained by dividing the shear force by this area.
The plot between the shear stress and normal stress gives the failure-
envelope
Sr. Normal Shear Proving ring Shear Force Shear
No Stress Force constant (kg.) stress
(kg/cm2 ) (kg.) (kg /cm2)
1. 1.0 100 (0.5 kg /div) 50 1.39
2. 2.0 150 75 2.08
3. 3.0 220 110 3.06

f = C+  tan Ø Hence Cohesion

C = 0.509 kg /cm2
and
Angle of
Internal friction
ф = tan-1 (0.833)
= 39.810
Three specimens of clay having a small air void content were tested in
the shear box. Shear loading was started immediately after the
application of normal load and was completed in 10 minutes. The
results obtained were as follows:
Normal stress (kPa) 145 241 337
Shear stress at failure (kPa) 103 117 132
Find the apparent cohesion and angle of shearing resistance of the
clay. (GTU Dec 2010 )
f =C+  tan Ø
103=c+145 tan Ø ….(1)
Cu =80.93 kPa and 117=c+241 tan Ø ….(2)
u = tan-1 (0.151) = 132=c+337 tan Ø ….(3)
8.58
Capparent=120 kPa
u = 0

apparent cohesion The cohesion of grains

caused by surface tension in the surrounding
pore water.
Following are the results of a box shear test on a soil:
Normal Stress, kN/m2 Shear stress at failure, kN/m2
25 60
75 80
150 105
250 145
Determine the values of c and . If a specimen of the same
soil is tested in a triaxial apparatus, estimate the deviator
stress at which the sample will fail when the cell pressure is
100kN/m2. (GTU Dec.2011)
 The normal and shear stresses are plotted as shown in Figure
below. From the figure of the failure envelope C =50.76 kN/m2 and
 = tan-1 (0.373) = 20.45
 In triaxial test the relationship of the stresses is as
following
1 = 3 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2) ………..(1)

For this specimen

Cell pressure 3 = 100 kN/m2
Deviator Stress = 1 – 3 = ? kN/m2
C =50.76 kN/m2
 = 20.45
Substituting these values in above equation yields

 1 = 100 tan2(45 + 20.45/2) + 2 (50.76) tan(45 + 20.45/2)

1 = 353.6kN/m2 ………..(2)
Deviator Stress = 1 – 3
= 353.6 -100
Deviator Stress = 253.6 kN/m2
The following results were obtained from undrained shear box test on
soil.
Normal load (N) 250 500 750
Failure load (N) 320 400 610
Determine strength parameter in terms of total stress. The cross-
sectional area of shear box was 36 cm2. ( GTU June 2012)

 = Normal Stress = (Normal Force / Cross-sectional Area of the Specimen)

Normal stress 1 = 0.25 / 0.0036 = 69.40 kN/m2
Normal stress 2 = 0.50/0.0036 =138.88 kN/m2
Normal stress 3 = 0.75/0.0036 =208.33 kN/m2
 = Shear Stress = (Resisting Shear Force / Cross-sectional Area of the Specimen)
Shear Stress 1 = 0.32 /0.0036= 88.88 kN/m2
Shear Stress 2 = 0.40/0.0036 =111.11 kN/m2
Shear Stress 3 = 0.61/0.0036 =169.44 kN/m2

Draw the graph for Normal stress v/s shear stress and find the value of
slope and (Y) intercept using following equation:
 180
160 y = 0.58x + 42.593
Shear Stress (kN/m2)

140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
0 50 100 150 200 250
Normal Stress (kN/m2)
Answer: From the graph:
C = 42.59 kN/m2 and  = tan-1 (0.58) = 30.11
Shear strength parameter
Cohesion ‘c’ is 42.59 kN/m2. And angle of internal friction  = 30.11
GTU- January-2013

Two identical specimen of a soil were tested in a

triaxial apparatus. First specimen failed at a total
stress of 470 kN/m² when the cell pressure was 100
kN/m² while the second specimen failed at a total
stress of 770 kN/m² under a cell pressure of 200
kN/m². Determine the value of c & Ф for the soil. If
the same soil is tested in a direct shear apparatus,
estimate the shear stress at which the sample will
fail under a normal stress of 200 kN/m².
For the first specimen
Cell pressure 3 = 100 kN/m2
Total Stress = 1 = 470 kN/m2
1 = 3 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2)
 770 = 100 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2) ………..(1)
For the second specimen
Cell pressure 3 = 200 kN/m2
Total Stress = 1 = 770 kN/m2
1 = 3 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2)
 770 = 200 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2) ………..(2)
Subtracting Equation (1) from Equation (2), we get;
300 = 100 tan2(45 + /2)
  = 30
Substituting this value in equation (1) we get;
 C = 49 kN/m2.
Shear stress at failure for normal stress 200 kN/m2
=C +  tan()
= 49+ 200 x tan (30)
= 164.47 kN/m2.
For the first specimen
Cell pressure 3 = 100 kN/m2
Deviator Stress ? = 1 – 3 = 470 kN/m2
 1 = 3 + 470 = 570 kN/m2
1 = 3 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2)
 570 = 100 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2) ………..(1)
For the second specimen
Cell pressure 3 = 200 kN/m2
Deviator Stress ?= 1 – 3 = 770 kN/m2
 1 = 3 + 770 = 970 kN/m2
1 = 3 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2)
 970 = 200 tan2(45 + /2) + 2C tan(45 + /2) ………..(2)
Subtracting Equation (1) from Equation (2), we get;
400 = 100 tan2(45 + /2)
  = 36 52’
Substituting this value in equation (1) we get;
 C = 42.5 kN/m2.
Shear stress at failure for normal stress 200 kN/m2
•= C +  tan()
= 42.5+ 200 x tan (36.86)
= 192.48 kN/m2.