DISCUSSION

This experiment was conducted to determine the undrained shear strength parameters
of soil using unconfined compression test. The soil sample that we used was prepared 1
days before the experiment was conducted. In the unconfined test, no radial stress is
applied to the sample ( 3 = 0). The plunger load is increased rapidly until the soil sample
fail, that is cannot support any additional load. The loading is applied quickly so that the pore
water cannot drain from the soil. The effect stress path is unknown since pore water
pressure changes are not normally measured. This test is considered as undrained shear
test assuming that there is no moisture loss from the specimen during the test. The
specimen must not certain any fissures, silt seams, varves, or other defects, this mean that
the specimen must be intact, homogenous clay. Rarely are over-consolidated clays intact,
and often even normally consolidated clays have some fissures.
From this experiment , after all the setup completed , the data was recorded in the
laptop that connected to the machine. The data which is the value of its compressive
strength were recorded in table and graph. After the sample achieved its failure , the data
was stopped recorded automatically . The highest value of strain that we obtained is
110.03478 . Then , using the data that we obtained , some calculation was made to measure
the undrained shear strength .
The advantage of doing unconfined compression test is without any calculation the
confining pressure 3 is equal to 0. From the test result we get the maximum unconfined
compression strength (qu) is determined, using qu = 1and 3 is equal to 0 plot in graph
where normal stress versus shear stress to determine the undrained strength C uwhere Cu =
qu/2 of the unconfined compression strength we obtained.
There were some common errors in unconfined compression test such as getting wrong
reading from dial gauge during the test was running, the soil sample prepared is too wet,
insensitivity of measurements at low strains due to high early soil stiffness and the
application of the load to the soil sample was not equally either to fast or too slow. The
precautious that we suggest are when the mixing process , do not use too much water and
the apparatus should be setup properly to get the accurate result.

CONCLUSION
For conclusion, unconfined compression test can be conducted to determine the
undrained shear strength parameter of soil. The unconfined compression test is a type of
unconsolidated undrained test that is commonly used for clay specimens. In this test , the
confining pressure is 0. An axial load is rapidly applied to the specimens to cause failure. At
failure, the total load minor principal stress is 0. Test specimens with soil did not show
significant improvement in unconfined compressive strength after seven curing days in
water. This was largely due to the peats high natural moisture content and highly acidic
nature of organic matter in the soil, making it difficult to be stabilized.

RESULTS

RESULT AND CALCULATION

Calculating length ,L :

L
L0
0.0062=

76 x
76
L=75.53 mm

Calculation of corrected area ,A:

A=

A0
(1 )

1141
(10.0062)

A=1148.12 mm

Calculation of deviator stress , :

P
A

126
1148.12
=0.1097 N/mm

Since the soil was unconfined, the value of is equal to zero.

From the graph, highest deviator stress is 110.0298 kPa.