ECE2311 Soil Mechanics II DeKUT-CIVIL

ECE 2311: SOIL MECHANICS II

COURSE OUTLINE:

1. Shear strength
- Principal planes and stresses
- Morhr’s circle
- Mohr-coulombs failure theory
• Shear strength tests
- Direct shear tests
- Triaxial shear strength tests
2. Stability of slopes
- Stress and stability analysis
3. Soil stabilization
- Mechanical and chemical methods
4. Site investigations
- Reconnaissance
- Sampling
- Field tests

REFERENCES
1. Mohr circles, stress paths and geotecchnics by R.H.G Parry
2. Basic and applied soil mechanics by G. Ranjan & A.S.R Rao
3. Elements of soil mechanics by G.N Smith
4. Solving problems in soil mechanics by H.C Sultaon
5. Soil Mechanics by F.F Craig
6. Hand book of soil mechanics: Soil testing by Arpad Kezdi

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CHAPTER I
SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOILS

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.
- Soil shear strength is a term used to describe the maximum strength of soil at which point
significant plastic deformation or yielding occurs.
- It is the property that enables a material to remain in equilibrium when its surface is not level
- Soils in liquid form have virtually no shear strength and even when solid have shear strengths of
relatively small magnitudes compared to those exhibited by steel or concrete.
- The ability of a soil mass to support an imposed loading or for a soil mass to support itself is
governed by the shear strength of the soil. As a result, the shearing strength of the soil becomes
of primary importance in foundation design, highway and lateral earth pressure problems that
deals with forces exerted on underground walls, retaining walls, bulkheads and excavations
bracing.
- In the study of soil shear strength, two major categories of soil types are considered. The soil
types are cohesionless and cohesive soils
- Overall, the factors that affect the shearing strength of both soil types are the same. However
practically, the factors that have the most influence on the shearing strength that is or will be
developed by each soil type are different.

FACTORS WHICH CONTROL SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOILS

The stress-strain relationship of soils, and therefore the shearing strength, is affected (Poulos 1989) by:

1. Soil composition (basic soil material): mineralogy, grain size and grain size distribution,
shape of particles, pore fluid type and content, ions on grain and in pore fluid.
2. State (initial): Defined by the initial void ratio, effective normal stress and shear stress (stress
history). State can be described by terms such as: loose, dense, overconsolidated, normally
consolidated, stiff, soft, contractive, dilative, etc.

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3. Structure: Refers to the arrangement of particles within the soil mass; the manner the particles
are packed or distributed. Features such as layers, joints, fissures, slickensides, voids, pockets,
cementation, etc., are part of the structure. Structure of soils is described by terms such as:
undisturbed, disturbed, remolded, compacted, cemented; flocculent, honey-combed, single-
grained; flocculated, deflocculated; stratified, layered, laminated; isotropic and anisotropic.
4. Loading conditions: Effective stress path, i.e., drained, and undrained; and type of loading,
i.e., magnitude, rate (static, dynamic), and time history (monotonic, cyclic).

To appreciate this section some knowledge of the relevant strength of materials is useful. A brief
summary of this subject is set out below.

Friction
Consider a block of weight W resting on a horizontal plane (Fig. 1). The vertical reaction (R) equals
W, and there is consequently no tendency for the block to move.
If a small horizontal force (H) is now applied to the block and the magnitude of H is such that the
block still does not move, then the reaction R will no longer act vertically but becomes inclined at
some angle ( α ) to the vertical.
By considering the equilibrium of forces, first in the horizontal direction and then in the vertical
direction, it is seen that:
Horizontal component of R = H = R sin α
Vertical component of R = H = R cos α

W W
R
N(=W)

H(= τ )
R
R α (= φatsliding )

(a) No horizontal force applied (b) Horizontal force applied

Fig. 1 Friction

The angle α is called the angle of obliquity and is the angle that the reaction on the plane of sliding
makes with the normal to that plane. If H is slowly increased in magnitude a stage will be reached at
which sliding is imminent; as H is increased the value of α will also increase until, when sliding is

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imminent, α has reached a limiting value φ . If H is now increased still further the angle of obliquity
φ will not become greater and the block, having achieved its maximum resistance to horizontal
movement, will move ( φ is known as the angle of friction). The frictional resistance to sliding is the
horizontal component of R and, as can be seen from the triangle of forces in Fig 1b, equals N tan φ
Where N equals the normal force on the surface of sliding (in this case N=W).
As α only achieves the value φ when sliding occurs, it is seen that the frictional resistance is not
constant and varies with he applied load until movement occurs. The term tan φ is known as the
coefficient of friction.

NB
Complex stress
When a body is acted upon by external forces then any plane within the body will be subjected to a
stress that is generally inclined to the normal to the plane. Such a stress has both a normal and
tangential component and is known as a compound, or complex, stress (Fig 2)

= +
σ σn τ
Fig. Complex stress

Principal plane
A plane that is acted upon by a normal stress only is known as a principal plane, there is no tangential,
or shear, s tress present. As is seen in the next section dealing with principal s tress, only three
principal planes can exist in a stressed mass.

PRINCIPAL STRESS
The normal stress acting on a principal plane is referred to as principal stress. At every point in a soil
mass, the applied stress system that exists can be resolved into three principal stresses that are
mutually orthogonal. The principal planes corresponding to these principal stresses are called the
major, intermediate and minor principal planes and are so named from a consideration of the
principal stresses that act upon them.

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The largest principal stress, σ 1 , is known as the major principal stress and acts on the major principal
plane.
Similarly the intermediate principals stress, σ 2 , acts on the intermediate principal plane whilst the
smallest principal stress, σ 3 , called the minor principal stress, acts on the minor principal plane.
Critical stress values and obliquities generally occur on the two planes normal to the intermediate
plane so that the effects of σ 2 can be ignored and a two-dimensional solution is possible.

THE MOHR CIRCLE DIAGRAM σ1

σ1 τ
θ

Major Principal Plane σ3

θ
σn
σ3
Minor Principal Plane

Fig 3B

Fig 3A
Fig. 3A shows a major principal plane, acted upon by a major principal stress, σ 1 , and a minor
principal plane, acted upon by a minor principal stress, σ3.

Fig 4

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By considering the equilibrium of an element within the stressed mass (Fig 3B) it can be shown that on
any plane, inclined at angle θ to the direction of the major principal plane, there is a shear stress, τ n ,

and normal stress, σ n . The magnitudes of these stresses are:

σ1 −σ 3
τ= sin 2θ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
2

σ n = σ 3 + (σ 1 − σ 3 ) cos 2 θ -------------------------------------------------------------------------2

These formulae led themselves to graphical representation, and it can be shown that the locus of stress
conditions for all planes through a point is a circle (Generally called a Mohr circle). In order to draw a
Mohr circle diagram a specific convention must be followed, all normal stresses (including principal
stresses) being plotted along the axis OX while shear stresses are plotted along the axis OY; for most
cases the axis OX is horizontal and OY is vertical. The convention also assumes that the direction of
the major principal stress is parallel to axis OY, i.e the direction of the major principal stress is parallel
to axis OY and the direction of major principal plane is parallel to axis OX.

D
τ

α
O
θ 2θ
α E X
A F B σ

σ3
σ1
φ
θ = + 45 o
2 Fig 5 Mohr Circle

To draw the diagram, first lay down the axes OX and OY, then set off OA and OB along the OX axis
to represent the magnitudes of the minor and major principal stresses respectively, and finally
construct the circle with diameter AB. This circle is the locus of stress conditions for all planes
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passing through the point A, i.e. a plane passing through A and inclined to the major principal plane at
angle θ cuts the circle at D. The co-ordinates of the point D are the normal and shear stresses on the
plane (Fig 5)

In Fig. 5, OE and DE represent the normal and shear stress components of the complex stress acting
on plane AD. From the triangle of forces ODE it can be seen that this complex stress is represented in
the diagram by the line OD, whilst the angle DOB represents the angle of obliquity ( α ) of the
resultant stress on plane AD.

Limit conditions
It has been stated that the maximum shearing resistance is developed when the angles of obliquity
equals its limiting value, φ . For this condition the line OD becomes a tangent to the stress circle,
inclined at angle θ to axis OX (Fig 6)
An interesting point that arises from Fig 6 is that the failure plane is not the plane subjected to the
maximum value of shear stress. The criterion of failure is maximum obliquity, not maximum shear
stress. Hence, although the plane AF in Fig.6 is subjected to a greater shear stress than the plane AD, it
is also subjected to a larger normal stress and therefore the angle of obliquity is less than on AD which
is the plane of failure.

F
D
τ

φ
θ 2θ
O E X
φ A F σ
B

σ3
σ1

Fig 6 Mohr Circle

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Strength envelopes
If φ is assumed constant for a certain material, then the shear strength of the material can be
represented by a pair of lines passing through the origin (O) at angles + φ and - φ to the axis OX (fig
7). These lines comprise the Mohr strength envelope for the material.

Y
C
B
A
φ
φ X

Fig 7: Mohr circle envelope

In Fig.7 a state of stress represented by circle A is quite stable as the circle lies completely within the
strength envelop. Circle B is tangential to the strength envelope and represents the condition of
incipient failure, since a slight increase in stress values will push the circle over the strength envelope
and failure will occur. Circle C cannot exist as it is beyond the strength envelop.
Relationship between φ and θ

φ θ 2θ
O A C B

σn
Fig 8: Relationship between φ and θ

In figure 8 above, angle DCO=1800-2 θ

In triangle ODC, angle DOC= φ , angle ODC=90o, angle OCD=1800-2 θ
These angles summate to 1800
i.e φ +90o+1800-2 θ =1800
φ
Hence θ = + 45 o
2

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EXAMPLE 1

1. On a failure plane in a purely frictional mass of dry sand, the total stresses at failure were:

Shear stress 3500N/m2 and normal stress is 10000N/m2.

Determine (A) by calculation and (B) graphically

i) The resultant complex stress on the plane of failure.

ii) The angle of shearing resistance of the soil.

iii) The major and minor principal stresses, σ 1 and σ 3

iv) The angle of inclination of the failure plane to the major principal
plane

Solution
(A) by calculation

The soil is frictional; therefore the strength envelope must go through the origin. The failure point is
represented by point D in figure below with ordinates (10, 3.5).

i. The resultant complex stress on the plane of failure.

Resultant stress = OD = 3.5 2 + 10 2 = 10.6kN / m 2

ii. The angle of shearing resistance of the soil, φ and angle of inclination of the failure plane to
the major principal plane θ
D
3 .5
Tanφ = = 0.35
10 3.5

O
o '
φ = 19 17
10
Fig 9A

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φ
θ = + 45 o = 54 o 38 '
2

iii. The major and minor principal stresses, σ 1 and σ 3

σ1 −σ 3 σ1 −σ 3
τ= sin 2θ = 3.5 = sin 2 x54 o 38' ------------------------------------------------1
2 2

σ n = σ 3 + (σ 1 − σ 3 ) cos 2 θ = 10.0 = σ 3 + (σ 1 − σ 3 ) cos 2 54 0 38' ------------------------------2

Solve the two equations simultaneously to get

σ 1 =15kN/m2

σ 3 =7.6kN/m2

φ θ 2θ
O A C B

σn
Fig 9B: Example 1

(A) Graphically
The procedure is first to draw the axes OX and OY and then, to a suitable scale, set off point D with
co-ordinates (10, 3.5); join OD (this is the strength envelop). The stress circle is tangential to OD at
the point D; draw line DC perpendicular to OD to cut OX in C, C being the centre of the circle. With
centre C and radius CD draw the circle establishing the points A and B on the X-axis. By scaling, OD
= resultant stress = 10.6 kN/m2. With protractor, φ = 190; θ =550.

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ASST ONE:
1. A purely frictional mass of dry sand was analysed for principal stresses and recorded as
shown:

Minor principal stress 6.5KN/m2 and major principal stress is 20KN/m2.

Determine graphically
i) The resultant complex stress on the plane of failure.

ii) The angle of shearing resistance of the soil.

iii) The Shear stress and normal stress

iv) The angle of inclination of the failure plane to the major principal
plane

2. On a failure plane in a purely frictional mass of dry sand, the total stresses at failure were:

Shear stress 4.5KN/m2 and normal stress is 8KN/m2.

Determine (A) by calculation and (B) graphically

i) The resultant complex stress on the plane of failure.

ii) The angle of shearing resistance of the soil.

iii) The major and minor principal stresses

iv) The angle of inclination of the failure plane to the major principal
plane

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