5.

1 SHEAR STRENGTH

CLO 1 :Discover the physical & mechanical
properties of soils basically for engineering practice
LEARNING LESSON OUTCOME:
1. Understand shear strength of soil.
2. Understand Mohr-Coulumb criteria for failure
of soil.
3. Understand the parameter of shear strength.
4. Know the tri-axial methods
At the end of this chapter, students will be able
to:
DEFINITION:
Shear strength of soil is the maximum value of shear stress
that may be induced within its mass before the soil yields.

WHAT WE ARE GOING TO FIND IN THIS CHAPTER?
The value of:



= angle of friction (geseran)
C

= cohesion (kejelekitan)

TYPES OF SHEAR TEST
i)Shear box test
ii)Triaxial compression test

Types of graph The condition of soil
-For the non-cohesion soil, soil friction or
dry soil, or saturated soil.

-c= 0 but have a value of

-For the cohesion soil or saturated clay soil.

- = 0 but have a value of c
-For the sandy clay silty clay

- Have a value of = 0 and c








c
c
Example 1:

A drained shear box test was carried out on a sandy clay and
yielded. The result as below:
Vertical load (kg) Dial gauge reading at proving
ring (1 part = 1m)
36.8 17
73.5 26
110.2 35
146.9 44
The size of shear box is 60mm x 60mm and coefficients is 20N/
1m.

Determine the shear strength parameters for this soil.
Solution:
Vertical load
(M)
= N/A
(kN/m
2
)

Dial gauge
reading (S)
= F/A
(kN/m
2
)
36.8 17
73.5 26
110.2 35
146.0 44
= F/A = [20 (S) / A]
Vertical load (kN) Shear load at failure (kN)
0.36 0.32
0.72 0.52
1.08 0.70
1.44 0.88
Example 2:
The result below was collected from shear box test on the
sample with a dimension 60mm x 60mm. Determine the value of
shear strength parameters.
Solution:
Vertical load
(kN)
Shear load at
failure (kN)
= N/A
(kN/m
2
)


= F/A
(kN/m
2
)
0.36 0.32 100 88.9
0.72 0.52 200 144.4
1.08 0.70 300 194.4
1.44 0.88 400 244.4
Example 3:

A drained triaxial compression test carried out on three
specimens of the same soil yielded the following results:
Test No. 1 2 3
Cell pressure (kN/m
2
) 100 200 300
Deviator stress at failure (kN/m
2
) 210 438 644
Find value of shear strength parameters.
Solution:


The principal stresses:-

Minor principal stress,
3
=
r
= cell pressure
Major principal stress,
1
=
a
= cell pressure + deviator stress

since u
f
= 0, Then ,
1
=
1
and
3
=
3

Test No. 1 2 3
'
3
(kN/m
2
) 100 200 300

1
(kN/m
2
) 310 638 944
Example 4:

The result below was collected from triaxial test. Determine
the parameter value.
CELL PRESSURE
(kN/m
2
)
DEVIATOR STRESS
(kN/m
2
)
PORE WATER
PRESSURE (kN/m
2
)
150 192 80
300 341 154
450 504 222
Solution:

Minor principal stress,
3
=
3
= cell pressure
Major principal stress,
1
=
1
= cell pressure + deviator stress

Do you still remember this , = - u

3

1

70 262
154 487
228 732