Abstract

From the literature, it appears that very few tests seem to have been performed on granular soils at
low confining stresses of or lesser than 10 kPa. As the angle of shearing resistance of granular soils
depends on confining stress, the shear behaviour of these soils needs to be analyzed with varying
confining stresses to access its suitability and safety in the field. In the present thesis an attempt has
been made to analyze the shear behaviour of granular soil at low confining stress.
A number of tests have been conducted on Robo-sand at relative densities of 30%, 50% and 70% to
analyze its behaviour with varying normal stresses. Usually direct shear test has been used for testing
granular soil at higher normal stresses. However, as this test cannot be used for testing of granular soil
at low normal stresses of less than 10 kPa, a new test method known as G-Shear test has been
employed. By using G-shear test one can analyze the shear behaviour of soil at low normal stress. In
G-shear test, the shearing stress on the failure surface of soil is induced by inclining the soil sample
present in the shear box. Due to this induced shearing stress on inclination, the shear response of soil
is recorded (lateral displacement, transverse displacement of soil) until at certain angle of inclination
the shear failure takes place by sliding down the inclined plane. The angle of shear resistance of the
soil is obtained by using force equilibrium equation.
A number of direct shear and Gravity shear tests have been performed on Robo-sand to analyze its
behaviour under varying stresses. The results obtained from G-shear test are compared with those
from the direct shear tests. The efficacy of the new test set up which helps understand the shear
behaviour of granular soil at low normal stress is validated.
The test results show G-shear tests yield higher angle of shear resistance than those from direct shear
tests. Though there were some short comings (affect of inertia force, induced moment on inclining) in
analyzing and conducting G-shear test, this method can be used in shear testing of granular soil at low
normal stress.

The final para will be re-written after the analysis of the test results.