Direct Shear Test

CEP 701 PG Lab

Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion (in terms of total stresses)

f = c + tan
failu re e elop env

Friction angle

Cohesio n

is the maximum shear stress the soil can take without failure, under normal stress of .

Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion (in terms of effective stresses)

f = c'+ ' tan '

Effectiv e cohesio n
re ailu f e elop env

' = u
u = pore water pressure

Effective friction angle

f is the maximum shear stress the soil can take without failure, under normal effective stress of .

Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion

Shear strength consists of two components: cohesive and frictional.

f = c'+ ' f tan '

f tan c f
e esiv ent coh pon com
frictional compone nt

'

Normal stresses and shear stresses on any plane can be obtained with the following equations

Principal stresses

or

Mohr Circle of stress

1

Soil element

1' 3' = Sin2 2 1' + 3' 1' 3' ' = + Cos2 2 2

Resolving forces in and directions,

' + + 2
2 ' 1

' 2 3

= 2
' 1

' 2 3

Mohr Circle of stress

1

3
Soil element

' + + 2
2 ' 1

' 2 3

= 2
' 1

' 2 3

' 1' 3 2

' 3

' 1' + 3 2

1'

Mohr Circle of stress

1

3
Soil element

' + + 2
2 ' 1

' 2 3

= 2
' 1

' 2 3

' 3

' 1' 3 2

( , )

' 1' + 3 2

1'

PD = Pole w.r.t. plane

Mohr Circles & Failure Envelope

Failure surface

f = c'+ ' tan '

Y

Soil elements at different locations

Y ~ stable X ~ failure

Direct shear test

NEED AND SCOPE In many engineering problems such as design of foundation, retaining walls, slab bridges, pipes, sheet piling, The value of the angle of internal friction and cohesion of the soil involved are required for the design. Direct shear test is used to predict these parameters quickly.

Direct shear test 1. This test is performed to determine the consolidated - drained shear strength of a sandy to silty soil. 2. The shear strength is one of the most important engineering properties of a soil, because it is required whenever a structure is dependent on the soils shearing resistance. 3. The shear strength is needed for engineering situations such as determining the stability of slopes or cuts, finding the bearing capacity for foundations, and calculating the pressure exerted by a soil on a retaining wall.

Apparatus 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Direct shear box apparatus Loading frame (motor attached). Dial gauge. Proving ring. Tamper. Straight edge. Balance to weigh upto 200 mg. Aluminum container. Spatula.

PROCEDURE Check the inner dimension of the soil container. Put the parts of the soil container together. Calculate the volume of the container. Weigh the container. Place the soil in smooth layers (approximately 10 mm thick). If a dense sample is desired tamp the soil. Weigh the soil container, the difference of these two is the weight of the soil. Calculate the density of the soil. Make the surface of the soil plane. Put the upper grating on stone and loading block on top of soil.

Direct shear test

Direct shear test is most suitable for consolidated drained tests specially on granular soils (e.g.: sand) or stiff clays

Preparation of a sand specimen Porous plates

Components of the shear box

Preparation of a sand specimen

Direct shear test

Preparation of a sand specimen Pressure plate

Leveling the top surface of specimen

Specimen preparation completed

Direct shear test

Test procedure Porous plates S P Steel ball Pressure plate

Proving ring to measure shear force

Step 1: Apply a vertical load to the specimen and wait for consolidation

Direct shear test

Test procedure Porous plates S P Steel ball Pressure plate

Proving ring to measure shear force

Step 1: Apply a vertical load to the specimen and wait for consolidation Step 2: Lower box is subjected to a horizontal displacement at a constant rate

PROCEDURE 8. Measure the thickness of soil specimen. 9. Apply the desired normal load. 10. Remove the shear pin. 11. Attach the dial gauge which measures the change of volume. 12. Record the initial reading of the dial gauge and calibration values. 13. Before proceeding to test check all adjustments to see that there is no connection between two parts except sand/soil. 14. Start the motor. Take the reading of the shear force and record the reading. 15. Take volume change readings till failure. 16. Add 5 kg normal stress 0.5 kg/cm2 and continue the experiment till failure 17. Record carefully all the readings. Set the dial gauges zero, before starting the experiment

Direct shear test

Shear box
Dial gauge to measure vertical displacement

Proving ring to measure shear force

Loading frame to apply vertical load

Dial gauge to measure horizontal displacement

Direct shear test

Analysis of test results

Normal force (P) = Normal stress = Area of cross section of the sample
Shear resistance developed at the sliding surface (S) = Shear stress = Area of cross section of the sample
Note: Cross-sectional area of the sample changes with the horizontal displacement

Direct shear tests on sands

Stress-strain relationship Dense sand/ OC clay

r ae h S , ssert s

Loose sand/ NC clay

Shear displacement

Change in height of the sample

Expansion

Dense sand/OC Clay

Shear displacement

Compression

Loose sand/NC Clay

Direct shear tests on sands

How to determine strength parameters c and

Normal stress =
3 2 1

Normal stress =

, ssert s r ae h S

f 2

Normal stress =
f

Shear displacement

Mohr Coulomb failure envelope

ehS ui a l f

Normal stress,

Direct shear tests on sands

Some important facts on strength parameters c and of sand Direct shear tests are drained and pore water pressures are dissipated, hence u = 0 Therefore, = and c = c = 0

Sand is cohesionless hence c = 0

Direct shear tests on clays

In case of clay, horizontal displacement should be applied at a very slow rate to allow dissipation of pore water pressure (therefore, one test would take several days to finish) Failure envelopes for clay from drained direct shear tests

Overconsolidated clay (c 0) Normally consolidated clay (c = 0)

ert s r ae h S , er ui a l f

Normal force,

Interface tests on direct shear apparatus

In many foundation design problems and retaining wall problems, it is required to determine the angle of internal friction between soil and the structural material (concrete, steel or wood) P

Soil Foundation material

f = ca + ' tan

Where, ca = adhesion, = angle of internal

Advantages of direct shear apparatus

Due to the smaller thickness of the sample, rapid drainage can be achieved Can be used to determine interface strength parameters Clay samples can be oriented along the plane of weakness or an identified failure plane

Disadvantages of direct shear apparatus

Failure occurs along a predetermined failure plane Area of the sliding surface changes as the test progresses Non-uniform distribution of shear stress along the failure surface