Scribd
Upload
345 views

Tutorial 2

This document contains 12 questions regarding soil shear strength parameters determined from direct shear box tests and triaxial compression tests on various soil samples. The questions involve calculating shear strength parameters such as cohesion, angle of shearing resistance, and friction angle from the test results. They also involve determining expected failure conditions such as deviator stress and pore pressure given certain test conditions.

Uploaded by

WHfamily
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
345 views

Tutorial 2

This document contains 12 questions regarding soil shear strength parameters determined from direct shear box tests and triaxial compression tests on various soil samples. The questions involve calculating shear strength parameters such as cohesion, angle of shearing resistance, and friction angle from the test results. They also involve determining expected failure conditions such as deviator stress and pore pressure given certain test conditions.

Uploaded by

WHfamily
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

ECG203

Basic Soil Mechanics

Tutorial 2 Shear Strength of Soil


Question 1
The following results were obtained from an undrained shear box test on a sandy clay sample of a
cross section of 60 mm x 60 mm square.

Normal Load (kN)

Shearing force at failure (kN)

1.00

0.47

0.50

0.32

0.25
0.24
Find the apparent cohesion and the angle of shearing resistance.
Question 2
The readings given below were recorded during shear box tests on samples of a sand. The shear
surface measures 254 mm x 254 mm. Determine the angle of friction for the sand when (a) in a loose
state and (b) in a compacted dense state.

Normal Load (kg)

Shear Load (kN)


Ultimate

Peak
500

4.92

3.04

1000

9.80

6.23

1500

14.62

9.36

Question 3
The following results were obtained from an undrained shear box test on samples of sandy clay. The
shear surface measures 60 mm X 60 mm .

Normal Load (N)

200

400

800

Shear Load (N)

204

260

356

Find the apparent cohesion and the angle of shearing resistance.


If another specimen of this soil is subjected to an undrained tri axial test with a cell pressure of 100
kN/m2, find the total axial pressure at which failure would be expected.

Question 4
The results given below were obtained from undrained shear box tests on a silty clay.

Normal stress (kN/m2)


Shear stress at failure (kN/m )
2

100

200

300

400

93

124

160

193

(a)

Determine the undrained shear strength parameters ccu and cu .

(b)

Determine the value of the apparent cohesion that would be expected from an unconfined
compression test on the same soil.

(c)

If a specimen of the same soil is tested undrained in tri axial compression at a cell pressure of
160 kN/m2, determine the expected deviator stress at failure.

Question 5
The results of shear box test carried out on a sample of sandy clay are shown in the table below. The
plane cross-sectional area of the box is 254 mm x 254 mm.

Test No.

Normal Load (kg)

500

1000

1500

Shear Force at failure


(Dense Soil, kN)

4.92

9.80

14.62

Shear Force at failure


(Loose Soil, kN)

3.04

6.23

9.36

(a)

Determine the internal friction angle at the soil in dense and loose state.

(b)

Another sample of the same soil was tested in the tri axial compression test with a cell
pressure of 75 kPa. What would be the axial stress on the sample at failure in loose state.

Question 6
The following results were obtained from an undrained shear box test carried out on a set of
undisturbed soil samples :

Normal Load (kN)

0.2

Strain (%)

0.4

0.6

Shear Stress (kN/m2)

19.83

38.50

65.33

37.33

63.00

91.00

52.50

81.43

109.20

64.17

93.10

122.03

73.03

105.00

132.07

77.93

107.33

139.30

75.60

111.07

143.97

73.50

108.73

146.30

106.87

144.43

9
10

141.17

The cross sectional area of the box is 3600 mm 2. Determine the strength parameters of the soil in
terms of total stress.
Question 7
The results shown below were obtained from an undrained tri axial compression test on three
specimens of an undisturbed soil sample.

Test Number

(a)

Cell Pressure (kPa)

150

300

500

Deviator Stress at Failure (kPa)

192

385

638

Pore Pressure at Failure (kPa)

70

139

234

Plot the Mohr circles representing these results and determine the total and effective shear
strength parameters.

(b)

If another sample of the same soil was tested and failed at a deviator stress of 500 kPa.
What was the pore pressure at failure.

Question 8
A series of three tri axial test was carried out on sample of a saturated clay soil. The cell pressure in
each test was kept at a constant pressure of 250 kN/m 2. The shear strength parameters were found
to be c = 0 and = 20O :
(a)

In the undrained test, the pore pressure at failure was 115 kN/m 2. Determine the ultimate
deviator stress.

(b)

In the consolidated undrained test, the maximum deviator stress was 180 kN/m 2. Determine
the ultimate pore pressure.

(c)

Determine the ultimate deviator stress in the drained test if the back pressure was kept
constant at 100 kN/m2.

Question 9
In a consolidated-undrained tri axial test on a specimen of a normally consolidated clay at a cell
pressure of 200 kN/m2, the ultimate deviator stress was 280 kN/m2 and the ultimate pore pressure
was 50 kN/m2. Draw the appropriate shear strength failure envelope and determine the other
corresponding parameter when :
(a)

u = 0

(b)

c = 0

Question 10
A cohesive soil is found to have an undrained shear strength parameters of cu = 35 kN/m2 and u =
17O. If in an undrained tri axial test, a specimen of the soil failed at a total axial stress of 360 kN/m 2,
what was the cell pressure? Determine the value that would be indicated for the undrained shear
strength in an unconfined compression test.

Question 11
The following results were obtained from an undrained tri axial compression test on 3 specimens of
an undisturbed sample of soil.

Cell pressure (kN/m2)

150

300

500

Ultimate deviator stress (kN/m2)

192

385

638

Ultimate pore pressure (kN/m2)

70

139

234

(a)

Determine the following shear strength parameters : c ' , ' , cu and u.

(b)

If another specimen of the same soil failed at a deviator stress of 450 kPa, what was the
ultimate pore pressure.

(c)

In the undrained test, the pore pressure was 120 kPa when the cell pressure was maintained
at 250 kPa. Determine the ultimate deviator stress.

Question 12
The following results on a saturated clay were obtained at failure in a series of consolidatedundrained tests with pore pressure measurement.

All-round pressure
(kN/m2)

Principal Stress
Differences
(kN/m2)

Pore Water Pressure


(kN/m2)

150

192

70

300

385

139

500

638

234

By using the Mohr circle plots, determine the values of the total and effective shear strength
parameters. If another specimen of the same soil is tested at a cell pressure of 400 kN/m 2, what will
be the values of the deviator stress, the major principal stress and the pore pressure at failure.

You might also like