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Fig. 1: Lab Vane Shear Apparatus

The laboratory vane shear test measures the undrained shear strength of cohesive soils less than 0.5 kgf/cm2. It uses a vane apparatus with four sharpened blades inserted vertically into an undisturbed soil sample to determine the torque at failure. The test is quicker and cheaper than other shear tests. It provides the undrained strength of soils in both undisturbed and remolded conditions. Calculations use the measured torque, vane geometry, and a calibration curve to determine the undrained shear strength of the soil in kgf/cm2.

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117 views2 pages

Fig. 1: Lab Vane Shear Apparatus

The laboratory vane shear test measures the undrained shear strength of cohesive soils less than 0.5 kgf/cm2. It uses a vane apparatus with four sharpened blades inserted vertically into an undisturbed soil sample to determine the torque at failure. The test is quicker and cheaper than other shear tests. It provides the undrained strength of soils in both undisturbed and remolded conditions. Calculations use the measured torque, vane geometry, and a calibration curve to determine the undrained shear strength of the soil in kgf/cm2.

Uploaded by

Kishan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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LAB VANE SHEAR TEST

1. Objective
The laboratory vane shear test for the measurement of shear strength of cohesive soils, is useful for
soils of low shear strength of less than about 0.5 kgf/cm2). This test gives the undrained strength of
the soil, in undisturbed as well as remoulded conditions both. Vane shear test is a cheaper and quicker
method of measuring the shear strength of clay, as compared to very elaborate tri-axial shear test or
direct shear test.

2. Apparatus Required

Fig. 1: Lab Vane Shear Apparatus

Fig. 2: Schematic Diagram of Lab Vane Shear


Apparatus

The vane shall consist of four blades each fixed at 90° to


the adjacent blades. The width of vane, from edge of one
vane to edge of another vane, is 12±0.15 mm. The
height of vane is 24±0.25 mm. The thickness of vane is
0.5±0.05 mm. The vane should not deform under the
maximum torque for which it is designed. The
penetrating edge of the vane blades shall be sharpened
having an included angle of 90°. The vane blades shall be
welded together suitably to a central rod, the maximum
diameter of which should preferably not exceed 2.5 mm
in the portion of the rod which goes into the specimen
during the test. The height of rod, above the vanes, is
60mm. The vane should be properly treated to prevent
rusting and corrosion.

3. Reference
IS 2720(Part 30):1980 Methods of test for soils: Laboratory vane shear test (first revision). Reaffirmed-
Dec 2016.

4. Procedure
1. Prepare two or three specimens of the soil sample of dimensions of at least 30.0 mm diameter and
75 mm long specimen.
2. Mount the specimen container with the specimen on the base of the vane shear apparatus and fix it
securely to the base. If the specimen container is closed at one end, it should be provided with a
hole of about 1 mm diameter at the bottom.
3. Gently lower the shear vanes into the specimen to their full length without disturbing the soil
specimen. The top of the vanes should be atleast 10 mm below the top of the specimen. Note the
readings of the angle of twist.
4. Rotate the vanes at an uniform rate say 0.10/s by suitably operating the torque applicator handle
until the specimen fails.
5. Note the final reading of the torque indicator. Torque readings and the corresponding strain
readings may also be noted at desired intervals of time as the test proceeds.
6. Just after the determination of the maximum torque rotate the vane rapidly through a minimum of
10 revolutions. The remoulded strength should then be determined within 1 minute after
completion of the revolution.

5. Observation And Recording


<
T=Spring G = 1/ Average Spring
Initial Final Constant/180x S=TxG
S.No. Difference(Deg.) π(D2h/2 'S' Constant
Reading(Deg) Reading(Deg.) Difference (Kg/cm2)
+ D 3/6) (Kg/cm2) (Kg-cm)
(Kg-cm)
01
02
03
04
05

Table 1 : Recordings during Lab Vane Shear Test

6. Calculation
For vane testing instruments that do not read the torque directly, a calibration curve to convert the
readings to cm kgf of torque shall be provided. These calibration curves shall be checked periodically.

Torque, T = Ø * K/180
Where,
T = Torque applied in cm kgf
Ø = Difference of angle (angle of torque)
K = Spring factor

G = 1/{π*[(d2h/2) + (d3/6)]}
Where,
d = diameter of vane (cm)
h = height of the vane (cm)

Shear Strength, S = T * G
OR
S = (3/19)*T
Where,
S = Shear Strength in kgf/cm2
T = Torque applied in cm kgf

7. General Remarks
The formula for shear strength is based on following assumptions:

1. Shearing Strength in the Horizontal and Vertical directions are the same.
2. At the peak value, Shear Strength is equally mobilized at the end surface as well as at the centre, and
3. The shear surface is cylindrical and has a diameter equal to the diameter of the vane.

8. Video
Lab Vane Shear Test

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