American University of Sharjah

School of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering
Fall 2011

CVE 303
Geotechnical Engineering Lab
Experiment # 11

Direct Shear Test

&
Unconfined Compression Test

Name ID
Loay Al Mujadidi 31209
Mohamoud M. Al Tohami 34077

Section :1
Submitted to : Dr. Aqeel A. Mohammed Taher
Date of the experiment : 18/ Dec. /2011
Date of submission : 5/Jan./2012
Table of Contents
List of Figures: ......................................................................................................................................... 2
List of Tables: .......................................................................................................................................... 2
Objectives: .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Introduction: ........................................................................................................................................... 3
Theory: .................................................................................................................................................... 4
Equipment:.............................................................................................................................................. 7
Procedures: ............................................................................................................................................. 7
Results, Calculations, & Discussion ......................................................................................................... 8
Sources of Errors: .................................................................................................................................. 13
Conclusion: ............................................................................................................................................ 14
Recommendations: ............................................................................................................................... 14
Applications: ......................................................................................................................................... 14
References: ........................................................................................................................................... 14

List of Figures:
FIGURE 1: SHEAR STRESS VS. NORMAL STRESS .................................................................................................................. 5
FIGURE 2: (SHEAR STRESS VS. NORMAL STRESS GRAPH) ..................................................................................................... 8
FIGURE 3: (STRESS-STRAIN CURVE)............................................................................................................................... 11

List of Tables:
TABLE 1: (NOTATIONS MEANINGS) ................................................................................................................................. 6
TABLE 2: (SHEAR BOX RESULTS) ..................................................................................................................................... 8
TABLE 3: (UCT RESULTS) ............................................................................................................................................ 10

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Objectives:
 To determine the shear stress at which the soil samples fail, or simply to determine the

shear strength of the soil sample.

Introduction:
In the experiments, we were introduced to the concept of soil shear strength. Shear

strength is essential for any geotechnical or structural engineering project since it represents

the capacity of soil to loadings before it fails. The two shear strength tests; direct shear test

and unconfined compression test (UCT). In our experiment, we will get to find the shear

stress at failure and the corresponding failure plane. Then by Mohr circle, we will get to find

the major and minor principal stresses at which shear stress is equal to zero, and the

maximum magnitude of shear stress on the soil specimen.

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Theory:
The shear strength of a soil mass is the internal resistance per unit area that the soil

mass can offer to resist failure and sliding along any plane inside it. In order to counter

stability problems like bearing capacity, slope capacity etc.., one must comprehend the

shearing resistance.

Shear stress is the applied load per unit area, while shear strength is the stress at

failure.

Soil always tries to flow but after sometime it will stop, this is because of the friction

between the particles. Friction and cohesion are not the same; friction prevents soil particles

to flow, while cohesion is the gluey effect and plastic property that locks the particles

together. However, both of them are binding forces. Cohesion increases the strength of soil

particles because of the better locking.

The shear stress is represented as:

 = c + n tan 

: Shear stress

c: Cohesion

: Normal stress on the failure plane

: Angle of internal friction

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The following graph shows the relation:

 = c + n tan 

Figure 1: Shear Stress vs. Normal Stress

To find  from the graph:  = arc tan (slope of the line)

 In case of pure sand, c = 0   = n tan  which is a line passing through the origin

 In case of clay there is no friction,  = 0   = c which is a horizontal line passing

through c.

 Confined sample: pressure is applied on the sample from all sides, it cannot move

anyways beyond the boundaries.

 Undrained shear strength: water doesn’t leave the sample when load is applied

In clayey undrained soil:

 = Cu, where Cu is the undrained cohesion.

Failure plane: it is the weakest plane that fails after sometime when load is applied on the

sample.

Principal stress: It is the stress on the sample when shear stress = 0.

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Mohr’s circle is drawn to find the stress in soil at any plane, as loading progress it becomes

larger. However, failing of soil occurs when it touches  = c + n tan 

There are many tests that give the shear strength of soil some are destructive and the other are

nondestructive.

The destructive tests discussed in this lab are:

 Shear box test

 Unconfined compression test (UCT) (on pure clay)

Equations:

For UCT test:


𝐴𝑜 = ∗ 𝐷𝑜 ²
4

∆𝐻
 = 𝐻𝑜 Table 1: (Notations Meanings)

Notations Meanings
From Mohr's circle:
Ao Initial area
𝐴 Do Initial diameter
Area at failure 𝐴𝑓 = (1−𝑜)
 vertical strain
∆H change in height
𝑃𝑓
Stress at failure 𝑞𝑢 = 𝐴 Ho initial height of specimen
𝑓

Pf Load at failure
𝑞𝑢 𝑃𝑓 Cu Cohesion
𝐶𝑢 = =
2 2𝐴𝑓

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Equipment:
1. Shear Box Apparatus
2. UCT Apparatus

Procedures:
Shear Box Test

1. Place the support at the bottom of the shear box.

2. Place a layer of porous plate above it.

3. Put the soil inside in layers and make sure the soil is confined using a wooden
box.

4. Place a porous layer above the soil, then place the top box.

5. Place the box in the machine as shown in Fig 3

6. Apply vertical normal load on the soil.

7. After the applied normal load, apply the shear stress horizontally on the top box.

8. Get set of points of normal stress vs. deformation then plot shear stress vs. normal
stress.

9. From the graph, find the cohesion and the angle of internal friction.

UCT

1. Find the water content, height and diameter of a specimen

2. Place the specimen in the loading device.

3. Adjust the loading ram such that it is just in contact with the specimen

4. Check that both the dial readings are zero.

5. Start the motor so that vertical load is applied on the sample.

6. Record the stress and deformation reading every 50 division on the deformation
reading.

7. Do the necessary calculations to find the shear strength.

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Results, Calculations, & Discussion
Shear Box Test

Table 2: (Shear Box Results)

Specimen number Normal Stress (kPa) Shearing stress (kPa)

1 27.5 27.9
2 55 51.5
3 110 89.7

Failure plane: Horizontal

Shear vs. Normal Stress

100
90
y = 0.7413x + 8.8
80
Shear Stress (kPa)

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Normal Stress (kPa)

Figure 2: (Shear Stress vs. Normal Stress Graph)

Y intercept = cohesion = 8.8 kPa

tan = slope = 0.7413 →  = 36.55º

Therefore equation of line:

 = 𝑐 + 𝑛 tan 

 = 𝟖. 𝟖 + 𝒏 𝐭𝐚𝐧(𝟑𝟔. 𝟓𝟓)

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Discussion:

From conducting the experiment we were able to get three values of shear stress

corresponding to three normal stresses. From these values a graph of shear stress vs. normal

stress is drawn. From the graph: the value of the cohesion is 8.8 lb/ft² which is the y intercept,

from the slope of the line we got , which is 36.55º. From this we conclude that the sand

tested is not pure sand it contains minerals that make it cohesive. It is also not clay as the

angle of internal friction is not zero. Also the failure plane is horizontal when tested by shear

box because the shear force is applied horizontally.

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UCT: Unconfined Compression Test
Sample diameter: Do = 33mm
Sample height: Ho = 66mm
Water content of the soil specimen: 15%
Table 3: (UCT Results)
Deformation reading Force reading Area
∆𝐻 Stress 𝑞𝑢
 = at failure 𝐶𝑢 =
1 div = 0.01 mm 𝐻𝑜 1 div = 1.37 N MPa 2
(mm²)
Div ∆H Div N
0 0 0 0 0 855.2987 0 0
50 0.5 0.0075758 2 2.74 0 0 0
100 1 0.0151515 8 10.96 0.00159 0.00159 0.00159
150 1.5 0.0227273 11 15.07 0.00631 0.00631 0.00631
200 2 0.030303 14 19.18 0.00861 0.00861 0.00861
250 2.5 0.0378788 16 21.92 0.010873 0.010873 0.010873
300 3 0.0454545 18 24.66 0.012329 0.012329 0.012329
350 3.5 0.0530303 21 28.77 0.013761 0.013761 0.013761
400 4 0.0606061 22 30.14 0.015927 0.015927 0.015927
450 4.5 0.0681818 24 32.88 0.016552 0.016552 0.016552
500 5 0.0757576 27 36.99 0.017911 0.017911 0.017911
550 5.5 0.0833333 27 36.99 0.019986 0.019986 0.019986
600 6 0.0909091 29 39.73 0.019822 0.019822 0.019822
650 6.5 0.0984848 30 41.1 0.021114 0.021114 0.021114
700 7 0.1060606 31 42.47 0.02166 0.02166 0.02166
750 7.5 0.1136364 32 43.84 0.022194 0.022194 0.022194
800 8 0.1212121 34 46.58 0.022716 0.022716 0.022716
850 8.5 0.1287879 38 52.06 0.02393 0.02393 0.02393
900 9 0.1363636 38 52.06 0.026514 0.026514 0.026514
950 9.5 0.1439394 39 53.43 0.026284 0.026284 0.026284
1000 10 0.1515152 40 54.8 0.026739 0.026739 0.026739
1050 10.5 0.1590909 40 54.8 0.027182 0.027182 0.027182
1100 11 0.1666667 41 56.17 0.026939 0.026939 0.026939
1150 11.5 0.1742424 41 56.17 0.027364 0.027364 0.027364
1200 12 0.1818182 39 53.43 0.027115 0.027115 0.027115
1250 12.5 0.1893939 39 53.43 0.025556 0.025556 0.025556

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Sample calculation:
 
𝐴𝑜 = ∗ 𝐷𝑜2 = (33)2 = 855.29 𝑚𝑚2
4 4

∆H = 0.01(50) = 0.5

∆𝐻 0.5
 = = = 0.0075758
𝐻𝑜 66

Force (N) = 2(1.37) = 2.74 N

𝐴 855.29
Area at failure 𝐴𝑓 = (1−𝑜) = 1−0.75758 = 861.819

𝑃 2.74
Stress at failure 𝑞𝑢 = 𝐴𝑓 = 861.819 = 0.003179 𝑀𝑃𝑎
𝑓

𝑃𝑓 2.74
𝐶𝑢 = = = 0.001590 𝑀𝑃𝑎
(2 ∗ 𝐴𝑓 ) 2(861.819)

Stress-Strain Curve
0.06
y = -1.9292x2 + 0.6279x + 0.0021

0.05

0.04
Stress (MPa)

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
Strain

Figure 3: (Stress-Strain Curve)

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From the graph:

Stress at failure = qu = 0.0530 MPa

Strain = 0.16
𝑞𝑢 0.053
Therefore 𝐶𝑢 = = = 0.0265 𝑀𝑃𝑎
2 2

Discussion:
From the values of the force and change in height and initial height of the specimen we

were able to calculate the stress, strain and draw the stress vs. strain graph. From there we

found the maximum stress before the sample fails. This is called the stress at failure. From

this value we can draw the Mohr’s circle, one of the principal stresses is zero because no

horizontal force is applied, and the other is the maximum stress before failure. We found this

stress to be 0.0530 MPa. Then the cohesion is 0.0265 MPa. And the angle at which the plane

fails is 45º. The area we used in calculation is the area at failure because this is the resisting

area as the load is applied to the specimen. Because this is a clay soil, therefore the internal

angle of friction is zero, and therefore:  = 0.0265 MPa = 26.5 kPa

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Sources of Errors:
Instrumental error: the imperfection of the equipment; usually every machine has a varied

built-in error and uncertainty.

Personal error: taking readings, doing the calculations, parallax errors, and rounding the

numbers. Additionally, performing the test may result in some additional errors as well.

Also, for the shear box test:

1. Error in drawing the graphs and calculation
2. Error in determining the dimensions of the box

Also, for the UCT

1. Parallax error in reading the dials.
2. Error in recording the data.
3. Instrumental error
4. Error in drawing the Mohr’s circle

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Conclusion:
In conclusion, we are able to identify with the significance of shear testing and obtaining

the shear capacity of soil. The result of neglecting or not allotting enough attention and care

to the soil’s mechanism in any engineering project can prove to be catastrophic. It is

fundamental for safety insurance.

Recommendations:
We recommend that these tests be conducted as a regular part of preparation before

construction. In fact, it should be among the first tasks that should be completed in any civil

engineering project. Defining the shear strength of the soil is a prerequisite to building

structures.

Applications:
It applies to any given structure that is to be erected. From high rise skyscrapers in the

middle of the city to a dam retaining huge amounts of water, the shear strength and bearing

capacity of the soil must be predetermined.

References:
1. CVE 303 handout.

2. Class notes.

3. CVE 303 manual

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