FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

22

COURSE NAME
COURSE CODE
OPEN-ENDED LAB
SEMESTER

TITLE OF EXPERIMENT :VANE SHEAR TEST

DATE OF EXPERIMENT :17/6/2020

NAME :AINUR NASUHA BINTI MOHAMMAD RODZI

UiTM NO :2019892466

CLASS GROUP :EC220 2A1B

LECTURER : EN NORAZLAN BIN KHALID

LEVEL OF OPENESS : 3

MARKS COMMENTS

INTRODUCTION 1 2 3 4 5

BASIC CONCEPTS 1 2 3 4 5

METHODOLOGY 1 2 3 4 5

RESULTS&ANALYSIS 1 2 3 4 5

DISCUSSION 1 2 3 4 5

CONCLUSION 1 2 3 4 5

ORGANIZATION 1 2 3 4 5

TOTAL MARKS

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FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

COURSE GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORY

COURSE CODE ECG428
LEVEL OF OPENNESS 3
CATEGORY FULLY OPEN
DEGREE OF OPEN-ENDED (%) 100

ENGINEERING PROPERTIES TEST

DETERMINATION OF IN SITU SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOILS

PREAMBLE
Introduction

Level 3 laboratory activities refer to the condition where only the Preamble is
given. Students are required to find the problem statement, ways & means and
provide the answers to the given assignment using the creativity and
innovativeness. The activity will enable the students to appreciate independent
learning and prepare them for a much harder task of open-ended laboratory
activities.

The undrained shear strength of clays can be measured using a vane shear
apparatus at maximum undrained shear strength of 260 kPa as shown in Figure
1. In clays with this shear strength, a force of about 40 to 50 kilos is required to
press the vane down into the clay. The vane shaft is designed to take this force,
but if extension rods are used, precautions against buckling are required. It is
primarily intended for use in trenches and excavation at a depth not influenced
by drying and excavation procedure. The range of the instrument is from 0 to
260 kPa when three different sized vanes are used. The accuracy of the
instrument should be within 10% of the reading.

Figure 1: Vane shear apparatus

Objectives
1. The inspection vane shear test is to measure the in situ undrained shear
strength in clays.
2. Vane Shear is to measure indirectly the in situ shear strength
parameters of soils.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the laboratory activities, students should be able:

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FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

1. To determine the shear strength of soils from vane shear.

2. To classify the shear strength of soils in accordance to BS 5930: 1999:
Code of Practice for Site Investigation.
3. Calculate and analyze data to report and present result in a proper
engineering format.

In situ shear strength is used to determine the field strength conditions of the
soil for design and correlation purposes from the laboratory shear strength
tests.When measuring shear strength at greater depth, the friction between the
clay and the extension rods can be appreciable, and must be taken into
consideration.

To measure this friction, extension rods and a vane shaft without vane(dummy)
are pushed into the ground to the depth required for shear force
PROBLEM STATEMENT measurements.The friction is then measured in the same was as when using
vanes(3-9).The friction value thus obtained is used to evaluate the actual shear
strength from the measured shear strength.

To penetrate through film layers a pre-boring using a rod with the same
diameter as the vane may be helpful.The inspection shear vane apparatus is
very simple and does not require much attention.But is most important that it is
kept as clean as possible.

1. The vane shear apparatus have been cleaned and grease had been applied
to the lead screw for better movement of handles.
2. The soil specimen was taken in container which is generally 75 mm in height
and 3.75 mm in diameter.
3. The soil surface leveled on the top and the container mounted on the base
of vane shear test apparatus using screws provided.
4. The vane gradually lowered into the soil specimen until the top of vane is at
depth of 10 to 20 mm below the of soil specimen.
5. The reading of pointer on circular graduated scale was noted down which is
initial reading.
6. The vane inside was rotating in the soil specimen using torque applying
handle at a rate of 0.1 per second.
WAYS AND MEANS
7. When the specimen fails,the strain indicator pointer will moved backwards
on the circular graduated scale and at thid point stop the test and the final
reading of pointer was noted down.
8. The difference between initial and final readings is nothing but the angle of
torque.
9. The procedure was repeated on two more soil specimens and the average
shear strength value was calculated.
10. The diameter and height of vane was measure d using Vernier callipers.
11. Sensitivity of given soil sample is determined by repeating the above test
procedure on remolded soil which is nothing but soil obtained after rapid
stirring of vane in the above test.
12. Sensitivity of soil=undisturbed shear strength/remolded shear strength.
RESULTS
Give example result here

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FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

Sample Initial Final Difference Spring Torque Shear

No Reading Reading in Reading Constant (T) strength
(deg) (deg) (deg) (kg.cm) (kg.cm) (s)

1 196 188 8 5 0.22 7.5030

2 200 191 9 5 0.25 8.5262

3 195 186 9 5 0.25 8.5262

Diameter (D)= 20mm/0.2 cm

Height (H) = 40 mm/0.4 cm
T= Torque
K= Spring Constant
𝛿= difference in reading (deg)

T1=0.22 kg.cm
T2=0.25 kg.cm
T3=0.25 kg.cm
DATA ANALISIS
S1=7.5030 kg/cm2
S2=8.5262 kg/cm2
S3=8.5262 kg/cm2

In the conclusion is vane shear box test is an example test used to determine
CONCLUSION the undrained shear strength of soil.From the data we obtained average shear
strength which is (7.50+8.53+8.53)/3=8.19 kg/cm^2.
DISCUSSION AND From the data that we get we can find torque and shear strength by using this
RECOMENDATION formula

Advantage of vane shear test

1) the test is simple and quick
2) It is ideally suited for determination of the in-situ undrained shear strength
of non fissured, fully saturated clay
3) The test can be conveniently used to determine the sensitivity of the soil

Disadvantage of vane shear test

1) The test cannot be conducted of the clay or clay containing silt
2) The test does not give accurate results when the failure envelope is not
horizontal
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FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

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