8 SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOIL

2004
triaxial compression test on a soil
the specimen,
intermediate principle stress is equal to
(a) Major principalstress
Cell pressure
D) Minor principal stress 4444
(confining stress)
(G)
lc) Difference between major and Cell pressure
minor (G)
principal stress Addition axial stress
(deviator stress)
(d) None of these (o)
2. In adirect shear test, the shear stress and
So-(b) normal stress on a dry sand sample at failure
are 0.6 Kg/cm² and 1.0 Kglcm² respectively.
In triaxial compression test generally cylindrical The angle of internal friction of the sand will
specimen is used. be nearty:
(a) 25 (b) 31°
In case of cylindrical specimen, the three principai (c) 37° (d) 43°
stresses are the axial, radial and circumferential
stresses. So-(b)

Ihe horizontal plane on which a total axial stress Shear stress; S = 0.6 kg/cm?

Or (o, +o, ) acts normal to the plane becomes the Normal stress: &. = 1.0 kg/cm²
major principal plane. For sand C=0
cellpressure S = C+5, tan
Ine vertical plane, which has only the
the minor
acting normal to it, becomes S= 0+1 tano=0.6
principal plane. tano = 0.6
stress G, is equal
AITailure, the maior principal = tan- 0.6 = 30.96° 31°
stress 'o.' is
to +o,)' and minor principal
'(o, Note: Direct shear test
equal to 'o,'. is confined
The soil specimen that is to be tested
stress o, in atriaxial section that is split
The intermediate principal the minor principal in ametal box of square cross
clearance being
lest is taken as being equalto into two halves hoizontally, a small
the box.
symmetry. maintained between the two halves of
ress because of axial
 In this test. drainage can not be controlled
pore
hence
water
2007
rate of loading be such such that drained
pressure does not develope i.e. it will be a 4. Which of the following statements is false?
condition test. (a) Clay deposits are more porous than sand
draining soil like
This test is performed for free beds
sand & gravel. (b) Presence of organic matter in soil
because drainage
This test can not be used for cday decreases the bearing capacity of the soil
controlled.
can not be
same in this (c) The change of moisture content changes
Effective stress & total stresS are the value of angle of repose
test.
dial gauge (d) None of the above
Volume expansion is measured using
dial gauge Normal So-d)
load (N)
the
The change of moisture content will change
Loading plate
Probing -Porous value of angle of repose (0)
stone
ring c& are known as shear strength parameters of
soil.
Soil sample
CShear plane c& are not the inherent properties of soil. these
under
Shear are related to the type of test and condition
force (T) which these are measured.

Normally for clayey soil = 0& for granular soil

C= 0.
Porous stone
Clay deposits are more porous & less permeable
2005 compared to sand bed where as sand is less
porous & more permeable compared to clay.
In triaxial test, the intermediate principal stress
is: Presence of organic matter in soil decreases the
(a) Equal to zero bearing capacity of the soil as organic matter has
unit
(b) Equal to confining pressure low unit weight so overall decrease in the
(c) Equal to deviator stress weight of soil according to the equation given by
Terzaghi theory.
(d) Equal to deviator stress minus the
confining stress 4, = cN + yD,N, +0.5By N,
b) Moreover organic matter also get decompOsed resut
bearing
in settlement of soil and decrease in
e intermediate principal stress 'o,' in a triaxial test
capacity.
aken as being equal to the minor principal stress.
which
5. The direct shear test suffers from
disadvantage:
controlled
o =o, (Intermediate (a) Drainage conditions can not be
principal stress) (b) Pore water pressure can not be measured
Cell pressure
(Confining stress) (c) Shear stress on the failure plain is not
(o) unifom
‘‘‘t Cell pressure
(o) (d All of the above
Addition axial stress
(Deviator stress)
(o,)
Sol-(d)
 SOL MECHA
lest. isgoodfor free draining soil like sand & triaxial
This Note: Three test conditions are possible in
Thistest
tcannot be used for clay because drainage Compression test:
becontrolled. UUtest
Efectivestress & total stress are same in this CU test

(est.
CD test
SATYantagesof direct shear test IV. UD test Test not possible
prainagecondition cannot be controlled & pore
presSsure can not be measured. (0) Unconsolidated Undrained test (UU test)
waler
Failure plane is always horizontal and pre- (a) In this type of test, no drainagge is permited
determined, which may not
be the weakest plane. during the consolidation stage. The drainage
Nonuniform stress distribution on shear plane. is also not permitted in the shear stage.
Falure starts at edge &progresses towards centre. (b) As no time is allowed for consolidation or
Area off specimen under normal &shear does not dissipation of excess pore water presSsure, the
emain Constant during the test. Hence, calculation test to be conducted quickly in a few
&shear stresses are done on the basis minutes.
ofnormal
onominal area (original area) which is not correct. (c) It is also known as quick test or UU test
Drecion of principal plane are not known at every (d) It is suitable for saturated clays subjected to
stage of the test. It is only when Mohr failure fast loading rate.
evlope is known that direction of principal stress
wil be known. (A tDfNat0S onsolidated undrained condition(C-Utest)
(a) In a consolidated-undrained test, the specimen
ote: is allowed to consolidate in the first stage.
Direct shear test is conducted on a soil specimen
The drainage is permitted until the consolidation
ina shear box which is split into two halves along
is complete.
ahorizontal plane at its middle.
The shear box is made of brass or gun metal (b) In the second stage, when the specimen is
sheared, no drainage is permitted.
It iseither square or circular in plane &size of 60
x60 x 50 mm is commonly used. (c) This test is suitable for investigation of stability
analysis of earthen dam against failure caused
The triaxial test is usually carried out as by sudden drawdown of water.
(a) Unconsolidated undrained test (iii) Consolidated drained test (CD test)
(b) Consolidated undrained test (a) In this consolidated-drained test, the drainage
(c) Drained test of the specimen is permitted in both the
d) All of the above stages.
(b) The sample is allowed to consolidate in the
first stage. When consolidation is complete, it
detenination
Triaxial l compression test is used for the is sheared at a very slow rate to ensure that
soil under
Snear characteristics of all types of fully drained condition exist and the excess
different drainage condition. pore water is zero.
the drainage
There is Complete control over (c) This is also known as 'show test' (S-test).
conducted for all
Onditions so test can be easily
(d) This test is suitable for saturated sands and
three types of drainage conditions. also for saturated clay under long terms.
pore water pressure.
There is a provisionto measure
 2008 Initially coulomb believed that S =total stress. Later
after the knowledge of effective stress it was realised
7. Afooting is resting on fully saturated clayey that 'g' is actually the effective stresS, hence
strata for checking the initial stability, shear ne
defination of shear stress came out.
parameter are used from :
T, = C+Gtano'
(a) Consolidated undrained test
where G = (S-u) =Effective stress
(b) Unconsolidated drained test S= Total stress
Yey Unconsolidated undrained test u= Pore water pressure
(d) Unconsolidated undrained test with pore
C' and ' are effective stress shear parameters.
pressure measurement
Note :
Sol-(c) C and are known as shear strength parameter
of soil.
Drained strength analysis should be used to
evaluate shear strength in soil in which excess (ü) C and are not the inherent properties of soil
pore water pressure has already dissipated. Thus. These are related to the type of test and the
for long term stability check, drained strength condition under which they are measured.
analysis is done &effective stress approach is
used. 9. Unconfined compressive strength test is:
In case of loading under undrained condition, +ve (a)Undrained test
pore water pressure develops. Under such situation, (b) Drained test
effective stress decreases due to increase in
(c) Consolidated undrained test
excess pore water pressure. This excess pore
(d) None of the above
water pressure slowly dissipates and hence
effective stress increases with time.
So-{a)
On account of this most critical condition of shear
failure occurs immediately after construction. Thus The unconfined compression test is a special fom
of a triaxial test in which the confining pressure is
under undrained condition with +ve pore water
zero.
pressure, short term stability should be checked
immediately after construction and total stress The test can be conducted only on cohesive soils
analysis should be used. like clayey soil.
Load is rapidly applied, hence it is an undrained
2009 test. Angle of internal friction is not mobilized.
8. The equation, t =C + S tan is given by : , =0.
As there is no confining pressure o, =0 only one
(a) Rankine (b) Coulomb Mohr circle is obtained.
(c) Newton (d) Mohr

Sol-(b) !!
t, = +Stan
VSample?
where I, = Shear strength of soil
S= Normal stress on the plane of rupture

= Angle of internal friction.

 9
2 (c) Confining pressure
will be
Undrained shear strength With increase in confining pressure there
z Axial stress at
failure InGrease in shearing strength as lateral stability or
the soil increases So it can bear more load.
Unconfined compressive strength

2010 2016
03 MAR 2017(Morning Session)
The shearing strength of a cohesionless soil 11. Vane shear test is used to find out shear
1e dependson : strength of :
(a) Drydensity (a) Sandy soil
loading (b) Gravelly soil
b) Rate of
lc) Confining pressure (c) Clayey soil
Allthe above (d) All options are correct
(d
Sol-(c)
sol-(d)
Vane shear test
s=C+o, tan In plastic cohesive soil which is very sensitive,
obtaining undisturbed specimen is difficult. Shear
lal Dry density : Within increase in dry density there
is increase in shear strength of the soil as there strength of such soil may be significantly affected
during sampling & handling.
willbe less voids and more interlocking resistance
and frictional resistance between the soil particles. For such soil vane - shear test can be done in
field. Vane shear test is sometimes also done in
In dense sand, interlocking resistance & lab.
frictional resistance both occur.
Test is essentially undrained test and will give
Whereas, in loose sand resistance is mainly undrained shear strength.
due to friction and interlocking is negligible. It is suitable for soft saturated clays, highly plastic
Dense sand clay.
[20 to 30% It is often used for Marine clays.
Losse sand Note :
Shear
stress () When shearing is done by both top and bottom
ends of the vane.
2-5% 15 to 20%
T
Shear strain
h d
Interlocking resistance may be 20 - 30%o of 2 6
total on shear failure &interlocking breaks at (ii) When shearing is done such that the top end of
small strain (2 - 5%). the vane does not shear the soil
O Rate of T
loading h d
When load is applied to the soil, all of the load 12
S not taken up by the soil drained immediately. t, =Shear strength
oad is 1st taken by the pore water and hence d= Dia, of vane
Thus
os pore water pressure develops. h= Height of vane
most critical condition of shear faailure occurs
clayey T= Torque applied on vane or torque at shear
immediately after application of load in failure
soils.
 Torque Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion
When the soil sarmple has
failed. the
Vane on the failure plane
defines the shear shear
the soil or ultimate
strength of material
Thus it is necessary to
identífy the
maximumfail ure
Shear It is the plane on which the
surface
acts, or it is the plane where shear ne
stress to normal stress is the the rati f shegr sSres
can say material fails by shear.maximum.
D
Theenwe
2016
04 MAR 2017 (Evening Session) Face 2

undrained clay,
12. The shear strength in plastic
is due to
Face 1
(a) Inter-granular friction
(b) Internal friction
,
(c Cohesion Effect of intermediate principal stress o,
(d) None of these
C, > O >o, (failure condition)
Sol-c)
Mohr failure
(a) The soil may derive its shear strength from following envelope
parameters.
1. Interlocking between molecules
2. Friction between molecules (Rolling/sliding)
3. Interaction between molecules (cohesive/ It is obvious that ¡, can have no influecne on the
adhesive) condition at failure for the mohr failure criterion, no

(b) A
coarse grained soil derive its shear strength from matter what magnitude it has.
interlocking &friction, where as fine grained soil The intermediate principal stress o, probable does
derived their strength from cohesion &friction where have an influence in real soil, but the mohr-coulomb
as pure clay derive their strength from cohesion. failure theory does not consider it.
13. The Mohr's straight theory is based on the 2017
following fact. 23 JAN 2018 (Morning Session)

(a) Material fails essentially by shear pressur is

14. The cell pressure and pore water
(b) Ultimate strength of the material is increased from 0.1 N/sq.m to 0.26 N/sq.m and
determined by the stress in the plane of respectively in the
0.07 N/sq.m to 0.15 N/sq.m
slip triaxial test. The skempton'spore pressure is
(c) Failure criterion is independent of the given by
intermediate principal stress (a) (b) - 0.5
(d) Alloptions are correct (c 0.5 (d) 2

Sol-(d) So-{c)
 pressure, O = 0.26
N/sq.m
N/sq,m Sol-(c)
water pressure, u, = 0.07 N/m2
Shear strength parameters (c & )are determined
pore
wal
by triaxial test.
water pressure, u, =0.15 N/m2 Mohr
cell preSsure
By performing tri-axial tests on 2-3specimen
parameter
circle are plotted and shear strength
Cand ' ' are found out from common tangent
or by uslng p - q plot.
= 0.26-0.1 = 0.16 N/m2 Common
pore water pressure, tangent
in
raNge

= 0.15 -0.07 = 0.08 N/m2

skempBon'spore pressure parameter,
c
ne
Au, 0.08
B= Ao 0,16 0.5

Note.: q=
2
Skempton gave theoretical method for the
determination of the pore water pressure which
2
express the response of pore pressure due to
Note:
change in the total stresses under undrained
A. Triaxial test
Conditions and enable the initial value of pore water This is the most widely used shear strength
pressure to be determined. test and is suitable for all type of soil.
Au = BAog +A(Ao, - Ao;)] Drainage can be controlled, whatever be the
soil.
Here, Ao3 =Change in cell pressure Pore water pressure can be measured.
Ao, - A¡, =Change in deviator stress Volume change can also be measured.
A,B= skempton pore pressure parameters Failure plane is not pre determined.
For a complete saturated soil Stress distribution on failure plane is fairly
unifom.
B = 1
B. Hydraulic gradient
For acomplete dry soil
Rate of change of head loss (h,) w.r.t. the distance
B= 0 between points of consideration (L) is called as
Value of Acan be > 0;=0or ; <0 depending hydraulic gradient (i)
upon soil is loose, normally consolidated or heavily
over consolidated respectively.
C. Permeability
2017 Permeability of soil is determined by constant head
25 JAN 2018 (Evening Session) permeability rest [for corse grained soil] or by
variable head permeability test. [for fine grained
Which of the following parameter is soils]
determined by triaxial test ? D. Grain size analysis
Grain size analysis of coarse grained size is
a) Hydraulic gradient carried out by 'sieve analysis'.
(b) Permeability Fine grained soil are analysed by
c) SShear strength parameters sedimentation analysis using 'hydrometer
method' or 'pipette method'.
(d) Grain size
 2017 2018
27 JAN 2018 (Morning Session)
23 SEP 2019 (Evening Sesalon)

16. The angle of repose of a soil is the 18. The actual movement of soil mass is
maximum
angle which the outer face of the soil mass as:
makes. (a) Collapse (bY Slope failure
(a) With the horizontal (c) Surface failure (d) Base failure
(b) With the vertical
Sol-(b)
(c) With the perpendicular to the inclined Swedish circle method
plane of the soil
In this method, the surface of sliding is assurmed
(d) None of these an arc of a circle.

Sol-a)

Angle of repose is the angle that the soil will make

with the horizontal plane, if left to adopt its own
shape. (a) Face failure (b) Toe failure (c) Base failure
Angle of repose will vary according to the type of 2019
soil, its moisture content and its density.
(28 oCT 2020 (Evening Session)

19. Select the INCORRECT statement in the case

of triaxial test.
Soil
(a) The state of stress within the specimen
during any stage of test as wellas a
Angle of repose failure is completely indeterminate.
2018 (b) The stress distribution on the failure plane
23 SEP 2019 (Morning Session) is uniform.

17. Which of the following sentences is correct in

(c) Allthe three drainage conditions can be
the case gf Bishop's simplified method of slice? performed with complete control under
the test.
a) disregardsthe effect of the forces acting
on the sides of the individual slices. (d) Precise measurement of pore pressure
and volume change during test are
(b) It satisfies only moment force equilibrium.
possible.
(c) It satisfies only vertical force equilibrium.
(d) It satisfies only horizontal force Sol-(a)
equilibrium.
Triaxial test:
Sol-(a) Stress distribution on failure plane is fairly unifom.
BSM considers the interslice normal forces but Drainage condition can be controlled completely.
neglects the interslice shear forces. Pore water pressure can be measured.
It satisfies vertical force equilibrium for each slice Volume changes can also be measured.
and overall moment equilibrium about center of Ihere is no rotation of principal stresses dunng
circular trial surface. (est and stresses can be determine at any stage.
 775
SOIL MECHANICS
2019
a0OCT 2020 (Morning Session) Sol-c)
Thestrength of the soil mainly described by By Mohr coulomb's
criteria.
Shear at failure (t.) = C+ tan)
tensile strength
From Test-1
A torsional strength
... ()
shearstrength 110 = C+150tano

compressive strength From Test-2, 120 = C + 250 tano ... (0)

On solving equation (i) and equation (i), we get
Sol-lcl.
C= 95 KN/m?
Shearrstrength of.soil governs bearing capacity of soil,
tan = 0.1
sabilityofslopes, earth pressures on retaining structure
et,thereforethe strength of soil is mainly described by 23. Calculate the shear strength in terms of
s shearstrength. effective stress soil on a plane within a
saturated soilmass at a point where the total
21.Ifthe angle of internal friction (o) =30° for a normal stress is 295 KPa and pore water
soil, the angle of failure plane relative to the pressure is 120 kPa when c = 12 KPa and
major principle plane in a triaxial test will be: angle of internal friction is 30°. (take tan30 =
0.578)
(b) 30
(a) 135.64 KPa (b) 75.68 kPa
(c) 45° (d) 67.6°
ase (c) 113.15 kPa (d) 85.06 kPa

Sol-4a) Sol--c)
ne
Angle of failure plane relative to major principle plane in
atatiaxial test. Effective stress (G) = o-u

= 45+9 = 295 - 120 = 175 kPa

ane 2
Shear strength = C'+M tan 30°
30 = 60°
= 45+
be = 12 + 175 tan30°
der 2019 = 12 + 175 x 0.578
(30 OCT 2020 (Evening Session)
= 113.15 KPa
. Ashear box test was performed to give the
following results for a cohesive soil sample. 2019
(11 DEC 2020 (Evening Session)
Results : (1) (2)
Normal stress o (KN/m) 150 250 24. The unconfined strength of three types of
Shear stress at failure t (kN/Im) 110 120 cohesive soil : Soil A, Soil B and Soi! C
The value of C and are 35 kN/m?, 450 KNÍm² and 140 KN/m?
are.
108 kN/m?
respectively. Identify the correct statement
a) tan = 1.2 and c based on the consistency behaviour of soils.
kN/m?
(b) tan = 1.0 and c = 108 (a) Soil Ais categorised as Stiff, soilB is
(c) tan = 0.1 anndc = 95 kN/m? categorised as Hard and Soil C is
categorised Soft
(d) tan kN/m²
0.8 and c = 70
 Civil Engineering
776 SSC JE Previous Year Solved Papers
(b) Soil Ais categorised as Soft, soil B is When unconfined compressive strength of clay increases
categorised as Hard and Soil C is the consistency of soil changes from soft to hard.
categorised as Stiff. For the rapid assessment following table should be used
(c) Soil Ais categorised as Soft, soil B is Unconfined compressive Consistency
caterosied as Stiff and Soil C is strength (q) (KPa)
categorised as Hard. 0 - 24 Very soft

(d) Soil A is categorised as Hard, soil B is 24 48 Soft

categorised as Stiff and Soil C is 48 96 Medium

categorised as Soft. 96 - 192 Stiff
192 -383 Very stiff
So-(b) Hard
>383