Assignment 7

on
Shear Strength of Soil
[Date of submission: 28/04/2025 (FN)]

1. At a given site, the subsoil consists of a 10 m thick homogeneous sand stratum. The dry unit weight
of the soil is 15.5 kN/m3, and it has an angle of internal friction of 32°. The specific gravity of solids
is 2.68. Initially, the groundwater table (GWT) is located 6.5 m below the ground level (GL).
(i) Calculate the shear strength of the soil on a horizontal plane located at its midpoint.
(ii) Determine the percentage change in shear strength if the GWT rises to a level of 1.5 m below
GL during the monsoon, assuming that the void ratio remains constant.
2. A direct shear test was performed on a sample of dense sand in a shear box of size 6 cm x 6 cm.
The peak and ultimate shear load at failure were obtained as 270 N and 240 N, when the normal
load was held constant at 360 N. Draw the Mohr circle for the stress condition at failure and
determine
(a) the angle of shearing resistance of the soil,
(b) the orientation of the principal planes and magnitudes of the stresses acting on them,
(c) the orientation of the plane of maximum shear stress.
If a specimen of this soil were to be tested in a UU triaxial test at a cell pressure of 125 kPa, at what
deviator stress would the sample fail?
3. An unconfined compression test was performed on an undisturbed sample of normally consolidated
clay. The height and diameter of the sample were 76 mm and 38 mm, respectively. The load at
failure measured by the proving ring was 116.3 N, and the axial deformation of the sample recorded
at failure was 9.1 mm. When the test was repeated on a remoulded sample of the same soil, failure
occurred under a load of 68.5 N, the corresponding axial deformation being 11.5 mm. Determine
the unconfined compressive strength and the undrained shear strength of the clay in (i) undisturbed
and (ii) remoulded states. Also, determine the sensitivity of the soil and classify it accordingly.
4. In a CU triaxial test on a saturated normally consolidated clay, the sample was consolidated under
a stress of 200 kN/m2 and failed at an additional axial stress of 150 kN/m2. Determine the shear
strength parameters in terms of total stress. If ϕ' = 22° for the soil, what was the pore pressure at
failure? Determine the values of the principal stress ratios in terms of both the total and effective
stresses. Determine Skempton’s pore pressure parameters, A and B.
5. A CU triaxial test (under a cell pressure of 150 kN/m2) carried out on a saturated normally
consolidated clay showed that ϕu = 15°. If the pore pressure parameter A at failure was 0.92,
determine
(i) deviator stress and pore water pressure at failure,
(ii) the values of c' and ϕ' for the soil,
(iii) the values of principal effective stresses at failure.

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6. In an in situ vane shear test on a saturated clay at the bottom of a borehole, a torque of 35 Nm was
required to shear the soil. The diameter and length of the vane were 50 mm and 100 mm,
respectively. Calculate the undrained shear strength of the clay.
The vane was then rotated rapidly to cause remoulding of the soil. The torque required to shear the
soil in the remoulded state was 5 Nm. Determine the sensitivity of the soil and classify it
accordingly.
7. The representative liquid limit and plastic limit values of a saturated, normally consolidated clay
deposit are 60% and 30%, respectively. The GWT is at 8 m below the GL. The bulk and saturated
unit weights of the soil are 17.5 kN/m3 and 19 kN/m3, respectively. Estimate the undrained shear
strength of the soil at a depth of 10 m from the ground surface.
8. The following are the results of a set of drained triaxial tests performed on three identical soil
samples, each having a diameter of 38 mm and a height of 76 mm:
Sample Cell pressure Deviator load Change in Axial deformation
No. (kPa) at failure (N) volume (cc) (mm)
1 50 71.1 0.9 5.1
2 100 85.9 1.3 7.0
3 150 95.6 1.6 9.1
Determine the effective strength parameters c' and ϕ' by the Mohr circle method and the stress path
method.
9. An embankment is being built of a soil whose effective shear strength parameters are:
c' = 100 kN/m2 and ϕ' = 20°; the unit weight is equal to 17 kN/m3. The pore pressure parameters A
and B, as determined by the triaxial shear tests, are 0.6 and 0.8, respectively. The height of the
embankment has just been raised from 5 m to 8 m. Determine the shear strength of the soil at the
base of the embankment. Assume that the dissipation of pore pressure during this stage of the
construction is negligible, and that the lateral pressure at any point is one-half of the vertical
pressure.

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