1

CE-335L: Geotechnical Engineering-II (Lab)

Lecture-3
Experiment No-3
Unconfined
Compression
test
Engr.Sajid Sharif, BSc(Uet Peshawar) (Gold Medalist)
MTO
Department of Civil Engineering,
MCE Risalpur, KP, Pakistan.
E-mail: [email protected] 2
Lecture contents

• Introduction to unconfined compression test

• Standard reference
• Significance of the test
• Apparatus
• Test procedure
• Analysis of test procedure
• Observations and calculations
• Results

3
Introduction to unconfined compression test

The unconfined compressive strength of cohesive soil, 𝒒𝒖, is defined as the load per unit area at
which an unconfined cylindrical specimen of soil will fail in a simple compression test.

The primary purpose of this test is to determine the unconfined compressive strength, which is then used
to calculate the unconsolidated undrained shear strength of the clay under unconfined conditions.

The unconfined compressive strength is taken as the maximum load attained per unit area, or the
load per unit area at 15% axial strain, whichever occurs first during the performance of a test.

4
Introduction to unconfined compression test

Shear strength of a soil can be given by the Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria as

𝑟 = 𝒄 + 𝝈′ 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝝋
Where 𝑟 = shear strength
𝒄 = cohesion
𝝈 ′ = effective stress
𝝋 = angle of friction

For undrained tests of saturated clayey soils (𝝋 = 𝟎)

Therefore 𝑟 = 𝒄𝒖
Where 𝒄𝒖 = undrained cohesion OR undrained shear strength

5
Introduction to unconfined compression test

The unconfined compression test is a quick method of determining the value of 𝒄𝒖 for a clayey soil.
The unconfined strength is given by the relation
𝒒𝒖
𝒄𝒖 =
𝟐

Where 𝒒𝒖 = unconfined compression strength

The unconfined compression strength is determined by applying an axial stress to a cylindrical soil
specimen with no confining pressure and observing the axial strains corresponding to various stress
levels.

6
Introduction to unconfined compression test

The stress at which failure in the soil specimen occurs is referred to as the unconfined compression
strength.

For saturated clay specimens, the unconfined compression strength decreases with the increase in
moisture content.

For unsaturated soils, with the dry unit weight remaining constant, the unconfined compression
strength decreases with the increase in the degree of saturation.

7
Standard reference

ASTM D 2166 - Standard Test Method for Unconfined Compressive Strength of Cohesive Soil

8
Significance of the test
For soils, the undrained shear strength (𝑟𝒖) is necessary for the determination of the bearing capacity
of foundations, dams, etc.
The undrained shear strength ( 𝑟𝒖 ) of clays is commonly determined from an unconfined compression
test.

The undrained shear strength ( 𝑟𝒖 ) of a cohesive soil is equal to one-half the unconfined compressive

strength (𝒒𝒖) when the soil is under the 𝜑 = 0 condition (𝜑 = the angle of internal friction).

The most critical condition for the soil usually occurs immediately after construction, which represents
undrained conditions, when the undrained shear strength is basically equal to the cohesion (c).

9
Significance of the test

This is expressed as:

𝒒𝒖
𝑟 𝒖 = 𝒄𝒖 =
𝟐

Then, as time passes, the pore water in the soil slowly dissipates, and the inter-granular stress
(effective stress) increases, so that the drained shear strength (𝑟) given by following equation must be
used.

𝑟 = 𝒄 + 𝝈′ 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝝋
Where 𝒄 and 𝝋 are drained shear strength parameters.
10
Apparatus

• Unconfined compression testing device.

• Load and deformation dial gauges
• Specimen trimmer and accessories (if undisturbed field specimen is used).
• Harvard miniature compaction device and accessories (if a specimen is to be molded for classroom work).
• Scale.
• Balance sensitive to 0.01 g.
• Oven
• Moisture can
• Porcelain evaporating dish.

11
Apparatus

Fig: 3.1 Unconfined compression test equipment A, B, C and D

12
Test procedure

• Extrude the soil sample from Shelby tube sampler.

• Cut a soil specimen so that the ratio (L/d) is approximately between 2 and 2.5. Where L and d
are the length and diameter of soil specimen, respectively.

• Measure the exact diameter of the top of the specimen at three locations 120° apart, and then
make the same measurements on the bottom of the specimen.

• Average the measurements and record the average as the diameter on the data sheet.

• Measure the exact length of the specimen at three locations 120° apart, and then average the
measurements and record the average as the length on the data sheet.

13
Test procedure

• Weigh the sample and record the mass on the data sheet.

• Calculate the deformation (∆𝑳) corresponding to 15% strain (𝗌)

∆𝑳
Strain (𝗌)=
𝑳𝟎
Where 𝑳𝟎 = Original specimen length

• Carefully place the specimen in the compression device and center it on the bottom plate.

• Adjust the device so that the upper plate just makes contact with the specimen and set the load
and deformation dials to zero.

14
Test procedure

• Apply the load so that the device produces an axial strain at a rate of 0.5% to 2.0% per minute,
and then record the load and deformation dial readings on the data sheet at every 20 to 50
divisions on deformation the dial. The rate of strain should be chosen so that the time to
failure does not exceed about 15 min.
• Keep applying the load until
1) The load (load dial) decreases on the specimen significantly.
2) The load holds constant for at least four deformation dial readings.
3) The deformation is significantly past the 15% strain.
• Draw a sketch to depict the sample failure.
• Remove the sample from the compression device and obtain a sample for water content
determination.

15
Analysis of test procedure

• Convert the dial readings to the appropriate load and length units, and enter these values on the
data sheet in the deformation and total load columns.

• Confirm that the conversion is done correctly, particularly proving dial gage readings
conversion into load.
• Compute the sample cross-sectional area 𝒐 𝑨 𝟒= 𝝅
× 𝒅𝟐 .
• Compute the strain, 𝗌 = ∆𝑳
. 𝑳𝟎

• Computed the corrected area 𝑨 ′ = 𝑨𝒐

𝟏−𝗌.

• Using 𝐴 ′ , compute the specimen stress 𝝈 ′ = 𝑷

.
𝑨𝘍

16
Analysis of test procedure

• Compute the water content, 𝒘%.

• Plot the stress versus strain. Show 𝒒𝒖 (unconfined compression strength) as the peak stress
(or at 15% strain) of the test.

• Be sure that the strain is plotted on the abscissa.

• Draw Mohr’s circle using 𝒒𝒖 from the last step and show the undrained shear stress
𝑟 𝒖 = 𝒄𝒖 (or cohesion) = 𝒒𝟐𝒖

17
Observations and calculations

Observation Table 3.1 Determination of water content

Diameter (d) = Moisture can number - Lid number

Length (𝐿0) = MC = Mass of empty, clean can + lid (grams)

Mass = MCMS = Mass of can, lid, and moist soil (grams)

Area (𝐴0) = MCDS = Mass of can, lid, and dry soil (grams)
Volume = MS = Mass of soil solids (grams)
Wet density = MW = Mass of pore water (grams)
Water content (𝑤%) = W = Water content, w%

Dry density (𝜌𝑑) =

18
Observations and calculations

Calculations
Table 3.2 Unconfined Compression Test Data
(Deformation Dial: 1 unit = 0.10mm, Load Dial: 1 unit = 0.3154 lb.)

19
Results

Fig. 3.2 Stress-strain curve

20
Results

Fig. 3.3 Mohr’s circle

21
Results

From the stress-strain curve and Mohr’s circle:

Unconfined compressive strength (𝒒𝒖) =

Cohesion (c) or undrained shear strength =

22
 Thank you
CE-335L-Geotechnical Engineering-II (Lab)
Course Instructor, 23
Dr. M. Safdar, EEC UET Peshawar.