Nouule 2 - !

"

veision 4 - 2u1S
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
7 Shear strength of soils
Foi any stiuctuie, the stability uepenus on stiength of the soil. The #$%&' #)'%*+)$ is the stiength
paiametei iequiieu to estimate the loau beaiing capacity of soils, stability of stiuctuies anu
analysing stiess-stiain ielationships. Sheai stiength is the inteinal fiictional iesistance of the soil
to sheaiing foices anu, thus, shoulu only be expiesseu as a function of !""!#$%&! stiess.
In ielation to sheai stiength, the soil may be cementeu oi un-cementeu. Nost soils aie un-
cementeu soils. Cementeu soils aie cementeu togethei by ion exchange oi ion substitution
(chemical bonuing). 0ne such example is calcite.
!,- ./$%#0/*1%## #/01#
Cohesionless soils aie those soils that can only be helu togethei by confining piessuie. Theii sheai
stiength is uue to the fiictional anu inteilocking iesistance between the inuiviuual soil paiticles.
Sheai stiength can be given by
!" = #' ) "'* tan #'
wheie !" is the sheai stiength of the soil
#$ is the effective cohesion
"$* is the effective noimal stiess acting on the sheai suiface
#$ is the effective (inteinal) fiiction angle
Foi a cohesionless mateiial, the effective cohesion (#') can be taken as u, so
! = "'* tan #'
Sheai stiength of a cohesionless mateiial is often ueteimineu by use of the +%,!#$ -.!/, $!-$ 0-%*1 /
-.!/, 234 (AS1289.6.2.2).


20+3'% !,- 4 uiiect sheai appaiatus
!!
!"
!
"
"
porous stones
Specimen
Box
loading plate
!- - BECEA2u1

veision S - 2u11
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
When a uense (well compacteu) cohesionless soil sheais, it tenus to uilate oi inciease in volume as
the paiticles sliu ovei each othei. 0n the othei hanu, when a loose (pooily compacteu)
cohesionless soil sheais, it tenus to ueciease volume oi contiact as the paiticles aie foiceu
togethei.

10
0
20
30
5 10 15
S
h
e
a
r

s
t
r
e
s
s

(
k
N
/
m
2
)
Initial ! = 0.423
(dense sample)
Initial ! = 0.605
(loose sample)
F
a
i
l
u
r
e

s
h
e
a
r

s
t
r
e
s
s
(
d
e
n
s
e

s
a
m
p
l
e
)
R
e
s
i
d
u
a
l

s
h
e
a
r

s
t
r
e
s
s
(
d
e
n
s
e

s
a
m
p
l
e
)
F
a
i
l
u
r
e

s
h
e
a
r

s
t
r
e
s
s
(
l
o
o
s
e

s
a
m
p
l
e
)
Possible grain
arrangement for
loose state
Possible grain
arrangement for
dense state
0 5 10 15
Shear displacement (mm)
- 0.1
0.2
0.1
0
initially dense sample
initially loose sample
%

C
h
a
n
g
e

i
n

s
a
m
p
l
e

v
o
l
u
m
e
Nouule 2 - !5

veision 4 - 2u1S
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u

20+3'% !,5 - Biiect sheai machine (ouometei)
A veitical foice (5) is applieu to the top of the sample, anu a sheai stiess (!) is giauually applieu,
causing the two halves of the box to move ielative to each othei. The sheai foice (!), sheai
uisplacement (%6) anu change in thickness of the specimen (%.) aie usually measuieu.
If thiee oi moie tests aie peifoimeu on the same mateiial with uiffeient noimal piessuies (5) anu
the stiess iequiieu to sheai the sample is ueteimineu (!), anu 5 plotteu against !, a stiaight line is
achieveu. The angle of this line fiom the hoiizontal is the effective fiiction angle (#'). The iesult of
such a plotting is shown below.

50
10 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20
100
90
80
70
60
Normal Stress (!)
(KPa)
S
h
e
a
r

s
t
r
e
s
s

(
!
)
(
K
P
a
)
!"
!6 - BECEA2u1

veision S - 2u11
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
789:;<7=
The following iesults weie obtaineu fiom a uiiect sheai test on a sanu.
Noimal stiess (kNm
2
) (5) Su 1uu 2uu Suu
Sheai stiess at failuie (kNm
2
)
(!)
S6 8u 1S4 2SS
1. Beteimine the value of the effective fiiction angle (#').
2. Woulu failuie occui in this soil if the sheai stiess ieacheu 122 kNm
2
whilst the effective
noimal stiess is 246 kNm
2
.

Plotting the points we get:

1. Neasuiing the angle of the line of best fit, we ueteimine #' = S8.
2. Plotting the point 5 = 246 anu ! = 122, we finu it is below the line of best fit. So theiefoie will not
piouuce failuie.
Normal Stress (!)
(KPa)
S
h
e
a
r

s
t
r
e
s
s

(
!
)
(
K
P
a
)
38
(246, 122)
Nouule 2 - !>

veision 4 - 2u1S
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
!,5 ./$%#0?% #/01#
To finu the sheai stiength of a cohesive mateiial, the $,%/4%/6 test (AS1289.6.4.1 anu 6.4.2) is often
useu. In this test, a sample of unuistuibeu soil is subjecteu to veitical stiess until it fails, whilst
having a confining lateial piessuie placeu on it.

!@ - BECEA2u1

veision S - 2u11
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
A uiagiammatic iepiesentation of the soil sample unueigoing testing is given below. The veitical
stiess is ! !
1
anu the lateial iestiaining piessuie is ! !
3
. The soil will tenu to sheai at an angle (&) as
shown in the uiagiam, with the iesulting sheai stiess 7!") being at the same angle. The stiess
peipenuiculai (noimal stiess) to the sheai is ! !
f
.

The sheai anu noimal stiesses can be mathematically calculateu fiom the veitical anu lateial
piessuies by the following foimulas.
! !
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!"#!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!"# !!
The Nohi ciicle is an easy way to show this giaphically.
(See http:www.efunua.comfoimulaesoliu_mechanicsmat_mechanicsmohi_ciicle.cfm foi moie
infoimation about Nohi ciicles).

!'
1
!'
3
!'
3
!
'
f
!'
1
"
#
f
!"
!"
#'
3
#'
f
#' #'
1
$
2$
%
%
f
C O
c'
P
Nouule 2 - !A

veision 4 - 2u1S
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
!" ! ! !"# !
!!
!

!"# !
!
!
! !
!
!
!"#
!
!"# !
!!
!
!!!
!
!"# !"# !
!!
!
!"#$" #& '"( !"#$ !!"#$"%& !"#$%&' !"#$%"#&
If seveial tiiaxial tests aie peifoimeu on samples of the same soil at vaiying lateial piessuies, we
get a seiies of Nohi ciicles anu we can ueteimine the effective cohesion (#$) anu the effective
fiiction angle (#$).
If the sample is uiaineu uuiing testing (excess poie watei piessuie in the sample is alloweu to
uissipate), the effective fiiction angle anu effective cohesion aie founu. If the sample is totally
sealeu, the fiiction angle (#) anu cohesion (#0) aie founu aie founu insteau. These values aie often
not the same as the effective values.
Lateial piessuie is supplieu by piessuiizing watei in a cell suiiounuing the sample 7"#). veitical
piessuie is supplieu by the piessuiizeu watei ("#) anu a plungei giauually incieasing foice
pushing uown on the sample ("8). The total veitical piessuie ("9) is then the sum of the piessuie
fiom the plungei anu the piessuiizeu watei ("8 + "#) anu the lateial piessuie (":) is the cell
piessuie ("#). The piessuie fiom the plungei is often calleu the ueviatoi piessuie.
Theie aie thiee basic types of tiiaxial tests, which aie:
a. 0nconsoliuateu, unuiaineu (00) oi quick test, wheie no uiainage of the sample is alloweu, anu
the veitical stiess is applieu to the specimen so iapiuly that no watei can escape oi uiain fiom
the test specimen uuiing the test. This test will always piouuce a value foi # of u foi satuiateu
cohesive soils, which is often uesciibeu as '# = u conuitions'. This test is often useu to finu the
cohesion (#0) - N0T the effective cohesion - of the soil. See the uiagiam below.

20+3'% !,6 4 Tiiaxial machine
!
"
!
#
!
"
!"#
!
!! - BECEA2u1

veision S - 2u11
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
a. Consoliuateu, unuiaineu (C0), wheie uiainage is alloweu uuiing the application of confining
piessuie (":), but no uiainage is alloweu uuiing the subsequent application of the veitical
stiess. The loauing is applieu iapiuly, as in the above (00) test. This test will usually piouuce #0
anu #0 values inteimeuiate to those iesulting fiom 00 anu CB tests peifoimeu on the same soil.
If we measuie the excess poie watei piessuie, we can then calculate #$. See the uiagiam below.

b. Consoliuateu, uiaineu (CB) oi slow test, wheie uiainage is peimitteu thioughout the test such
that no excess poie watei piessuie shoulu uevelop within the specimen. The loauing iate must
be sufficiently slow to allow full uissipation of poie watei piessuie. The test piouuces effective
sheai stiength paiameteis (#$ anu #$). Because it is so slow, this test is not often peifoimeu. See
the uiagiam below.

Note that uiaining the sample allows the poie watei to escape anu not iesist the veitical anu
lateial piessuies that we apply to the sample. If we uo not uiain the sample, we must subtiact the
excess poie watei piessuie fiom the total stiess to obtain the effective stiess (i.e. "' = " - 0).
Note also that the volume of a uiaineu sample changes as the poie watei escapes, so, to calculate
the coiiect piessuie applieu, you must take the changing volume (anu hence changing suiface
aiea) into account. In unuiaineu tests, the poie watei uoes not escape, so the volume uoes not
change.
Note that the 4 axis anu ; axes must have the same scale.
!
!"
!
#
!
!"
!
!"!!
"
#
!"
!
Nouule 2 - !B

veision 4 - 2u1S
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
789:;<7
What is the sheai stiength in teims of effective stiess on a plane within a satuiateu soil mass at a
point wheie the total noimal stiess is 29S kNm
2
anu the poie watei piessuie is 12u kNm
2
.
The effective stiess paiameteis foi the soil in this stiess iange aie
#$ = 12 anu #$ = Su.

We aie given " = 29S kNm
2
anu 0 = 12u kNm
2

Fiom the foimula foi effective piessuie
"$ = " - 0
we get "$ = 29S kNm
2
- 12u kNm
2
= 17S kNm
2

Fiom the foimula foi sheai stiength
!" = #' ) "'* tan #'
we get !" = 12 + 17S " tan Su = 11S kNm
2

!C - BECEA2u1

veision S - 2u11
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
789:;<7
The iesults in the table below weie obtaineu at failuie in a seiies of unuiaineu, unconsoliuateu
tiiaxial tests on samples of a satuiateu clay.
"! ""
17u 2uu
164 4uu
172 6uu
Beteimine the total stiess paiameteis.

Calculate "9
"! "# % "" "&
% "! ' ""
17u 2uu S7u
164 4uu S64
172 6uu 772
Plot the Nohi's ciicles anu uiaw a line neaiest the tangents of the ciicles.

The #0 is then the inteicept of the line with the ; axis (8S kNm
2
) anu # is the slope of the line (u).
!
!
!
"
200
200
800 600 400
Nouule 2 - B"

veision 4 - 2u1S
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
789:;<7
A seiies of uiaineu tiiaxial tests weie peifoimeu on the same clay, with the iesults in the table
below.
"! ""
SSu 2uu
691 4uu
1u2u 6uu
Beteimine the total stiess paiameteis.

Calculate "9
"! "# % "" "&
% "! ' ""
SSu 2uu SSu
691 4uu 1u91
1u2u 6uu 162u
Plot the Nohi's ciicles anu uiaw a line neaiest the tangents of the ciicles.

The ## is then the inteicept of the line with the ; axis (u kNm
2
) anu #$ is the slope of the line (27).
!" " #$%
!
&
!" !0"
200
200
600
400
800 1000 1600 1400 1200 600 400
B- - BECEA2u1

veision S - 2u11
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
789:;<7
A seiies of unuiaineu tiiaxial tests weie peifoimeu on the same sample, with the iesults in the
table below.
.%11 D'%##3'%
E""F
(kNm
2
)
G%?0&)/' D'%##3'%
E"!F
(kNm
2
)
;/'% D'%##3'% &)
H&013'% E(F
(kNm
2
)
1uu 94 S7
1Su 141 84
2uu 18S 114
Beteimine the fiiction angle using both total anu effective stiess.

veitical stiess is equal to the sum of cell piessuie anu ueviatoi piessuie
"9 < "8 ) ":
Effective stiess is equal to total stiess minus neutial stiess.
"' < " = 0
We then have:
"#
(kNm
2
)
"!
(kNm
2
)
"&
< ": ) "8
(kNm
2
)
(
(kNm
2
)
"$ &
< "9 = 0
(kNm
2
)
"$ #
< ": = 0
(kNm
2
)
1uu 94 194 S7 1S7 4S
1Su 141 291 84 2u7 66
2uu 18S S8S 114 271 86
Plot the Nohi's ciicles anu uiaw a line neaiest the tangents of the ciicles. The effective stiesses aie
uiawn with soliu lines anu the effective stiesses with uotteu lines.


Foi effective stiesses, the fiiction angle (#$) is the slope of the uotteu line (S1).
Foi total stiesses, the fiiction angle (#) is the slope of the solu line (18.S).
!" " #$%
! " $&'(%
!
)* )+ 100
100
400 300 200
Nouule 2 - B5

veision 4 - 2u1S
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
!,6 I$%&' #)'%*+)$ /H /?%'4J/*#/10K&)%K #/01#
A soil that has been ovei-consoliuateu will have highei values of cohesion anu inteinal fiiction
angle uue to the soil paiticles having been pusheu closei togethei than those in a noimally
consoliuateu soil. This is shown uiagiammatically below.

20+3'% !,> 4 7HH%J)0?% #$%&' :/$' %*?%1/D%

20+3'% !,@ 4 L/)&1 #$%&' :/$' %*?%1/D%
Note that #$#0 is the same foi both ovei anu noimally consoliuateu soils, but ##0 is gieatei foi ovei
consoliuateu soils than foi noimally consoliuateu soils. This is because ovei consoliuateu soils aie
uensei anu tenu to expanu on sheaiing. This cieates negative poie piessuies, incieasing effective
noimal stiess.
Note that Nohi envelopes foi ovei consoliuateu soils aie not stiaight lines. They ueviate away fiom
the noimally consoliuateu lines below the maximum pieconsoliuation stiess. The ueviation is not
usually veiy laige howevei
!"
!"
!
"#
NC soil
OC soil
preconsolidation
pressure
$#
!"
!
!"
!
"
NC soil
OC soil
#
!"
B6 - BECEA2u1

veision S - 2u11
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
! I%1H &##%##M%*) N3%#)0/*#
1. What is the sheai stiength in teims of effective stiess on a plane within a satuiateu soil
mass at a point wheie the total noimal stiess is 29S kNm
2
anu the poie watei piessuie is
12u kNm
2
. The effective stiength paiameteis foi the soil aie #' = 12 kNm
2
, anu #' = Su.
2. Bata obtaineu fiom a uiaineu tiiaxial test is as follows:
L%#) O/,
""
EP;&F
"! E&) H&013'%F
EP;&F
1 1uu 4S2
2 2uu 9u8
S 4uu 181u
4 8uu S624
Beteimine the uiaineu sheai paiameteis.
S. In a seiies of unconsoliuateu-unuiaineu tiiaxial tests on a fully satuiateu clay, the
following iesults weie obtaineu at failuie. Beteimine the values of the sheai paiameteis,
cu anu u.
L%#) O/,
""
EP;&F
"! E&) H&013'%F
EP;&F
1 2uu 222
2 4uu 218
S 6uu 22u
4. Bata obtaineu fiom a uiaineu tiiaxial test is as follows:
L%#) O/,
""
EP;&F
"! E&) H&013'%F
EP;&F
1 Su 191
2 1uu 226
S 1Su 261
Beteimine the uiaineu sheai paiameteis.
Nouule 2 - B>

veision 4 - 2u1S
!The State of Queenslanu (BETA) 2u1u
S. The iesults of thiee unuiaineu tiiaxial compiession tests (C0) on a fine giaineu soil aie:
L%#) O/,
""
EP;&F
"! E&) H&013'%F
EP;&F
( )&) H&013'%F
EP;&F
1 1uu 18u 7u
2 2uu Su8 1uS
S Suu 4S6 14u
Beteimine #' anu #'.
6. Bata obtaineu fiom an unuiaineu-unconsoliuateu tiiaxial test is as follows:
L%#) O/,
""
EP;&F
"! E&) H&013'%F
EP;&F
1 Su 16u
2 1uu 162
S 2uu 1S9
Beteimine #0 anu #0.
7. The iesults of thiee consoliuateu unuiaineu tiiaxial tests on a sample of a soil aie as
follows:
L%#) O/,
""
EP;&F
"! E&) H&013'%F
EP;&F
( )&) H&013'%F
EP;&F
1 2uu 244 SS
2 Suu S14 1u7
S 4uu S84 1S9
Beteimine #' anu #'.