Shear Strength Theory

CIVL 354 – Soil Mechanics –

Classroom Notes
Introduction

• The shear strength theory is first presented by Mohr (1900), by a

theory for rupture in materials. The shear stress was previously
defined as a linear function of normal stress by Coulomb (1776).

• Based on Mohr’s theory, there is a critical combination of normal

stress and shear stress acting on a plane which creates failure at a
point in a soil mass.
Introduction: why do we need to study shear strength ?

• The shear strength of soils are required for the analysis of soil
stability problems such as; bearing capacity, slope stability and
lateral pressure

• Leaning Tower of Pisa, Transcona Grain Elevator Collapse. (1913)

Introduction: why do we need to study shear strength ?

• Taiwan Landslide 2010.

Introduction: why do we need to study shear strength ?

• Singapore 2004.
Theory
• Any load applied to a soil mass will produce stresses of varying
intensity and as a result deformations. The consequences of this
mechanism requires consideration under two main topics;

– The possibility of SHEAR FAILURE in the soil.

– The magnitude of deformations (settlement or lateral displacement).

• Shear Failure: since soil is a particulate material, failure is primarily

by rolling and slipping of grains (not via tension or compression
alone) between two well-defined-by-nature planes or surfaces.
These planes are called slip-planes. Soils fail along slip planes in a
shearing mode.
Theory
• The shear strength of soils are mobilised by two main
mechanisms;
– Particle to particle bonding or interparticle friction.
• A siginificant contributor to shear resistance of cohesive soils.
– Particle to particle interlocking and/or interlocking of the soil particulate
system.
• A significant contributor to shear resistance of cohesionless soils.

• Some possible shear failure modes requiring shear strength

evaluation,
Theory
• The shear strength is not a unique value for a soil type but changes
significantly with the following factors:

– Soil state (void ratio, grain size, grain shape).

– Soil type (clay, silt, sand, gravel etc.).
– Water content (particularly for clay soils).
– Loading type and rate (rapid loading saturated cohesive soils creates excess
pore water pressure and hence shearing takes place in undrained
condition).
– Anisotropy (strength normal to bedding plane may be different from that of
the parallel).
Theory – two dimensional stress at a point
• Consider the soil element shown in the following sketches, which provide free
body diagram of a soil element. The resulting equations developed by Mohr
(1882), presents a graphical means of obtaining stresses at a point.
Theory – two dimensional stress at a point
• Assuming that the soil element is 1 unit in thickness, and the length AB is also 1 unit. s1 and s3 are
principal stresses acting on principal planes BC and AC respectively at element faces. AB can be
considered to be the failure plane inclined with an angle of q corresponding to the horizontal.
Theory – Mohr Circle of Stresses
• Rewriting the above to solve for shear stress and normal stress at a s1 and s3 applied to the soil
element gives,

• These are the parametric equations of a circle of stress in the XY plane known as a Mohr-Diagram
(created by Otto Mohr in 1882) to obtain the stresses at a point by graphical means.
Theory – Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
• The shear strength of a soil (tf) at a point on a particular slip plane was originally expressed by
Coulomb (in the late 1700s) as a linear function of the normal stresses (sf) on the plane at the same
point:

𝜏𝑓 = 𝑐 + 𝜎𝑓 tan ∅
where, 𝑐 and ∅ are cohesion intercept and angle of shearing resistance (or internal angle of
friction), respectively.

• According to Terzaghi’s fundamental concept that shear stress in a soil can be resisted only by the
solid grains (i.e. skeleton of solid particles), shear strength is expressed as a function of effective
normal stress:

𝜏𝑓 = 𝑐 + 𝜎𝑓  tan ∅

• When Mohr Circle is applied to represent the state of stress, then tf will be a linearly increasing line
tangent to the Mohr Circle at the point where a critical combination of shear stress and effective
normal stress develops, also called point of failure.
Theory - Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
• If a number of stress states producing shear failure in soil are known, these can be represented
using Mohr Circles, from which a failure envelope can be drawn by a common tangent to these
Mohr Circles.
Laboratory Determination of Shear Strength Parameters

• The shear strength parameters based on the Mohr-Coulomb

Failure criteria are;
c’: cohesion, f’: internal angle of friction

• The shear strength in cohesive soils is mobilised in undrained

condition immediately after the loading, which is termed as
undrained shear strength, cu. In the long term, as the effective
stress increases with dissipation of excess pore water pressure, the
shear strength mobilised converges to the drained shear strength,
which can be represented by Mohr-Coulomb Theory using c’ and
f’.
• For cohesionless soils, the shear strength mobilisation takes place
in the drained state represented with Mohr-Coulomb Theory using
c’ and f’.
Laboratory Determination of Shear Strength Parameters

• The most common laboratory tests for the measurement of shear

strength characteristics of soils are;

– Unconfined Compression test

– Vane Shear Test
– Direct Shear Box Test
– Triaxial Compression Test
Unconfined Compression Test (Uniaxial Compressive Strength
test)
• Only applicable to cohesive soils.
• A cylindrical soil sample is loaded
with a compressive force until
failure is obtained.
• The force applied at failure is
noted as well as the axial
deformation of the sample.

qu = s1 = compressive stress at failure

= P/Ac

where, Ac = area corrected = A/(1-ea)

and,
ea = DH / H0
Vane Shear Test
Vane Shear Test
• Only applicable to cohesive soils. The test can be applied in the
laboratory on undisturbed samples or insitu.

• A cylindrical soil sample contained in a sampling mold is used.

• A vane with four blades is inserted into the sample and a torque
is applied until failure is obtained. The applied torque is then
equated to the undrained shear strength using circumferential
shear stress developed along the shaft formed by the rotation of
the vane.
Direct Shear Box Test
• Shear failure of the soil sample along a thin, pre-determined slip plane is measured. The test is
carried out under a constant normal stress applied vertically to the sample. The bottom half of the
box is moved laterally with respect to the top half, which is connected to a load ring for
measurement of the shear forces developed along the slip plane.
Direct Shear Box Test
• During testing, the shear resistance, horizontal displacement and vertical displacement of the
sample is measured.
Direct Shear Box Test
• The horizontal displacement measurement at failure is used to estimate the area of the slip plane, 𝐴𝑓 ,
and considering the shear force at failure, 𝑇, one can also calculate the shear stress at failure as
𝑇 𝑁
𝜏𝑓 = , and also, normal stress is calculated as, 𝜎𝑛 =
𝐴𝑓 𝐴𝑓
𝐴0
where, 𝐴𝑓 =
∆𝑙
1+ 𝑓 𝐿0
Carrying out the test three times under various normal
stresses, the failure envelope can be plotted as;

𝜏𝑓
𝐿0 ∆𝑙𝑓

∅
𝑐

𝜎𝑛
Direct Shear Box Test
• Typical behaviour obtained in the test results are plotted in the following figures,
Triaxial Test
• Cassagrande (1930), was the first the develop triaxial testing equipment which is capable of
testing soils in three dimensional stress state. Detailed testing methods were later published by
Bishop and Henkel (1962). Triaxial test is widely used as it is suitable for all types of soils and have
the advantage of simulating the insitu sress state best compared to other shear strength tests.
• In the most common types of triaxial test, a cylindrical soil sample is loaded with an all round
pressure (confining stress) to simulate the insitu effective stress, and once the insitu stress state is
attained the shear strength behaviour is tested by applying a compressive stress. The test can be
carried out by an effective control of the drainage conditions, hence both undrained and drained
behaviour can be measured. During the test, pore water pressure and/or volume change
measurements can be carried out.
Triaxial Test
s1: major principal stress = s3 + Ds
Ds: Deviator stress
(compressive stress)

s3: All-round
pressure
Triaxial Test
• In a triaxial compression test, the all-round pressure applied is the minor principal stress s3, and
the major principal stress then becomes the total of the all-round pressure and the compressive
stress applied;

𝜎2  = 𝜎3  in a standard triaxial test

𝜎1  = 𝜎3  + ∆𝜎

• The maximum shear stress at failure occurs along the weakest plane in the sample, which is
inclined with an angle of  from the horizontal, where  = 45 + f/2 (slip plane, failure plane). If the
test is carried out three times under various all-round pressures, then a failure envelope can be
drawn by the help of Mohr Circles.

• In the triaxial test, the drainage conditions can be controlled. Hence, if drainage is allowed during
the test, i.e. the test is carried out without allowing for excess pore water pressures to develop,
then the effective shear strength parameters can be measured.
Triaxial Test
• The following standard triaxial compression tests can be carried out.
Unconsolidated Undrained
(UU, quick shear test)
• All round pressure is
applied.
• Then the axial compressive
stress is applied without
allowing drainage.
• Pore water pressure is not
measured.
• Undrained shear strength,
cu, is measured.
𝐴0
𝐴𝑓 =
∆𝑯𝑓
1− 𝑯0
Consolidated Undrained (CU)
• In Stage 1, all round
pressure is applied.
• Drainage is allowed to
enable consolidation of the
sample.
• In Stage 2, drainage lines
are closed and axial
compressive stress is
applied in the undrained
condition.
• Pore water pressure
measurements are
recorded.
• Both, total and effective
stress parameters are
measured, i.e. cu, fu and
c, f .
Stage 1 requires volume and axial
deformation correction, Stage 2
requires axial deformation
correction only.
Consolidated Drained (CD)
• Stage 1 same as CU test,
• However, in Stage 2,
drainage lines are kept
open, and the axial
compression is applied at a
slow rate such that excess
pore water pressures are
not developed.
• effective stress parameters
are measured, c, and f.
∆𝑽𝑓
𝐴0 1 − 𝑽0
𝐴𝑓 =
∆𝑯𝑓
1− 𝑯0
Triaxial Test
• Typical behaviour measured in standard triaxial compression tests are presented in the following.
Triaxial Test
• Typical behaviour measured in standard triaxial compression tests are presented in the following.
Triaxial Test
Triaxial Test
Triaxial Test
 References
• R.F. Craig, “Soil mechanics”.
• B.M. Das, “Fundamentals of Geotechnical Engineering”.