FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

PASIR GUDANG

LABORATORY MANUAL

COURSE

BASIC SOIL MECHANICS

COURSE CODE

ECG303

LEVEL OF OPENNESS

CATEGORY

PARTIALLY OPEN ENDED

DEGREE OF OPEN-ENDED (%)

66

PERIOD OF ACTIVITY

1 WEEK (WEEK 5)

TITLE

Unconfined Compression Test(UCT)

1.1 Introduction
Level 2 laboratory activities refer to the condition where only the problem
is guided and given. Students are required to find the ways & means
and provide the answers to the given assignment using the group
creativity and innovativeness. The activity will enable the students to
appreciate independent learning and prepare them for a much harder
task of open ended laboratory activities.

PREAMBLE

In this laboratory activity, the students need to know shear strength of a

soil.It is maximum resistance to shearing stresses. It is usually
considered to be equal to the shear stress at failure on the failure plane.
The shear strength of soil mainly consists of the resistance due to
interlocking of particle and friction between individual particles at their
contact point i.e. internal friction and the resistance due to inter particle
forces which tend to hold the particles together in a soil mass, what so
called cohesion.
1.2 Objectives
To determine the undrained shear strength parameters of soil using
unconfined compression test.
1.3 Learning Outcomes
At the end of the laboratory activities, students would be able to:
1. Acquire the necessary skill in conducting test using appropriate tools
for unconfined compression test.
2. Determination and analyses shear strength parameters from the test.
3. Work in a group to produce the relevant technical report.

2 Problem Statement
PROBLEM STATEMENT

UCT is a special case of triaxial compression, carried out at zero cell

pressure. Since only one Mohr circle can be drawn, the test is only applicable
to fully saturated non-fissured clays, and only the undrained strength can be
measured. As a group, you are required to investigate the shear strength
parameters of a given soil sample.

FKA, UiTM PASIR GUDANG

Dis- March 2015

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PASIR GUDANG

LABORATORY MANUAL

3.1 Apparatus
The group must identify the availability of the chosen apparatus in the lab
before the right procedures can be identified.
3.2

Procedures
The group is required to search for the relevant procedure to carry out
the test based on the available apparatus in your laboratory. The
document must be made ready for verification by the instructor during
the laboratory activity.

WAYS & MEANS

3.3

Data Acquisition

All data collected and observed during the test must be tabulated in
proper format for easy verification and presentation of the technical
report.
4 Results, Analysis and Conclusion
RESULTS

The group is required to submit the technical report of the laboratory results
highlighting the apparatus used, the procedures undertaken for the test, data
acquisition process, analysis carried out and the relevancy of the set-out
output to address the given problem.
The report must be submitted 7 days after the completion of the test.

FKA, UiTM PASIR GUDANG

Dis- March 2015

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PASIR GUDANG

FKA, UiTM PASIR GUDANG

LABORATORY MANUAL

Dis- March 2015