Direct Shear Test

CEP 701 PG Lab

Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion

(in terms of total stresses)

f c tan
failu

Cohesio
n

re

pe
o
l
e
env

Friction
angle

f is the maximum shear stress the soil can take without

failure, under normal stress of .

Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion

(in terms of effective stresses)

f c' ' tan '

Effectiv
e
cohesio
n

re
u
l
i
a
f

pe
o
l
e
env

' u

u = pore water
pressure

Effective
friction
angle

f is the maximum shear stress the soil can take without

failure, under normal effective stress of .

Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion

Shear strength consists of two
components: cohesive and frictional.

f c' ' f tan '

f tan
c
f

i ve t
s
e
coh ponen
com

'

frictional
compone
nt

Normal stresses and shear stresses on any plane can be obtained

with the following equations

Principal stresses

or

Mohr Circle of stress

1

Soil element

1
Resolving forces in and directions,

1' 3'

Sin 2
2
'
'
'
'

' 1 3 1 3 Cos 2
2
2

'

'
1

' 2
3

' 2
3

'
1

Mohr Circle of stress

1

Soil element

'

'
1

' 2
3

' 2
3

'
1

1' 3'
2

3'

1' 3'
2

1'

Mohr Circle of stress

1

Soil element

'

'
1

' 2
3

' 2
3

'
1

3'

1' 3'
2

1' 3'
2

PD = Pole w.r.t. plane

1'

Mohr Circles & Failure Envelope

Failure surface

f c' ' tan '

Soil elements at different locations

Y ~ stable
X ~ failure

Direct shear test

NEED AND SCOPE
In many engineering problems such as

design of foundation,

retaining walls,

slab bridges,

pipes,

sheet piling,
The value of the angle of internal friction and cohesion of the
soil involved are required for the design.

Direct shear test is used to predict these parameters quickly.

Direct shear test

1. This test is performed to determine the
consolidated - drained shear strength of a sandy to
silty soil.
2. The shear strength is one of the most important
engineering properties of a soil, because it is
required whenever a structure is dependent on the
soils shearing resistance.
3. The shear strength is needed for engineering
situations such as determining the stability of
slopes or cuts, finding the bearing capacity for
foundations, and calculating the pressure exerted
by a soil on a retaining wall.

Apparatus
1.

Direct shear box apparatus

2.

Loading frame (motor attached).

3.

Dial gauge.

4.

Proving ring.

5.

Tamper.

6.

Straight edge.

7.

Balance to weigh upto 200 mg.

8.

Aluminum container.

9.

Spatula.

PROCEDURE

Check the inner dimension of the soil container.

Put the parts of the soil container together.

Calculate the volume of the container. Weigh the

container.

Place the soil in smooth layers (approximately 10 mm

thick). If a dense sample is desired tamp the soil.

Weigh the soil container, the difference of these two is

the weight of the soil. Calculate the density of the soil.

Make the surface of the soil plane.

Put the upper grating on stone and loading block on top

of soil.

Direct shear test

Direct shear test is most suitable for consolidated drained tests
specially on granular soils (e.g.: sand) or stiff clays

Preparation of a sand specimen

Porous
plates

Components of the shear box

Preparation of a sand specimen

Direct shear test

Preparation of a sand specimen

Leveling the top surface

of specimen

Pressure plate

Specimen preparation
completed

Direct shear test

Test procedure

Steel ball
Pressure plate

Porous
plates
S

Proving ring
to measure
shear force

Step 1: Apply a vertical load to the specimen and wait for consolidation

Direct shear test

Test procedure

Steel ball
Pressure plate

Porous
plates
S

Proving ring
to measure
shear force

Step 1: Apply a vertical load to the specimen and wait for consolidation
Step 2: Lower box is subjected to a horizontal displacement at a constant rate

PROCEDURE
8. Measure the thickness of soil specimen.
9. Apply the desired normal load.
10. Remove the shear pin.
11. Attach the dial gauge which measures the change of volume.
12. Record the initial reading of the dial gauge and calibration values.
13. Before proceeding to test check all adjustments to see that there is
no connection between two parts except sand/soil.
14. Start the motor. Take the reading of the shear force and record the
reading.
15. Take volume change readings till failure.
16. Add 5 kg normal stress 0.5 kg/cm2 and continue the experiment till
failure
17. Record carefully all the readings. Set the dial gauges zero, before
starting the experiment

Direct shear test

Shear box

Dial gauge to
measure vertical
displacement

Proving ring
to measure
shear force

Loading frame to
apply vertical load

Dial
gauge
to
measure horizontal
displacement

Direct shear test

Analysis of test results

Normal force (P)

Normal stress
Area of cross section of the sample
Shear resistance developed at the sliding surface (S)
Shear stress
Area of cross section of the sample
Note: Cross-sectional area of the sample changes with the horizontal
displacement

Direct shear tests on sands

Stress-strain relationship
Shear stress,

Dense sand/
OC clay

f
f

Loose sand/
NC clay

Expansion
Compression

Change in height
of the sample

Shear displacement

Dense sand/OC Clay

Shear displacement

Loose sand/NC Clay

Direct shear tests on sands

How to determine strength parameters c and

Shear stress at failure,

Normal stress = 2

f3

f2

f1

Normal stress = 1

Shear displacement

Mohr Coulomb failure envelope

Normal stress,

Shear stress,

Normal stress = 3

Direct shear tests on sands

Some important facts on strength parameters c and of sand

Sand is cohesionless
hence c = 0

Direct shear tests are

drained
and
pore
water pressures are
dissipated, hence u =
0
Therefore,
= and c = c = 0

Direct shear tests on clays

In case of clay, horizontal displacement should be applied at a very
slow rate to allow dissipation of pore water pressure (therefore, one
test would take several days to finish)
Failure envelopes for clay from drained direct shear tests

Normally consolidated clay (c = 0)

Normal force,

Shear stress at failure,

Overconsolidated clay (c 0)

Interface tests on direct shear apparatus

In many foundation design problems and retaining wall problems, it
is required to determine the angle of internal friction between soil
and the structural material (concrete, steel or wood)
P

Soil

Foundation material

f ca ' tan

Where,
ca = adhesion,
= angle of internal friction

Advantages of direct shear apparatus

Due to the smaller thickness of the sample, rapid drainage can
be achieved
Can be used to determine interface strength parameters
Clay samples can be oriented along the plane of weakness or
an identified failure plane

Disadvantages of direct shear apparatus

Failure occurs along a predetermined failure plane
Area of the sliding surface changes as the test progresses
Non-uniform distribution of shear stress along the failure surface