Shear Strength of Soils

1
 Would you like this to happen?

 The failure occurs because the shear strength of the soil is exceeded.

 We need to determine the soil’s shear strength and design the slope so
that the shear stress imposed is not greater than the shear strength of
the soil.
Shear failure of soils - Embankment

Embankment Failure
Shear failure of soils – Retaining wall
 Strength of different materials

Steel Concrete Soil

Tensile Compressive Shear

strength strength strength

Presence of pore water

Complex
behavior
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 What is Shear Strength?
• Shear strength in soils is the resistance
to movement between particles due to
physical bonds from:
a. Particle interlocking
b. Atoms sharing electrons at surface contact
points
c. Chemical bonds (cementation) such as
crystallized calcium carbonate

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 Introduction
• The shear strength of a soil mass is the internal
resistance per unit area that the soil mass can offer to
resist failure and sliding along any plane inside it.

• The capability of the following comes from the soil

shear strength :
 Support loading from structure
 Support its own overburden
 Sustain slope in equilibrium
Soil derives its shear strength from two sources:

 Cohesion between particles (stress independent

component) - c
 Cementation between particle grains.
 Electrostatic attraction between clay particles.
 Predominant in clayey soils.

 Frictional resistance between particles (stress

dependent component) - 
 Strength gained from internal frictional resistance
(interlocking action among soil particles).
 Predominant in granular soils.
Shear Strength of Soil by Dr. Amizatulhani Abdullah
 COHESION

Shear Strength of Soil by Dr. Amizatulhani Abdullah

 INTERNAL FRICTION

Shear strength is not a unique property of a soil but depends

on many factors.
Shear Strength of Soil by Dr. Amizatulhani Abdullah
 Influencing Factors on Shear
Strength
• The shearing strength, is affected by:
– soil composition: mineralogy, grain size and grain size
distribution, shape of particles, pore fluid type and content,
ions on grain and in pore fluid.

– Initial state: State can be describe by terms such as:

loose, dense, over-consolidated, normally consolidated,
stiff, soft, etc.

– Structure: Refers to the arrangement of particles within the

soil mass; the manner in which the particles are packed or
distributed. Features such as layers, voids, pockets,
cementation, etc, are part of the structure.
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 Shear Strength of Soil
• In reality, a complete shear strength formulation
would account for all previously stated factors.

• Soil behavior is quite complex due to the

possible variables stated.

• Laboratory tests commonly used:

– Direct Shear Test
– Unconfined Compression Testing.
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Soil Failure and shear strength.
strength
• Soil failure usually occurs in the form of
“shearing” along internal surface within the
soil.
• Thus, structural strength is primarily a
function of shear strength.
• Shear strength is a soils’ ability to resist
sliding along internal surfaces within the
soil mass.
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Slope Stability: Failure is an
Example of Shearing Along
Internal Surface

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Mass Wasting: Shear Failure

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Shear Failure: Earth Dam

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Shear Failure Under Foundation
Load

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 Shear failure
Soils generally fail in shear

embankment

strip footing

mobilized shear
resistance

failure surface

At failure, shear stress along the failure surface

reaches the shear strength.
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Shear failure

failure surface
The soil grains slide over
each other along the
failure surface.

No crushing of
individual grains.

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 Shear failure mechanism




At failure, shear stress along the failure surface ()

reaches the shear strength (f).
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 Shear failure of soils
Soils generally fail in shear

Retaining
wall

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 Shear failure of soils
Soils generally fail in shear

Mobilized
Retaining
shear
wall
resistance

Failure
surface

At failure, shear stress along the failure surface

(mobilized shear resistance) reaches the shear strength.
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 Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion

 f  c   tan 
e lo p e 
re env
failu
friction angle
cohesion
f
c


f is the maximum shear stress the soil can take
without failure, under normal stress of . 23
 Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
(in terms of total stresses)


 f  c   tan 
elope 
re env
failu
Friction angle
Cohesion
f
c



f is the maximum shear stress the soil can take without

failure, under normal stress of 24.
 Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
(in terms of effective stresses)


 f  c' ' tan  '

 '  u
elope ’
re env u = pore water
a ilu
Effective
f pressure
cohesion Effective
f friction angle
c’
’ ’

f is the maximum shear stress the soil can take without

failure, under normal effective stress of ’.
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 Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
Shear strength consists of two components:
cohesive and frictional.


 f  c' ' f tan  '

f
’f tan ’ frictional
’ on en t component
e c omp
c’ c’ i v
co h es
’f '

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 Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
Shear strength consists of two components:
cohesive and frictional.


f
 f  c   f tan 
f tan 
 onent frictional
comp component
e
c esiv
c coh

f 
c and  are measures of shear strength.
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Higher the values, higher the shear strength.
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Determination of shear strength parameters of
soils (c, orc’’

Laboratory tests on Field tests

specimens taken from
representative undisturbed
samples

Most common laboratory tests 1. Vane shear test

to determine the shear strength 2. Torvane
parameters are, 3. Pocket penetrometer
4. Fall cone
1.Direct shear test 5. Pressuremeter
2.Triaxial shear test 6. Static cone penetrometer
7. Standard penetration test
Other laboratory tests include,
Direct simple shear test, torsional
ring shear test, plane strain triaxial
test, laboratory vane shear test, 31
laboratory fall cone test
Laboratory tests
Field conditions

A representative
soil sample
z z
vc vc + 

hc hc hc hc

vc vc + 

Before construction After and during

construction 32
 vc + 
Laboratory tests
t hc hc
Simulating field conditions s
l te
in the laboratory
0 xia
vc r a vc + 
T
Di vc
0 0 hc hc rect
sh
ea 
r te
st
0 vc 

Representative Step 1 vc

soil sample Step 2
taken from the Set the specimen in
site the apparatus and Apply the
apply the initial corresponding field
stress condition stress conditions
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Direct shear test
Schematic diagram of the direct shear apparatus

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 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

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Direct shear test
Preparation of a sand specimen Pressure plate

Leveling the top surface Specimen preparation

of specimen completed

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 Direct shear test
P Steel ball
Test procedure
Pressure plate
Porous
plates

Proving ring
to measure
shear force

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

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 Direct shear test
P Steel ball
Test procedure
Pressure plate
Porous
plates

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 constant38rate

Direct shear test
Dial gauge to
measure vertical
Shear box displacement

Proving ring
to measure
shear force

Loading frame to Dial gauge to

apply vertical load measure horizontal
displacement

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 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

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Direct shear tests on sands
Stress-strain relationship

 Dense sand/
OC clay
f


stress,
Shear
Loose sand/
f NC clay

Shear displacement
Expansion
Change in height
of the sample

Dense sand/OC Clay

Shear displacement
Compression

Loose sand/NC Clay

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Direct shear tests on sands
How to determine strength parameters c and 

Normal stress =  3


Normal stress =  2
stress,
Shear

Normal stress =  1
 f2
 f1
 f3
Shear displacement

Mohr – Coulomb failure envelope

Shear stress at


f



failure,

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Normal stress,
Direct shear tests on sands
Some important facts on strength parameters c and  of sand

Direct shear tests are

Sand is cohesionless drained and pore
hence c = 0 water pressures are
dissipated, hence u =
0
Therefore,
’ =  and c’ = c = 0

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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

Overconsolidated clay (c’ ≠ 0)

Normally consolidated clay (c’ = 0)

Shear stress at

’
f



failure,

Normal force,


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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
S

Foundation material

 f  ca   ' tan 
Where,
ca = adhesion,
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= angle of internal friction
Triaxial Shear Test
Piston (to apply deviatoric stress)

Failure plane
O-ring

impervious
membrane
Soil sample Soil
at failure sample
Porous
Perspex stone
cell
Water

Cell pressure
Back pressure Pore pressure or
pedestal volume change

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Triaxial Shear Test
Specimen preparation (undisturbed sample)

Sampling tubes

Sample extruder47
Triaxial Shear Test
Specimen preparation (undisturbed sample)

Edges of the sample Setting up the sample

are carefully trimmed in the triaxial cell
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Triaxial Shear Test
Specimen preparation (undisturbed sample)

Sample is covered
with a rubber Cell is completely
membrane and sealed filled with water
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Triaxial Shear Test
Specimen preparation (undisturbed sample)
Proving ring to
measure the
deviator load

Dial gauge to
measure vertical
displacement

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Unconfined Compression Test (UC Test)

 1 =  VC +  

3 = 0

Confining pressure is zero in the UC test

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Unconfined Compression Test (UC Test)

 1 =  VC + f

Shear stress, 
3 = 0

qu

Normal stress, 

τf = σ1/2 = qu/2 = cu
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