Geotechnical Engineering-II LAB
Lab Manual
Prepared by: Engr. Ifrah Akhlaq
Unified Rubrics for all the Experiments
Experiment Title:
Student Name:
Registration No.: Sec: Date:
(a) COGNITIVE DOMAIN (C5) (CLO-1)
Calculation & Methodology Calculations are not correct Calculations &
Sr. Criteria Allocated Marks
for plotting graph is not but Methodology is correct for Methodology both are
No. Marks Obtained
correct plotting graph correct
1 Calculations 25 0-5 6 – 15 16 – 25
1 Plotting of graph 25 0-5 6 – 15 16 – 25
Max Marks 50 Sub-Total Marks Obtained:
(b) PSYCHOMOTOR DOMAIN (P2) (CLO-6)
Only sample prepare but Well sample prepared with
Sr. Criteria Allocated Roughly sample prepare and Marks
handling of instrument is not good handling of
No. Marks handling of instrument is fine Obtained
fine instrument
Perform experiments using different 16 – 25
2 25 0-5 6 – 15
instruments in lab
Max Marks 25 Sub-Total Marks Obtained:
Instructor's Signature:
JOB # 4
To Determine the Strength Parameter (Ø) And (C) of a given Soil Sample
with the help of Direct Shear Test.
OBJECTIVES:
• To get the shear strength of soil.
• To get the strength parameter (Ø) and (c) of a given Soil Sample.
• Understanding of Direct Shear Test method.
• To get the practical significance of these parameters in Civil Engineering.
NEED & 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. The
laboratory report covers the laboratory procedures for determining these values for cohesion
less soils.
RELATED THEORY:
SHEAR STRENGTH:
The shear strength of a soil is a measure of its resistance to deformation by continuous
displacement of its individual soil particles. Soil shear strength is an important consideration
in foundation bearing capacity, analysis highway and airfield design and construction. Slope
stability of earth embankment and retaining wall construction.
The shear strength of a soil is derived from three basic components:
1. Resistance to displacement because of interlocking of the individual soil particles.
2. Resistance to particle translation because of friction between individual soil particles at
their common point of contact.
3. Cohesion between the surfaces of the soil particles.
Soils are mostly loaded in compression but fail mostly in shear. The presence of pore water
pressure becomes a factor for its complex behavior and shear failure. Which of these
components, or combination of components, are actually effective in resisting shear
deformation depends on whether the soil is cohesive or cohesion less, and on the soil drainage
and consolidation conditions before and during the shearing process.
Cohesion less soil is a soil that processes little or no cohesion. Usually soils that classify as
sands or gravels are considered to be cohesion less. A cohesive soil, on the other hand is usually
a fine-grained soil containing greater percentage of clay particles. True cohesion can be
developed between fine-grained soil particles that have been in stationary “contact” over a long
period.
MOHR-COULOMB FAILURE ENVELOPE:
The 1st hypothesis on soil shear strength was presented by coulomb. Coulomb hypothesized
that the shear strength of a soil was dependent on the two components;
• Cohesion
• Friction.
𝛕𝐟 = 𝐜 + 𝛔. 𝐭𝐚𝐧. 𝛗
Where,
τf = shear strength (units; force/area)
c = Soil cohesion (units force/area)
Ø=angle of internal friction (degree)
σ = normal stress on the critical plane (force/area)
Soil shear strength can be determined in the field; however, it is most often accomplished in
the laboratory using one of three common laboratory testing methods:
1. Triaxial shear test
2. Un-confined compression test
3. Direct shear test
4. Vane shear test
DIRECT SHEAR TEST
GENERAL:
A direct shear test can be used to determine the shear strength of cohesive as well as cohesion
less soils. However, we will confine our self to the determination of the shear strength of
cohesion less soils only. Figure describes a direct test shear box, its components parts, and its
carriage device, a soil specimen confined in a shear box undergoing shear testing. The upper
half of the shear box is being displaced to the right. The arrangement shown is for strain-
controlled test.
The shearing stress τf can be determined as:
τf = F/A
Where,
F= Force causing displacement (Shearing Force)
A = cross sectional area over which the shearing force is acting.
The normal stress σ is similarly defined as:
σ = N/A
Where,
N = the normal force (the force perpendicular to the shearing plane).
The greatest resistance to the shearing occurs when the angle ∞ becomes maximum .The
maximum value of ∞ is termed as the angle of internal friction Ø.
GRAPHS:
• Shear stress vs horizontal deformation for three tests at different normal load values.
• Peak shear stress vs normal stress for three tests.
TEST CONDITIONS:
There are three basic types of direct shear test procedures, determined by the sample drainage
condition.
• Unconsolidated un-drained (UU)
• Consolidates un-drained (CU)
• Consolidated drained (CD)
For a UU (Un-consolidation Un-drained) test, shear is started before the soil sample is
consolidated under the applied normal load. For a CU (Consolidated untrained) test, shear is
not started until after settlement resulting from the applied normal load stops; the shear force
is then applied so slowly that no pore pressure developed in the sample.
When choosing which test is to use in determining the value of shear strength parameter Ø and
C, consideration of the various advantages and disadvantages of the direct shear test with
respect to the other test methods is usually worthwhile. The direct shear test has two distinct
advantages with respect to the Triaxial test:
1. It is relatively simple test to conduct and the equipment is also relatively simple to
operate.
2. It is relatively rapid test to complete.
LIMITATIONS:
However, there are at least three disadvantages:
a. The sample is forced to shear on a specified plane which may not be its weakest
plane.
b. The cross-sectional area of the shear plane is constantly changing as the test
progresses (and because of this, the normal stress is also constantly changing).
c. The stress conditions across the shear plane are complex. The assumptions of
uniform stresses may not always be a good assumption.
APPARATUS:
1. Direct shear machine with proving ring and appropriate dial gage.
2. Direct shear box and shear box cart.
3. Balance or scale sensitive to 0.01 gm.
4. Horizontal dial gage, sensitive to 0.001 in per division.
REQUIRED MEASUREMENTS:
1. Dimension of shear box
2. Weight of soil specimen
3. Proving ring constant
4. Proving ring readings.
5. Horizontal dial gage reading.
6. Vertical load on sample.
PROCEDURE:
1. Assemble the shear strain:
a. Place the upper half of the shear box on the lower half.
b. Place the two climbing screws in their proper holes to hold the two shear box halves
in place.
c. Turn the separation screws counter clockwise until they no longer extend beyond
the base of the upper shear box half.
d. Place the assembled shear box in the shear box cart making certain that it is pointing
in the correct direction.
e. Place the lower gripper plate (grid plate) in the shear box with the grippers
extending upward. The gripper vanes should be perpendicular to the direction of the
travel during shear.
2. Preparation of soil sample:
a. Carefully measure the dimensions of the shear box in preparation for calculating
the specimen volume.
b. If the dry density of the sample is known, then the weight of the specimen for one
test can be easily computed.
c. Prepare three samples of same soil with same dry density.
d. Carefully place the soil specimen in the shear box until approximately one-third of
the shear box volume is filled. Use a metal or wooden rod with a flat end to compact
the soil to the desired density. Repeat this filling and compaction operation two
more times.
e. Carefully place the upper gripper plate and loading cap on the leveled soil specimen.
f. Place the shear box cart on the direct shear machine.
g. Place the loading ball on the loading cap and carefully lower the loading frame in
its place. Apply the desired normal load by placing the weights in the loading frame.
Remember to include the weight of loading frame as part of normal load.
h. Apply the load by manually operating the machine until the dial gage on the proving
ring just begins to move. Immediately stops the machine and then back off slightly.
i. Advance the separation screwed in the upper shear box half clockwise until they
just touch the lower half. Then advance each of them an additional amount to
separate the shear box halves and create the shear plane, (the amount of separation
should be just slightly larger than the largest soil particle ).
j. Carefully remove the clamping screws from the shear box.
k. Zero all gages and prepare to begin the test.
l. Start the horizontal (shear) loading and take reading of load dial gage and horizontal
shear displacement gage. Take these readings at horizontal displacement of 5, 10
and every 10 or 20 horizontal dial displacement units. Use a strain rate on the order
of 0.5 to not more than 2 mm/min.
Continue the test until the shear stress becomes essentially constant which is
indicated by load dial gage or until a shear deformation of 10 percent of original
dimension has been reached.
3. Remove the sample after failure:
a. When the failure had occurred, and the last measurement recorded stop the motor
and reverse the applied load, continue to withdraw the load until the load cart can
be removed.
b. Remove the soil from the shear box. Repeat the test at least two more times with
same density and different normal loads to provide at least three points on the shear
stress versus normal stress plot.
NOTE:
If the test is to be performed under the saturated conditions, the following alternations are
suggested.
1. Pace the porous stone at the bottom and top of the shear box along with gripper plate
as mentioned in 1(e).
2. After placing the shear box cart machine (2f) fill the cart completely with water and
allow the sample to saturate for sufficient time.
3. Reset of the procedure is same as that of testing under dry conditions.
OBSERVATIONS & CALCULATIONS:
DIRECT SHEAR TEST
Item Value Units
Size of shear Box cm
Area of Shear Box cm2
Depth of Soil Specimen
Volume Of Shear box cm3
Dry Density of Specimen g/ cm3
Mass of Specimen g
L.C of ring (LDG)
L.C of horizontal
displacement gauge (DDG)
Normal Load for specimen
No.1
Normal Load for specimen
No.2
Normal load for Specimen
No.3
SOIL SPECIMEN 1:
Horizontal Horizontal Corrected Normal Shear
Horizontal Load
Normal Displacement shear force area Stress Stress
DDG LDR Remarks
Load ∆H=Col.2 x =Col.3 x AC=AO- Col Col
D/R D/R
LC PRC b∆H 1/AO 5/Col6
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)
N div div mm N mm2 Kpa Kpa
SOIL SPECIMEN 2:
Horizontal Horizontal Corrected Normal Shear
Horizontal Load
Normal Displacement shear force area Stress Stress
DDG LDR Remarks
Load ∆H=Col.2 x =Col.3 x AC=AO- Col Col
D/R D/R
LC PRC b∆H 1/AO 5/Col6
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)
N div div mm N mm2 Kpa Kpa
SOIL SPECIMEN 3:
Horizontal Horizontal Corrected Normal Shear
Horizontal Load
Normal Displacement shear force area Stress Stress
DDG LDR Remarks
Load ∆H=Col.2 x =Col.3 x AC=AO- Col Col
D/R D/R
LC PRC b∆H 1/AO 5/Col6
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)
N div div mm N mm2 Kpa Kpa
GRAPHS:
RESULTS:
COMMENTS: