Geotechnical Engineering–II [CE-321]

BSc Civil Engineering – 5th Semester

Lecture # 5
20-Sep-2017

by
Dr. Muhammad Irfan
Assistant Professor
Civil Engg. Dept. – UET Lahore
Email: mirfan1@msn.com
Lecture Handouts: https://groups.google.com/d/forum/geotech-ii_2015session
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DETERMINATION OF SOIL SHEAR STRENGTH
(c, φ or c’, φ’)

Laboratory tests Field tests

on representative samples

Direct shear test

Unconfined compression test Vane shear test
Triaxial shear test Torvane
Simple shear test Pocket penetrometer
Torsional ring shear test Fall cone
Plane strain triaxial test Pressuremeter
Laboratory vane shear test Static cone penetrometer
Laboratory fall cone test Standard penetration test

Assignment: Brief intro of each 2

 FIELD STRESS CONDITIONS

Representative soil
sample
z z
σv σv + Δσ

σh σh σh σh

σv σv + Δσ

Before construction During and after

construction
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 LAB SIMULATION OF
FIELD CONDITIONS σv + Δσ

σh t σh
0 σv

σv + Δσ
σh σh
0 0 σv

τ
σv
0
τ

σv
Step 1 Step 2
Representative soil
sample from site Application of initial Application of
stress condition disturbing/structural load4
 TRIAXIAL SHEAR TEST
Developed by Casagrande to overcome some serious disadvantages
of direct shear test.

• Advantages over DST and UCCT

– More versatile
– Drainage can be well controlled
– No rotation of principal stresses
like DST
– Failure plane is the weakest one
– Field stress conditions can be
replicated through confinement

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TRIAXIAL COMPRESSION TEST
t f  c   tan 

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 FIELD STRESS CONDITIONS

Representative soil
sample
z z
σv σv + Δσ

σh σh σh σh

σv σv + Δσ

Before construction During and after

construction
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TRIAXIAL COMPRESSION TEST
Normal Stress (1)  Confining Pressure (3) + Deviator Stress (q)

Step 1 Major Minor Step 2

principal stress principal stress 1=3+q
Deviator stress
( = q)
3 3

3 3
3 3

3
3
All-around cell pressure 3
Shearing (loading)
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 TRIAXIAL COMPRESSION TEST
- Analysis of Results -

Deviator Stress, q (kPa)

Proving ring to
measure the
deviator load
qf Deviator Stress at failure

Axial Strain, e (%)

Dial gauge to
measure vertical
displacement

Shear Failure Bulging Failure 9

 TRIAXIAL COMPRESSION TEST
- Analysis of Results - How to determine shear
qfc strength parameters c and  ?
Deviator stress, q

Confining stress = 3c 1 = 3 + q f

Confining stress = 3b
Confining stress = 3a
qfb 3
qfa

Axial strain
Shear stress, t


Mohr – Coulomb
failure envelope

c
3a 3b 3c1a 1b 1c 
qfa
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TRIAXIAL COMPRESSION TEST
t f  c   tan 

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 Types of Triaxial Tests Deviatoric stress
( = q)
Step 1 c Step 2

c c
c c

c c+ q

All-around cell pressure c (or c)

Shearing (loading)

Is the drainage valve open? Is the drainage valve open?

yes no yes no

Consolidated Unconsolidated Drained Uudrained

sample sample loading loading
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Types of Triaxial Tests
Step-1 Step-2
Under all-around cell pressure c
Shearing (loading)

Is the drainage valve open? Is the drainage valve open?

yes no yes no

Consolidated Unconsolidated Drained Undrained

sample sample loading loading

CD test UU test

CU test
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CD Test
Practical Applications
Embankment constructed very slowly, in layers over a
soft clay deposit

Use cd
and d.

Soft clay

t
t = in situ drained
shear strength

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 CD Test
Practical Applications
Earth dam with steady state seepage

t = drained shear
Use cd strength of clay core

and d.
t
Core

• CD test simulates the long term condition in the field

• cd and d used to evaluate long term behavior of soils
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CU Test
Practical Applications
Embankment constructed rapidly over a soft clay deposit
with significant time gap between placement of layers.

Soft clay

t t = in situ undrained
shear strength

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CU Test
Practical Applications
Rapid drawdown behind an earth dam

t
Core

t = Undrained shear strength

of clay core

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UU Test
Practical Applications
Embankment constructed rapidly over a soft clay deposit

SOFT CLAY

t t = in situ undrained
shear strength

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 UU Test
Practical Applications
Large earth dam constructed rapidly with no change in water
content of soft clay

t
CLAY
CORE

t = Undrained shear strength

of clay core

Note:
UU test simulates the short term condition in the field.
UU can be used to analyze the short term behavior of soils
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REFERENCE MATERIAL
Principles of Geotechnical Engineering – (7th Edition)
Braja M. Das
Chapter #12

Geotechnical Engineering – Principles and Practices – (2nd Edition)

Coduto, Yueng, and Kitch
Chapter #12

Essentials of Soil Mechanics and Foundations – Basic Geotechnics – (7th Edition)

David F. McCarthy
Chapter #11

CONCLUDED
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