330 Geotechnica/ Engineering

WORKED OUT EXAMPLES

Exam ple@
A soil sample is subJ. ected to a maJ· or princip al stress of 25 kPa and a minor principal stress of
. . . 1 D • h
10 kPa in the vertical and horizontal directions respective y. eterm1ne t e normal and shear
• • • 1 t
stresses on a plane inclined at 30° to the maJor pnnc1pa s ress.

Solution
This problem can be solved both analytically and graphically.
Analytical method The normal stress er, and the shear stress -r, on any plane inclined
at a
n
angle Oto the major principal plane are given by (see Eqs 10.9 and 10.10):
0"'1 + 0"'3 0"'1 - 0"'3 20
a =--- +--- cos
2 2

(1' - (1'
1 3
and, r= sin20
2

Here, a 1 = 25 kPa and a 3 =10 kPa

The given plane is inclined at 30° to the major principal stress. But the direction of the major
n
principal stress is perpendicular to the major principal plane. Hence the angle of inclinatio
between the given plane and the major principal plane is
0 = 90° - 30° = 60°

25+10 25-10
a= - - +--co s(2 x 60°)
2 2

= 17.5 + (7.S)cos120°

= 17.5 + (7.5)(-1/2) = 13.75 kPa

25-10
and r = --sin (2 x 60°)
2

= (7.5)sin120° = (7.5)(0.866) =6.49 kPa

Graphical method The graphical solution is present ed in Fig. 10.24. The steps involved areas
follows:
(i) The Mohr's circle is drawn with cr1 = 25 kPa and cr3 = 10 kPa.
(ii) Fro~ th e centre _c of the circle, as straight line CD is drawn at an angle of 120° to the
X-axis. (Alternatively, from the point A represe nting a. , a straigh t line AD is drawn at
60° to the X-axis. AD would intersect the circle at the s1me point, D).
 Shear Strength 331

(iii) The coordinates of D represent the stresses on the given plane. From Fig. 10.24 we get,
a= 13.75 kPa and -r = 6.49 kPa

-r (kPa)

10

13.75 kPa •I
5 D (13.3, 3.9)

T
6.49 kPa
~20° B
0 5 10 15 C ' 20
<J(kPa)

Fig. 10.24 Mohr's circle (Example 10.1)

Exam ple(@
At a given site the subsoil consists of a 10 m thick homog eneou s sand stratum . The dry Unit
weigh t of the sand is 15.5 kN/m3 and its angle of intern al friction is 32°. The specific gravity of
solids is 2.68. Initially the groun d water table is at 6.5 m below the groun d level.
(i) Determ ine the shear streng th of the sand on a horizo ntal plane throug h its middle.
(ii) Find the per cent chang e in the shear streng th if the groun d water table rises to a level of
1.5 m below GL during monso on. Assum e the void ratio to remai n unchanged.

Solution
(i) The horizo ntal plane under consid eratio n is at a depth of 10/2 = 5 m below GL. As the
GWT is at 6.5 m below GL, the soil above the given plane is dry.
The norma l stress on the given plane,

a= yd.z = (15.5) (5) = 77.5 kPa

.•. Shear streng th of the soil on this plane,

s = c + a tan </>

= 0 + (77 .5) tan 32°

or, s = 48.43 kPa
 Shear Strength 337
(ii) As the water table rises during th
dry, while the remaining 5 _ 1_5 ~ ~ns~on , the top 1.5 m of sand may be considered as
• m 1s submerged•
d
Let e be the void ratio of the san.
The dry unit weight of sand is given by,
Gy
l - w
d - l+e

... 15.5 = (2.68)(10)

l+e

or, e =0.729

As the void ratio is unchanged,

G+e 2.68+0.7 29
Ysat = l+e Yw == l+0_ (10)==19.72 kN/m3
729

The normal stress on the given plane,

O' =Yd .ZI + Ysub .Z2
= (15.5)(1.5) + (19.72-10)(3.5) =57.27 kPa

The new shear strength of the soil on the given plane is,

s = 0 + (57.27)tan32° =35.79 kPa

So the per cent change (reduction) in shear strength

=(48.43- 35.79)xl OO % = 26 _1%

48.43

Example1~~
The results of a direct shear test performed on a sample of silty sand in a shear box of 6 cm x 6 cm
are given below:

Normal load (N) 100 200 300

Shear force at failure (N) 99.5 156.3 210.7

Draw the failure envelope and determine the shear parameters of the soil.
338 Geotechnica/ Engineering

Solution
The area of cross-section of the shear box
= 0.06 x 0.06 m2 = 3.6 x 10-3 m2

The normal stress and the shear stress at failure, obtained by dividing the respective fo
. . bl rces b
the area of cross-section, are shown 1n the following ta e: Y

Normal load {N) 100 200 300

Shear force at failure {N) 99.5 156.3 210.7
Normal stress {kPa) 27.8 55.6 83.3
Shear stress at failure {kPa) 27.6 43.4 58.5

The plot of normal stress vs shear stress is shown in Fig. 10.30. Three points correspondingto
the three sets of test results are joined by a straight line. This is the failure envelope of the given
soil. The intercept of this line on the Y-axis gives the apparent unit cohesion. It is found to be
12 kPa. The apparent angle of internal friction of the soil is given by the angle of obliquity of
the failure envelope to the horizontal and is found to be 28.8°.

60

f
~
40
~ti}
ti}
Q)
tJ
ti}

~
Q)
..c:
20
(/)

I
12lkPa
0 20 40 60 80 100
Nonnal stress (kPa) ►

Fig. 10.30 Failure envelope (Example 10.6)

Exam ple1@
Uncon solidat ed undrai ned triaxial tests were carried out on three identic al specimens of a
partly saturat ed clay. The following results were obtained:

Specimen Cell pressure Deviator stress at

no. {kPa) failure (kPa)
1 50 81.7
2 100 101.3
3 150 113.6

Determ ine the shear strengt h parame ters of the soil.

Solution
In a triaxial test, the cell pressur e is the minor princip al stress, while the major principal stress
is the sum of the cell pressur e and the deviator stress. The values of <J" and <J" are shown below:
1 3
 Shear Strength 341

Specimen no. a3 (kPa) ad (kPa) a1 (kPa)

1 so 81.7 131.7
2 100 101.3 201.3
3 150 113.6 263.6

(i) Graphical solution Three Mohr's circles are drawn and a common tangent is drawn
to them (Fig. 10.32). This is the failure envelope. Note that, due to the errors inherent
to laboratory tests, it may not be possible to draw a perfect common tangent to all the
circles. The targeted common tangent is, in reality, a best fit straight line drawn by eye
estimation only.

t 100 1-----+-----4----+----1----t---i

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Normal stress (kPa) ~

fig. 10.32 Mohr's circles and failure envelope (Example 10.8)

)be shear strength parameters of the soil, as given by the failure envelope, are:

c = 29.9 kPa and</>= 8°

Exam ple1 0®
Conso lidate d undra ined triaxial tests, with arrangements for pore pressure measurement, are
perfo rmed on three identical specimens of a given soil. The following are the results:
 Shear Strength 343

Sample Cell
no. Deviator stress at Pore pressure
pressure failure
(kPa) at failure
(kPa) (kPa)
1 100 202.S 41.1
2 150 218.1 62.3
3 200 236.9 70.1

Determine the shear strength parameters of the soil considering (i) total stresses (ii) effective
stresses.
Solution
The cell pressures and deviator stresses given in the table are their total stress values. The
corresponding effective stresses can be obtained from the relation:
1
0' = (J'-U

The major and minor principal stresses, considering total stress analysis as well as effective
stress analysis, are shown in the table below:

Sample CJ' 3 CT d a, u a'3 a'

1
no. =0'3+ =0'3-U =0'1-U
(kPa) (kPa) (J' 3 (kPa) (kPa) (kPa)
(kPa)
1 100 202.5 302.5 41.1 58.9 261.4
2 150 218.1 368.1 62.3 87.7 305.8
3 200 236.9 436.9 76.1 123.9 360.8

(i) Shear strength parameters considering total stresses Three Mohr's circles are drawn
with the three sets of values of a 1 and a 3. In Fig. 10.34, these circles are shown with firm
lines. A common tangent is drawn to these circles, which is the failure envelope of the
soil for total stress analysis. From the figure we obtain,

c = 73 kPa, q, = 8.3°
(ii) Shear strength parameters considering effective stresses In this case, Mohr's circles are
drawn with the three sets of values of a~ and a;. These circles are shown by broken lines.
The corresponding effective stress parameters are:

c' = 67.8 kPa, q, = 13°

344 Geotechnical Engineering

200

t 150
~
~
~ 100
~
ti) ,

~~ T 50
I
I
I
I
,_.,.
,,

I
I
\
\

\
\
73.0 67.8 I I I
I I I

J_ I
I
I
I
L--__,_____._..._,.~,.._.-h--t►---t-----0---....1-.,-~--:r-----r.i--o-----o-J
I
I

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

Nonnal stress (kPa)

Fig.10.34 Total stress and effective stress circles (Example 10.10)

Example10@
The following are the results of a set of drained triaxial tests performed on three identical soil
samples, each having a diameter of 38 mm and height of76 mm:

Sample Cell Deviator load Change in Axial

no. pressure at failure (kN) volume (cc) deformation
(kPa) (mm)
1 50 0.0711 -0.9 5.1
2 100 0.0859 -1.3 7.0
3 150 0.0956 -1.6 9.1

Draw the failure envelope and determine the shear parameters of the soil.
Solution
In a triaxial test, the deviator stress at failure ad, is given by,
Qd
ad=-
A,

where, Qd = deviator load at failure

1 V, -8V
Ac= cotrected area of the sample = _.;:;._--
L1 - M
 Shear Strength 345

Here, V1 = initial volume of the sample

2
= (n-j 4)(3.s) (7.6) cc== 86.19 cc

L1 = 7.6 cm

For sample No. 1, fl. V =-0.9 cc

M.=5.lmm = 0.51 cm

86.19-0.9
... Ac =----=1 2.03 cm2 =l.203x10- 3 m2
7.6-0.51

0.0711
... ad =----= 59.1 kPa
l.203x 10-3

and a 1 = a 3 +ad= 50 + 59.1 = 109.1 kPa

Similarly, the major principal stresses for two other samples are also computed. The results are
tabulated below:

Sample 03 Qd 4V(cc) 4L A ad al
no. (kPa) (kN) (cm) (m~) (kPa) (kPa)
1 50 0.0711 -0.9 0.51 1.203 X 10-3 59.1 109.1
2 100 0.0859 -1.3 0.70 1.23 X 10-3 69.8 169.8
3 150 0.0956 -1.6 0.91 1.265 X 10-3 75.6 225.6

The Mohr circles, along with the failure envelope, are shown in Fig. 10.35. By measurement,
we get
c = 25 kPa, q, = 3.9°

100

t
~
~
~ 50
t
VJ
I
-
-......
ij \ ~
,~

r r
~

~T 73_90
24
_L - - - - I - -
0 50 100 150 200 250
Normal stress (kPa) ..

fig. 1o.35 Mohr's circles and failure envelope (Example 10.11)

 eering
34 6 Geotechnica/ Engin

Example 1O .@ ed on an un di st ur be d sa m pl
e of nonnau
st wa s pe rfo rm
An unconfined compres
sion te
m pl e we re 75 m m an d 37.5 ~m respectivej Y
e sa
ight an ~ di am et er of~h kN. Th e ax ia l deformat·Ion
y,
consolidated ~lay. Th e he e lo ad re ac he d 1.1 63
th e vertical compressiv a re m o ul ded sample of
th
The sample failed when st wa s re pe at ed on
9.1 m m . W he n th e te in g axial deformation
be· e
recorded at failure was kN , th e co rr es po nd
de r a lo ad of 0.685 d un it co he sio n of the
soil in~g
soil, failure occurred un pr es siv e str en gt h an
e unconfined com nsitivity of th e soil an
d classify(~)
I 1.5 mm. Determine th so de te rm in e th e se It
moulded states. Al
undisturbed an d (ii) re
accordingly.
Solution
(i) Undisturbed state
tion of th e sample,
Initial area of cross-sec
cm2
Ao=(1l/4)(3.75) =11.04
fl[ 0.9
· C-: 1
Axial st rain at 1auure, & = - = - = 0.12
l 7.5
4
... Ao = 11.o = 12.55 cm2
Corrected area, A, =
1- & 1- 0. 12

c. il 116.3 kg/cm2
N or mal stress at 1a ur e = -- = 9. 27
12.55
e strength, qu = 9.27 kg
!cm2
... Unconfined compressiv
_ 9.27 k 2
distu rbed state' c _- qu -2 = 4 .6 4 g/ cm
Un it cohesion in the un 2
(ii) Remoulded state
15_= .
. case, &=__1:__
In th1s 0 153
7.5

_
... A = 11.04
, _ _ -13.03 cm
2
1 0 153

... 68.S
qu = 13.03 = 5.26 kg/cm2

e re moulded st t - qu 5.26 /c m 2
th
Un it co he sio n in a e, c, -2 = 2= 2. 63 kg
N . ,
ow, we have from Eq. 10 26

ength in the un disturbed state

Sensitivity, St = shear str te
shear stren gth in the remoulded sta
 Shear Strength 347

For a cohesive (</> = 0°) soil, shear strength, s = c.

C 4.64
... st =-=-=I.76
Cr 2.63

As 1 < St < 2 , the soil can be classified as a low sensitive soil.

example 1o.@
In a consolidated undrained triaxial test, a soil sample was consolidated under a cell pressure of
200 kPa and a back pressure of 100 kPa, for 24 hours. Afterwards the drainage path was closed
and the cell pressure was increased to 300 kPa. The pore pressure developed in the sample
was found to be 8 kPa. The back pressure was then gradually increased. Failure of the sample
occurred when the back pressure reached 450 kPa. The pore pressure recorded at failure was
so kPa. Determine Skempton's pore pressure parameters A and B.
Solution
We have,
L\u=B[ L\a3 +A(L\a1 -L\a3)] (i)

where A and B are Skempton's pore pressure parameters.

In the initial stage loading, the cell pressure was increased from 200 to 300 kPa, without any
change in the back pressure. The corresponding change in pore pressure was 8 kPa.

L\a3 = 300- 200 = 100 kPa, L\a1 = 0 and L\u = 8 kPa.

Substituting these value in Eq. (i), we get,

8 = B [ 100 + A ( 0 -100)]

or, B(l-A)=0.08 (ii)

In the final stage of loading

L\a1 = 450-100 =350 kPa, L\a3 = 0

and L\u =50 - 8 =42 kPa

42 =B[0+ A(350-0 )]

or, 3.SAB =0.42 (iii)

Dividing (i) by (iii), we get,

1-A 0.08
-=-
3.5A 0.42
34 8 Ge ote ch nic al Engineering

or , l-A =0 .6 7A , or , A = 0.6

Su bs tit ut in g fo r A in Eq. (ii),

B( l-0 .6 )= 0. 08 or , B == 0.2