SELECTED TOPICS IN SOIL MECHANICS

(BENG OIL & GAS CLASS)

SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOILS

DR. JUBILY MUSAGASA

(CE Department)
Introduction
❑ Shear strength of a soil mass is the internal resistance per
unit area that a sol mass can offer to resist failure and sliding
along any plane inside it.
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criteria (1/3)
❑𝝉𝒇 = 𝒇 𝝈
Where 𝜏𝑓 = 𝑆ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑒

𝜎 = 𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑒

❑𝝉𝒇 = 𝑪 + 𝝈. 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝝓
Where 𝐶 = 𝐶𝑜ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝜙 = 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

❑The equation 𝝉𝒇 = 𝑪′ + 𝝈′. 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝝓′ is called Mohr – Coulomb failure

criteria
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criteria (2/3)
❑If the soil is saturated
𝝈 = 𝝈′ + 𝒖
❑The effective stress, 𝜎’ is carried by the soil solids
𝝉𝒇 = 𝑪′ + 𝝈 − 𝒖 . 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝝓′ = 𝑪′ + 𝝈′. 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝝓′

Where 𝐶 ′ = 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑐𝑜ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝜙′ = 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criteria (3/3)
• A – Shear failure will not
occur along that plane
• B – (Falls on the failure plane)
– Shear failure will occur
along that plane
• C – Cannot exist because it
plot above the failure
envelope, and shear failure
in a soil would have
occurred already
Inclination of the Plane of Failure Caused by Shear

σ’1 > σ’3

Inclination of the Plane of Failure Caused by Shear
• 𝜎’1 = Effective major
principal stress
• 𝜎’3 = Effective minor
principal stress
• edb – Mohr Circle
• fgh – Failure envelope
• ab – Major principal plane,
CD
• ad – Failure plane, EF
Inclination of the Plane of Failure Caused by Shear

< 𝒃𝒂𝒅 = 𝟐𝜽 = 𝟗𝟎 + 𝝓

𝝓
𝜽 = 𝟒𝟓 +
𝟐

𝝈′𝟏 − 𝝈′𝟑
𝒂𝒅 =
𝟐

𝝈′𝟏 + 𝝈′𝟑
𝒇𝒂 = 𝒇𝑶 + 𝑶𝒂 = 𝒄 𝒄𝒐𝒕 𝝓 +
𝟐
Inclination of the Plane of Failure Caused by Shear
𝜎′1 − 𝜎′3
𝑎𝑑 2
sin 𝜙 = =
𝑓𝑎 𝜎′ + 𝜎′3
𝑐 cot 𝜙 + 1
2

1 + sin 𝜙 cos 𝜙
𝑜𝑟 𝜎1 = 𝜎3 + 2𝑐
1 − sin 𝜙 1 − sin 𝜙

𝐻𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟,
1 + sin 𝜙 2
𝜙
= tan 45 +
1 − sin 𝜙 2
cos 𝜙 𝜙
𝑎𝑛𝑑 = tan 45 +
1 − sin 𝜙 2

𝝓 𝝓
𝑻𝒉𝒖𝒔 𝝈𝟏 = 𝝈𝟑 𝒕𝒂𝒏𝟐 𝟒𝟓 + + 𝟐𝒄 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝟒𝟓 +
𝟐 𝟐
Laboratory Determination of Shear Strength Parameters
❑ Direct Shear Test
❑ Triaxial Test
Direct Shear Test
 Direct Shear Test
❑ Failure takes place along the plane of split of shear box
❑Normal force on the specimen is applied from the top of the shear box
❑Shear force is applied by moving one half of the box relative to the other to
cause failure in the soil specimen.
❑For a given test of dry soil
𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆
𝝈= 𝝈′ = 𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 =
𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏

𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆

𝝉 = 𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 =
𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏
Shear Strength Parameters for Dry Sand Using Results of Direct
Shear Tests
❑ Direct shear test is rather simple to perform
❑ The reliability of the results may be questioned due the
fact that in this test the soil is not allowed to fail along
the weakest plane but is forced to fail along the plane of
split of the shear box
❑ Also the shear stress distribution over the shear surface
of the specimen is not uniform
❑ Inspite of these shortcomings, the direct shear test is the
simplest and most economical for a dry or saturated
sandy soil.
 Shear Strength for Loose and Dense Sand
❑ In loose sand, the resisting shear stress increases with shear displacement until a
failure shear stress of τf is reached. After that the shear resistance remains
approximately constant with any further increase in the shear displacement.
❑ In dense sand, the resisting shear stress increases with shear displacement until it
reaches a failure shear stress of τf. This τf is called the peak shear strength. After
failure stress is attained, the resisting shear stress gradually decreases as shear
displacement increases until it finally reaches a constant value called the ultimate
shear stress.
𝝉𝒇 = 𝝈′ . 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝝓′ .
❑ Note: C = 0 for sand and σ = σ’ for dry condition
Shear Strength for Loose and Dense Sand
 Shear Strength for Loose and Dense Sand
❑ In loose sand, the resisting shear stress increases with shear displacement until a
failure shear stress of τf is reached. After that the shear resistance remains
approximately constant with any further increase in the shear displacement.
❑ In dense sand, the resisting shear stress increases with shear displacement until it
reaches a failure shear stress of τf. This τf is called the peak shear strength. After
failure stress is attained, the resisting shear stress gradually decreases as shear
displacement increases until it finally reaches a constant value called the ultimate
shear stress.
𝝉𝒇 = 𝝈′ . 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝝓′ .
❑ Note: C = 0 for sand and σ = σ’ for dry condition
 Example
❑Direct shear tests were performed on a dry sandy soil. The size of the
specimen was 50mm x 50mm x 20mm. Test results were as given in the
Table. Find the shear stress parameters.
Test # Normal Force (N) Shear Force at Failure (N)
1 90 54
2 135 82.35
3 315 189.5
4 450 270.5
Solution

𝑵𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒍 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆
𝝈=
𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏 Normal Shear Shear
Normal Stress Force Stress at
𝑵𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒍 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒙 𝟏𝟎−𝟑 (𝒌𝑵) Test
= Force, F σ = σ' = at Failure,
𝟓𝟎 𝒙 𝟓𝟎 𝒙 𝟏𝟎−𝟔 (𝒎𝟐 ) #
(N) F/A Failure, τf = S/A
(kN/m2) S (N) (kN/m2)
1 90 36 54 21.6
𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒖𝒓𝒆 2 135 54 82.35 32.94
𝝉𝒇 =
𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏 3 315 126 189.5 75.8
4 450 180 270.5 108.2
𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒙 𝟏𝟎−𝟑 (𝒌𝑵)
=
𝟓𝟎 𝒙 𝟓𝟎 𝒙 𝟏𝟎−𝟔 (𝒎𝟐 )
Solution

❑From the graph

𝐶’ = 0
𝜙’ = 31𝑜
Drained Direct Shear Test on Saturated Sand and Clay

❑ Saturated soil specimen

❑ The rate of loading is kept slow enough so that the excess pore
water pressure generated in the soil completely dissipates by
drainage.
❑ For sand, excess pore water pressure is dissipated quickly
❑ For clay, shearing load has to be applied a very slow rate for
dissipation of pore water pressure. The test may last for 2 to 5 days.
Drained Direct Shear Test on Saturated Sand and Clay
❑ Normally Consolidated (NC): The
present effective overburden pressure is
the maximum pressure to which the soil
has been subjected in the past
❑ Overconsolidated (OC): The present
effective overburden pressure is less
than that which the soil has experienced
in the past. The maximum effective past
pressure is called Preconsolidation
Pressure.
 Triaxial Shear Test
❑ Three standard types of Triaxial tests
1) Consolidated –Drained Test or Drained Test (CD – Test)
2) Consolidated –Undrained Test (CU – Test)
3) Unconsolidated –Undrained Test or Undrained Test (UU – Test)
Triaxial Shear Test
“Bleed – off” Valve Friction – Free Bushing
to Control
Weight of Piston
Chamber Pressure

Top Platen
Porous Stone

Rubber Membrane
to Contain Specimen Vacuum of
Sample Drainage
Porous Stone
Specimen
Bottom Platen
Sample Saturation
Chamber Fluid & Drainage
(Air or Water),
To Provide σ3
 Consolidated –Drained Test (CD – Test) – Slow Test
❑ The specimen is first subjected to an all – around confining pressure, σ3
❑ As σ3 is applied, the pore water pressure of the specimen increases by uc
❑ When the drainage connection is kept open, dissipation of excess pore water pressure, and
thus consolidation will occur. With time uc will become equal to 0.
❑ The deviator stress, ∆σd is increased on the specimen at a very slow rate.
❑ The drainage connection is kept open, and the slow rate of deviator stress application allows
complete dissipation of any pore water pressure developed as a result (∆Ud = 0)
❑ Since the pore water pressure developed during test is completely dissipated
σ3 = σ’3
σ1 = σ’1 = σ’3 + (∆σ’d)
 ∆𝜎𝑑

𝜎3 𝜎3 𝜎1

𝜎3 𝜎3 𝜎3 𝜎3 𝜎3 𝜎3

𝜎3 𝜎3 𝜎1

∆𝜎𝑑
Consolidated –Drained Test (CD – Test) – Slow Test
 Example
For normally consolidated clay, these are the results of a drained triaxial test
❑Chamber confining pressure = 112 kN/m2
❑Deviator stress at failure = 175 kN/m
(a) Find the angle of friction
(b)Determine the angle θ that the failure plane makes with the major
principal plane
 Solution
❑For NC soil, the failure envelope equation is
𝜏𝑓 = 𝜎 ′ tan 𝜙 (𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑐 = 0)
❑For the triaxial test, the effective major and minor principal stresses at
failure are
𝜎′1 = 𝜎1 = 𝜎3 + ∆𝜎𝑑 𝑓 = 112 + 175 = 287 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝜎′3 = 𝜎3 = 112 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2

The Mohr’s circle and the failure envelope are shown below from which we get
𝜎1 − 𝜎3
𝐴𝐵 2 𝜎1 − 𝜎3 287 − 112
sin 𝜙 = = = = = 0.438
𝑂𝐴 𝜎1 + 𝜎3 𝜎1 + 𝜎3 287 + 112
2
a) 𝜙 = 26𝑜
𝜙 26
b) 𝜃 = 45 + = 45 + = 58𝑜
2 2
 Example
The equation of the effective stress failure envelope for normally
consolidated clayey soil is 𝜏𝑓 = 𝜎 ′ tan 300 . A drained triaxial test was
conducted with the same soil at a chamber confining pressure of 70 kN/m2.
Calculate the deviator stress at failure.
Solution
❑ For NC clay, c = 0.
2 𝜙 2 30
❑ 𝜎′1 = 𝜎′3 tan 45 + = 70 tan 45 + = 210 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
2 2

❑ ∆𝜎𝑑 𝑓 = 𝜎′1 − 𝜎 ′ 3 = 210 − 70 = 140 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2

 Example
We have the results of two drained triaxial tests on saturated clay:

Specimen I: 𝜎3 = 70 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
(∆𝜎𝑑 )𝑓 = 173 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
Specimen II: 𝜎3 = 105 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
(∆𝜎𝑑 )𝑓 = 235 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2

Determine the shear strength parameters

 Solution
❑ For specimen I, the principal stresses at failure are:
𝜎′3 = 𝜎3 = 70 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝜎′1 = 𝜎1 = 𝜎3 + (∆𝜎𝑑 )𝑓 = 70 + 173 = 243 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2

❑ Similarly. The principal stresses at failure for specimen II are

𝜎′3 = 𝜎3 = 105 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝜎′1 = 𝜎1 = 𝜎3 + (∆𝜎𝑑 )𝑓 = 105 + 235 = 340 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
Solution
250

Shear Stress, τ (kN/m2)

200

150

100

50

0
-100 -50 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Normal Stress, σ (kN/m2)
 From the figure above
❑ Mohr Circle 1
𝜎′1 − 𝜎′3 243 − 70
2 2 86.5
sin 𝜙 = = =
𝜎′1 + 𝜎′3 243 + 70 𝑐 cot 𝜙 + 156.5
𝑐 cot 𝜙 + 𝑐 cot 𝜙 +
2 2
𝑜𝑟 𝑐 sin 𝜙 cot 𝜙 + 156.5 sin 𝜙 = 86.5 … … … … … … … … … . . (1)

❑ Mohr Circle 2
𝜎′1 − 𝜎′3 340 − 105
2 2 117.5
sin 𝜙 = = =
𝜎′1 + 𝜎′3 340 + 105 𝑐 cot 𝜙 + 222.5
𝑐 cot 𝜙 + 𝑐 cot 𝜙 +
2 2
𝑜𝑟 𝑐 sin 𝜙 cot 𝜙 + 222.5 sin 𝜙 = 117.5 … … … … … … … … … . (2)

❑ Solving (1) and (2) simultaneously, we get

𝝓 = 28o c = 14.8 kN/m2
 Consolidated –Undrained Test (CU – Test)
❑The consolidated-undrained test is the most common type of triaxial test.
❑ The saturated soil specimen is first consolidated by an all-round chamber
fluid pressure, σ3, that results in drainage.
❑ After the pore water pressure generated by the application of confining
pressure is completely dissipated (uc = 0), the deviator stress, Δσd, on the
specimen is increased to cause shear failure. During this phase of the test,
the drainage line from the specimen is kept closed.
❑ Since drainage is not permitted, the pore water pressure, Δud, will
increase.
 Consolidated –Undrained Test (CU – Test)
❑ During the test, measurements of Δσd and Δud are made.
❑ The total and effective principal stresses are not the same in the Consolidated-
Undrained test.
𝑴𝒂𝒋𝒐𝒓 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑻𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 : 𝝈𝟑 + ∆𝝈𝒅 𝒇 = 𝝈𝟏
𝑴𝒂𝒋𝒐𝒓 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 : 𝝈𝟏 − ∆𝒖𝒅 𝒇 = 𝝈′ 𝟏

𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒐𝒓 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑻𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 : 𝝈𝟑

𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒐𝒓 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 : 𝝈𝟑 − ∆𝒖𝒅 𝒇 = 𝝈′𝟑

𝑨𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝝈𝟏 − 𝝈𝟑 = 𝝈′𝟏 − 𝝈′𝟑

❑ Tests on several similar specimens with varying confining pressures may be done to
determine the shear strength parameters.
Consolidated –Undrained Test (CU – Test)
 Example
❑A consolidated – undrained test on normally consolidated clay yielded the
following results:
𝜎3 = 84 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠, (∆𝜎𝑑 )𝑓 = 63.7 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒, (∆𝑢𝑑 )𝑓 = 47.6 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
❑Calculate the consolidated – undrained friction angle and the drained
friction angle
Example
100
Shear Stress, τ (kN/m2)
75

50

25

0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200
Normal Stress, σ (kN/m2)
 From the figure above
❑ Total Stress Mohr’s Circle
𝟐
𝝈𝟏 = 𝝈𝟑 + ∆𝝈𝒅 𝒇 = 𝟖𝟒 + 𝟔𝟑. 𝟕 = 𝟏𝟒𝟕. 𝟕 𝒌𝑵/𝒎
𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝝈𝟑 = 𝟖𝟒 𝒌𝑵/𝒎𝟐

Using total stress Mohr’s circle we get

𝝈𝟏 − 𝝈𝟑
𝟐 𝝈𝟏 − 𝝈𝟑 𝟏𝟒𝟕. 𝟕 − 𝟖𝟒
𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝝓(𝒄𝒖) = = = = 𝟎. 𝟐𝟕𝟒𝟗
𝝈𝟏 + 𝝈𝟑 𝝈𝟏 + 𝝈𝟑 𝟏𝟒𝟕. 𝟕 + 𝟖𝟒
𝟐

𝝓(𝒄𝒖) = 𝟏𝟔𝒐
❑ From the figure above
Effective Stress Mohr’s Circle
𝝈′𝟏 = 𝝈𝟏 − ∆𝒖𝒅 𝒇 = 𝟏𝟒𝟕. 𝟕 − 𝟒𝟕. 𝟔 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎. 𝟏 𝒌𝑵/𝒎𝟐
𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝝈′𝟑 = 𝝈𝟑 − ∆𝒖𝒅 𝒇 = 𝟖𝟒 − 𝟒𝟕. 𝟔 = 𝟑𝟔. 𝟒 𝒌𝑵/𝒎𝟐

Also, using the effective stress Mohr’s circle we get

𝝈′𝟏 − 𝝈′𝟑
𝟐 𝝈′𝟏 − 𝝈′𝟑 𝟏𝟎𝟎. 𝟏 − 𝟑𝟔. 𝟒
𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝝓′ = = = = 𝟎. 𝟒𝟔𝟔𝟕
𝝈′𝟏 + 𝝈′𝟑 𝝈′𝟏 + 𝝈′𝟑 𝟏𝟎𝟎. 𝟏 + 𝟑𝟔. 𝟒
𝟐

𝝓 = 𝟐𝟕. 𝟖𝒐
 Unconsolidated –Undrained Test (UU – Test)
❑ Drainage from the soil specimen is not permitted during the application of
chamber pressure, σ3.
❑ The test specimen is sheared to failure by the application of deviator stress,
Δσd, with no drainage allowed.
❑ Since drainage is not allowed at any stage, the test can be performed very
quickly.
❑ Because of application of chamber confining pressure, σ3, the pore water
pressure in the soil specimen will increase by uc.
❑ There will be a further increase in the pore water pressure, Δσd, because of the
deviator stress application.
 Unconsolidated –Undrained Test (UU – Test)
❑ Hence, the total pore water pressure, u, in the specimen at any stage of
deviator stress application can be given as
𝑢 = 𝑢𝑐 + 𝛥𝑢𝑑
❑The added axial stress at failure 𝛥𝑢𝑑 𝑓 is practically the same regardless of
Total stress Mohr’s
the chamber confining pressure.
circles at failure
Failure envelope 𝞍 = 0
Shear Stress, τ

Normal Stress, σ
Unconsolidated –Undrained Test (UU – Test)
Effective stress Total stress Mohr’s
φ' Mohr’s circle circle at failure φ
Shear Stress, τ at failure

𝑸 𝑹
𝑷

𝜎′3 𝜎′1 𝜎3 𝜎1
∆𝜎𝑑 𝑓 ∆𝜎𝑑 𝑓
∆𝜎𝑑 𝑓
∆𝑢𝑑 𝑓 ∆𝜎3 = ∆𝑢𝑐
Normal Stress, σ
 Unconsolidated –Undrained Test (UU – Test)
❑ Reason for obtaining the same added axial stress 𝛥𝜎𝑑 𝑓 regardless of
the confining pressure
Clay specimen # 1
❑ If clay specimen # 1 is consolidated at σ3 and then sheared to
failure with no drainage allowed, then the total stress conditions
at failure can be represented by the Mohr’s circle P.

❑ The pore water pressure developed in the specimen at failure is

equal to 𝛥𝑢𝑑 𝑓 , thus
𝜎′1 = 𝜎3 + ∆𝜎𝑑 𝑓 − ∆𝑢𝑑 𝑓 = 𝜎′1 − ∆𝑢𝑑 𝑓

❑ Q is the effective stress Mohr’s circle

 Unconsolidated –Undrained Test (UU – Test)
Clay specimen # 2
❑ Increase confining pressure by Δσ3
𝝈𝟑 𝟐 = 𝝈𝟑 + ∆𝝈𝟑
❑ Increase of σ3 by Δσ3 will cause increase of the pore water pressure by Δuc.
For saturated soils under isotropic stresses, the pore water pressure is equal
to the total stress increase, i.e.
∆𝒖𝒄 = ∆𝝈𝟑
❑ Effective confining pressure
𝝈𝟑 + ∆𝝈𝟑 − ∆𝒖𝒄 = 𝝈𝟑 + ∆𝝈𝟑 − ∆𝝈𝟑 = 𝝈𝟑
Same as for specimen 1 before application of deviator stress
❑ Hence specimen 2 will fail at same deviator stress
𝝈𝟑 + ∆𝝈𝟑 − ∆𝒖𝒄 + ∆𝝈𝒅 𝒇 = 𝝈𝟑 − ∆𝒖𝒅 𝒇 = 𝝈′𝟑
𝝈𝟑 + ∆𝝈𝟑 + ∆𝒖𝒅 𝒇 − ∆𝒖𝒄 − ∆𝝈𝒅 𝒇 = 𝝈𝟑 + ∆𝝈𝒅 𝒇 − ∆𝒖𝒅 𝒇
= 𝝈𝟏 − ∆𝒖𝒅 𝒇 = 𝝈′𝟏
 Unconfined CompressionTest
❑ The unconfined compression test is a special type of unconsolidated-
undrained test that is commonly used for clay specimens
❑ In this test, the confining pressure, σ3 is 0.
❑ An axial load is rapidly applied to the specimen to cause failure.
❑ At failure, the total minor principal stress is 0 and the total major
principal stress is σ1
❑ Since the undrained shear strength is independent of the confining
pressure, we have:
𝝈𝟏 𝒒𝒖
𝝉𝒇 = = = 𝒄𝒖
𝟐 𝟐
𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑞𝑢 = 𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ
Unconfined CompressionTest
 Unconfined Compression Test
❑ Approximate consistencies of clays based on their unconfined
compression strengths
Consistency qu (kN/m2)
Very soft 0 – 25
Soft 25 – 50

Medium 50 – 100

Stiff 100 – 200

Very stiff 200 – 400

Hard >400