Final Experiment

UNCONFINED COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

1. Objective(s):
The activity aims to introduce the student to a method for using an unconfined compression test to determine
the shear strength of cohesive soils and presenting the result data.
2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):
The students shall be able to:
• determine the shear strength of cohesive soil
• describe the main feature of unconfined compression test
3. Discussion:
When it comes to Soil Shear Testing, an Unconfined Compression Test is one of the recommended methods
and since it’s it saves time and is the least expensive method for measuring the shear strength of the soil. It
is typically used to recover saturated, cohesive soils from thin-walled sample tubes. The test does not work
on cohesionless or coarse-grained soils.
The unconfined test is strain-controlled, and when the soil sample is loaded gradually, the pore water
pressures undergo changes in which the water within the soil sample slowly dissipates. In a sense, it
represents the soils on construction sites when the rate of construction is very fast and the pore water does
not have enough time to dissipate.
4. Resources:
1. Unconfined Compression Machine
2. Oven
3. Weighing balance
4. Wax Paper
5. Protractor and Caliper
6. Drying can
7. Mold (38mm diameter, 76mm long)
8. Stopwatch
9. Spatula
10. Sieve No. 200
11. Pan
12. Bowl
13. Grease
5. Procedure:
A. SIZE OF SAMPLE
1. Soil sample minimum diameter = 38mm
B. PREPARATION OF SAMPLE (Remolded)
1. After trimming the sample into its desired size, wrap in wax paper or any non-absorptive
material. Break up the sample and knead thoroughly with the fingers until it is uniform. Note:
Avoid entrapping air in the specimen and preserve the natural water content of the soil.
2. Place sample in the cylindrical mold in successive layers. Each layer should be sufficiently
tamped to obtain a uniform density in the entire sample.
3. Remove the sample form mold and square both ends and determine the mass and dimensions
of the test specimen.
4. Start the test immediately.
C. TESTING OF SAMPLE
1. Place the specimen in the loading device so that it is centered on the bottom platen. Adjust the
loading device carefully so that the upper platen just makes contact with the specimen. Zero the
deformation indicator (dial).
2. Apply the load so as to produce an axial strain at a rate of ½ to 2% per minute.
3. Record load, deformation, and time values at sufficient intervals (usually at every 30 seconds)
to define the shape of the stress-strain curve (usually 10 to 15 points are sufficient).
Note: The rate of strain should be chosen so that the time to failure does not exceed about 15
minutes.
a. For softer materials that will exhibit larger deformation at failure should be tested at a higher
rate of strain.
 b. Stiff or brittle materials that will exhibit small deformations at failure should be tested at a
lower rate of strain.
4. Continue loading until the load values decrease with increasing strain (failure surfaces have
clearly developed), or until 15% strain is reached.
5. Remove specimen from the machine and take it to the moist room. Make a sketch of the test
specimen at failure showing the slope angle of the failure surface if the angle is measurable,
with respect to the horizontal plane.
6. Determine the water content of the test specimen using the entire specimen.
Course: Experiment No.:
Group No.: Section:
Group Leader: Date Performed:
Group Members: Date Submitted:
1. Instructor:
2.
3.
4.

6. Data and Results:

Table 1. Moisture Content Determination

d = Diameter (cm)
LO = Length (cm)
M = Mass (g)

MC = Mass of empty, clean can + lid (g)

MCMS = Mass of can, lid, and moist soil (g)
MCDS = Mass of can, lid, and doist soil (g)
MS = Mass of soil solids (g)
MW = Mass of pore water (g)
W = Water Content (%)

AO = Area (cm2)
V = Volume (cm3)
ρw = Wet density (g/cm3)
ρd = Dry density (g/cm3)

Table 2. Unconfined Compression Test Data

Elapsed Deformation Load Dial Sample Strain % Strain Corrected Load Load Stress
Time Dial Reading Reading Deformation (𝜺) Area A’ (lb) (kN) (kPa)
∆L (mm)
7. Conclusion:
8. Assessment (Rubric for Laboratory Performance):
CRITERIA BEGINNER ACCEPTABLE PROFICIENT SCORE
1 2 3
I. Laboratory Skills
Manipulative Skills Members do not Members occasionally Members always
demonstrate needed demonstrate needed demonstrate needed
skills. skills skills.

Experimental Members are unable to Members are able to Members are able to
set-up the materials. set-up the materials set-up the material with
Set-up with supervision. minimum supervision.

Process Skills Members do not Members occasionally Members always

demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted
process skills. process skills. process skills.

Safety Precautions Members do not follow Members follow safety Members follow safety
safety precautions. precautions most of the precautions at all
time. times.
II. Work Habits
Time Management / Members do not finish Members finish on time Members finish ahead
Conduct of on time with with incomplete data. of time with complete
Experiment incomplete data. data and time to revise
data.
Cooperative and Members do not know Members have defined Members are on tasks
Teamwork their tasks and have no responsibilities most of and have defined
defined responsibilities. the time. Group responsibilities at all
Group conflicts have to conflicts are times. Group conflicts
be settled by the cooperatively managed are cooperatively
teacher. most of the time. managed at all times.
Neatness and Messy workplace Clean and orderly Clean and orderly
Orderliness during and after the workplace with workplace at all times
experiment. occasional mess during and after the
during and after the experiment.
experiment.
Ability to do Members require Members require Members do not need
independent work supervision by the occasional supervision to be supervised by the
teacher. by the teacher. teacher.

Other Comments/Observations: Total Score

(𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒)
𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 = × 100
24
9. References
Determine unconfined compressive strength of cohesive soil. The Constructor. (2017, November 10).
Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://theconstructor.org/geotechnical/unconfined-
compressive-strength-of-cohesive-soil/3134/

CEMM 315 Laboratory Manual. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2022, from
https://cemmlab.webhost.uic.edu/