Test: Assessment of shear behaviour of granular soil through large box

direct shear test

1. Equipment:

(i) Large Shear Box

(ii) Loading System (Vertical)
(iii) Loading System (Horizontal)
(iv) Displacement Measurement System
(v) Load Cells/Strain Gauges
(vi) Data Acquisition System
(vii) Sample Preparation Equip. : Sieve set, compaction devices, moisture content tools

2. Specification of equipment:

Size of shear box: 30cm *30cm

3. Sample Preparation:

1. Soil Sampling
 Procedure: Collect a representative soil sample from the field (or laboratory) that is to be tested.
The sample should ideally reflect the in-situ conditions if performing field-based tests.
 Type of Soil: Make sure to select the appropriate soil for the test, whether it’s cohesive (clay,
silt) or granular (sand, gravel). For cohesive soils, preparation can be more involved than for
granular soils.

2. Soil Moisture Content

 Determine the initial moisture content of the soil sample, as this will impact compaction and
other preparation steps.
o Drying Method: Typically, use an oven to dry a small portion of the sample at 105°C
for 24 hours to obtain the moisture content.
o Moisture Adjustment: If you need to adjust the moisture content to a specific value
(e.g., for saturated or unsaturated tests), add distilled water to the soil and thoroughly
mix it. Let the soil sit for a period to ensure uniform distribution of moisture.
o For undrained tests, you may prepare the sample in a water-saturated state, and for
drained tests, you will aim for a sample at or near its optimum moisture content
(typically on the dry side of saturation).

3. Sample Size and Shape

 The sample needs to fit within the shear box. The typical dimensions of a shear box are 60 mm
× 60 mm, 100 mm × 100 mm, or 150 mm × 150 mm, depending on the size of the soil particle
and the test requirements.
 The height of the sample is usually 25 mm to 50 mm.
 Trimming the Sample:
o For undisturbed samples, carefully trim the soil to the exact dimensions using a wire
cutter, knife, or soil trimming tools.
o For remoulded samples, the soil is compacted in a mould (e.g., a compaction mould)
to the desired density and size.
o
4. Compaction (if required)
 Granular Soils: If the soil is coarse-grained (e.g., sand), it may not require compaction, but for
uniformity, the sample can be placed in the shear box and lightly compacted.
 Cohesive Soils: Cohesive soils (clay, silt) may require compaction to achieve the desired
density. Common methods of compaction include:
o Standard Proctor Compaction: Apply a specific amount of energy (e.g., using a Proctor
hammer) to compact the sample to a known density. This is useful when preparing
samples for drained tests.
o Modified Proctor: A higher compaction energy is applied for denser samples, typically
used for granular soils or soils expected to be compacted at higher densities.

5. Shear Box Assembly

 Placement in Shear Box:
o Place the prepared soil sample into the lower half of the shear box.
o If the soil is saturated, ensure that the specimen is placed in the box while submerged
in water to prevent loss of moisture.
 o Levelling: After placing the sample, level the surface to ensure an even distribution
across the box.
 Saturation (for undrained tests):
o For undrained shear tests, ensure the sample is fully saturated. This can be done by
soaking the sample in water for a period or using a saturation apparatus.
o If you need a fully saturated specimen, allow water to permeate the soil until it reaches
saturation, indicated by no further increase in water height.

6. Porous Stones (or Filter Paper)

 Purpose: Porous stones or filter paper are placed at the bottom of the sample (in the lower half
of the shear box) to facilitate drainage or control the pore water pressure.
o For drained tests, use porous stones that allow the excess water to drain freely during
the test.
o For undrained tests, filter paper is used to prevent water from escaping and to confine
the pore water pressure.
o Make sure the porous stones are clean and free from any obstruction.

7. Placing the Upper Shear Box

 Once the specimen is prepared in the lower half of the shear box, place the upper half of the
shear box onto the specimen. The upper box should fit snugly, ensuring there is no gap between
the two halves.
 Ensure that the specimen is properly aligned within the box so that shear is applied uniformly
along the specimen.

8. Application of Normal Load

 Apply the normal load (vertical pressure) to the specimen by adjusting the vertical load on the
upper shear box. The load should be applied gradually to simulate in-situ conditions.
 The normal load is typically applied using a loading frame or the shear test apparatus, and its
value is chosen based on the expected in-situ stress conditions for the soil.
 Pore Water Pressure: In an undrained test, monitor the pore water pressure using a pressure
transducer or manometer, and in a drained test, ensure that the specimen is free to drain as the
shear force is applied.

9. Final Check of Sample Integrity

 Check that the specimen is intact, with no air gaps or voids, and that it is seated properly in the
shear box.
 Ensure there is no initial shear displacement or tilt before starting the test.

4. Methodology of test :

1. Application of Normal Load

 Normal Load Setup:
o Apply a normal load (vertical stress) to the specimen. This load simulates the confining
pressure or vertical stress that the soil would experience in the field.
o The normal load is applied using the shear frame, and the load can be varied depending
on the test objective. Typical normal stress values can range from 25 kPa to 300 kPa or
more, depending on the soil type and expected field conditions.
  Load Calibration:
o Confirm that the load cells are properly calibrated to ensure accurate measurement of
the applied normal load.
 Monitoring:
o Monitor the applied normal load throughout the test. The normal load should remain
constant during the shear phase.

2. Shear Phase: Application of Shear Force

 Start Shearing:
o Apply a horizontal shear force to the upper shear box. This is done by displacing the
upper half of the shear box in a horizontal direction (parallel to the plane of failure).
o The horizontal displacement should be applied gradually and uniformly.
 Shear Force Measurement:
o Measure the shear force (horizontal force) using the shear load cell or force transducer.
 Displacement Measurement:
o Continuously measure the horizontal displacement of the upper shear box using the
LVDT or dial gauge.
 Shear Stress Calculation

3. Observation and Monitoring During the Test

 Initial Stages of Shearing:
o During the initial stages of the test, small displacements lead to proportional increases
in shear stress.
o The soil specimen is generally elastic until it begins to yield, at which point it starts to
deform plastically.
 Failure Point:
o As the horizontal displacement increases, the soil specimen will eventually reach a
point where it fails in shear. This is typically indicated by a sudden decrease in the
shear resistance or a rapid increase in displacement with little increase in shear force.
 Monitoring Data:
o Record the shear force and horizontal displacement at regular intervals during the test.
o For drained tests, ensure that there is no excessive build-up of pore water pressure, and
for undrained tests, monitor the pore water pressure using transducers.

4. Post-Test Observations and Data Analysis

 Test Termination:
o The test is typically terminated when the specimen has failed in shear, and no further
significant increase in shear stress is observed with additional displacement.
 Data Recording:
o Plot the shear stress vs. horizontal displacement curve for the test. This will provide
information about the shear strength behavior of the soil.
o The maximum shear stress at failure is noted from the curve.
 Shear Strength Parameters:
o From the test results, determine the peak shear stress at failure.
o The shear strength parameters (cohesion “c” and angle of internal friction “ϕ”) can be
determined using the Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria.
5.Observation Table

Table 1: For normal load =0.5 kg/cm^2

TIME (SEC) HORIZONTAL Load(KGs) VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT (mm) HORIZONTAL DISPLACEMENT (mm) SHEAR STRESS (N/mm2) SHEAR STRAIN(%) VERTICAL STRAIN(%)COMPRESSION

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

10 2.8 0.06 0.18 0.000 0.060 0.02

20 8.6 0.04 0.21 0.001 0.070 0.01
30 13.7 0.08 0.24 0.001 0.080 0.03
40 19.2 0.1 0.25 0.002 0.083 0.03
50 25.3 0.11 0.28 0.003 0.093 0.04
60 31.7 0.11 0.31 0.003 0.103 0.04
70 37.4 0.16 0.32 0.004 0.107 0.05
80 42.1 0.16 0.32 0.005 0.107 0.05
90 45 0.17 0.34 0.005 0.113 0.06
100 47.8 0.18 0.36 0.005 0.120 0.06
110 50.2 0.12 0.38 0.005 0.127 0.04
120 53 0.12 0.38 0.006 0.127 0.04
130 55.4 0.14 0.37 0.006 0.123 0.05
140 57.6 0.1 0.37 0.006 0.123 0.03
150 60 0.14 0.38 0.007 0.127 0.05
160 62.2 0.15 0.37 0.007 0.123 0.05
170 64.9 0.11 0.38 0.007 0.127 0.04
180 68.1 0.16 0.36 0.007 0.120 0.05
190 70.9 0.15 0.39 0.008 0.130 0.05
200 75.1 0.17 0.38 0.008 0.127 0.06
210 79.5 0.16 0.38 0.009 0.127 0.05
220 83.8 0.19 0.36 0.009 0.120 0.06
230 88.9 0.18 0.36 0.010 0.120 0.06
240 93.1 0.19 0.35 0.010 0.117 0.06
250 98.4 0.2 0.35 0.011 0.117 0.07
260 104.2 0.19 0.33 0.011 0.110 0.06
270 109.7 0.18 0.32 0.012 0.107 0.06
280 114.5 0.17 0.31 0.012 0.103 0.06
290 118.5 0.18 0.29 0.013 0.097 0.06
300 122.7 0.2 0.27 0.013 0.090 0.07
310 127 0.2 0.25 0.014 0.083 0.07
320 131.5 0.21 0.21 0.014 0.070 0.07
330 135.4 0.19 0.2 0.015 0.067 0.06
340 138.9 0.2 0.17 0.015 0.057 0.07
350 142.8 0.23 0.16 0.016 0.053 0.08
360 146.4 0.22 0.16 0.016 0.053 0.07
370 150.7 0.22 0.14 0.016 0.047 0.07
380 154.5 0.21 0.12 0.017 0.040 0.07
390 158.4 0.22 0.1 0.017 0.033 0.07
400 162.4 0.19 0.08 0.018 0.027 0.06
410 167 0.27 0.06 0.018 0.020 0.09
420 171.8 0.31 0.02 0.019 0.007 0.10
430 176.3 0.32 0 0.019 0.000 0.11
440 179.4 0.31 0.02 0.020 0.007 0.10
450 183 0.29 0.02 0.020 0.007 0.10
460 186 0.26 0.04 0.020 0.013 0.09
470 189.4 0.3 0.07 0.021 0.023 0.10
480 192 0.31 0.09 0.021 0.030 0.10
490 194.2 0.29 0.12 0.021 0.040 0.10
500 197.1 0.26 0.13 0.021 0.043 0.09
510 199.6 0.29 0.17 0.022 0.057 0.10
520 202.6 0.32 0.2 0.022 0.067 0.11
530 204.8 0.28 0.24 0.022 0.080 0.09
540 207.2 0.23 0.26 0.023 0.087 0.08
550 209.5 0.17 0.27 0.023 0.090 0.06
560 211.5 0.18 0.32 0.023 0.107 0.06
570 214 0.18 0.34 0.023 0.113 0.06
580 216.5 0.21 0.39 0.024 0.130 0.07
590 218.3 0.19 0.41 0.024 0.137 0.06
600 220.5 0.19 0.42 0.024 0.140 0.06
610 222.9 0.17 0.44 0.024 0.147 0.06
620 224.9 0.25 0.47 0.025 0.157 0.08
630 226.9 0.27 0.5 0.025 0.167 0.09
640 229.1 0.16 0.53 0.025 0.177 0.05
650 231.3 0.15 0.55 0.025 0.183 0.05
660 233.6 0.15 0.58 0.025 0.193 0.05
670 236.4 0.14 0.6 0.026 0.200 0.05
680 238.2 0.17 0.64 0.026 0.213 0.06
690 240.6 0.17 0.68 0.026 0.227 0.06
700 242.1 0.17 0.7 0.026 0.233 0.06
710 243.9 0.15 0.72 0.027 0.240 0.05
720 245.5 0.12 0.76 0.027 0.253 0.04
730 247.5 0.13 0.78 0.027 0.260 0.04
740 249.5 0.18 0.8 0.027 0.267 0.06
750 251.6 0.08 0.83 0.027 0.277 0.03
 760 253.6 0.08 0.85 0.028 0.283 0.03
770 255.3 0.08 0.88 0.028 0.293 0.03
780 256.5 0.09 0.9 0.028 0.300 0.03
790 259 0.11 0.92 0.028 0.307 0.04
800 261 0.11 0.96 0.028 0.320 0.04
810 262.9 0.11 0.99 0.029 0.330 0.04
820 265.5 0.07 1 0.029 0.333 0.02
830 266.8 0.08 1.05 0.029 0.350 0.03
840 269.3 0.06 1.06 0.029 0.353 0.02
850 270.4 0.08 1.1 0.029 0.367 0.03
860 272.5 0.09 1.14 0.030 0.380 0.03
870 274.5 0.09 1.17 0.030 0.390 0.03
880 276 0.06 1.19 0.030 0.397 0.02
890 277.4 0.06 1.22 0.030 0.407 0.02
900 279.3 0.06 1.25 0.030 0.417 0.02
910 281.5 0.07 1.27 0.031 0.423 0.02
920 285.2 0.04 1.3 0.031 0.433 0.01
930 287.8 0.01 1.32 0.031 0.440 0.00
940 275.4 0.06 1.37 0.030 0.457 0.02
950 283.9 0.09 1.41 0.031 0.470 0.03
960 286.9 0 1.44 0.031 0.480 0.00
970 271.7 0.05 1.4 0.030 0.467 0.02
980 263 0.01 1.4 0.029 0.467 0.00
990 262.9 0.03 1.41 0.029 0.470 0.01
1000 318.5 0.03 1.96 0.035 0.653 0.01
1010 337.7 0.05 2.59 0.037 0.863 0.02
1020 361 0.04 3.26 0.039 1.087 0.01
1030 386.8 0.07 3.92 0.042 1.307 0.02
1040 412 0.1 4.6 0.045 1.533 0.03
1050 433.8 0.13 5.3 0.047 1.767 0.04
1060 452.5 0 5.97 0.049 1.990 0.00
1070 468.7 0 6.64 0.051 2.213 0.00
1080 483.7 0.35 7.32 0.053 2.440 0.12
1090 498.6 0.4 8 0.054 2.667 0.13
1100 512.1 0.45 8.69 0.056 2.897 0.15
1110 526.3 0.58 9.39 0.057 3.130 0.19
1120 542.8 0.64 10.07 0.059 3.357 0.21
1130 554.7 0.78 10.77 0.060 3.590 0.26
1140 571.7 0.84 11.44 0.062 3.813 0.28
1150 583.6 0.89 12.13 0.064 4.043 0.30
1160 596.3 1.13 12.83 0.065 4.277 0.38
1170 602.6 1.15 13.51 0.066 4.503 0.38
1180 598.2 1.3 14.22 0.065 4.740 0.43
1190 607 1.41 14.91 0.066 4.970 0.47
1200 606.3 1.53 15.6 0.066 5.200 0.51
1210 601.8 1.69 16.3 0.066 5.433 0.56
1220 602.2 1.88 17.01 0.066 5.670 0.63
1230 604.6 1.99 17.71 0.066 5.903 0.66
1240 607.2 2.16 18.39 0.066 6.130 0.72
1250 610.1 2.28 19.08 0.067 6.360 0.76
1260 612.4 2.4 19.79 0.067 6.597 0.80
1270 616.3 2.47 20.48 0.067 6.827 0.82
1280 621.9 2.63 21.16 0.068 7.053 0.88
1290 628.7 2.81 21.85 0.069 7.283 0.94
1300 636.1 2.94 22.55 0.069 7.517 0.98
1310 642.1 3.05 23.26 0.070 7.753 1.02
1320 644.9 3.17 23.94 0.070 7.980 1.06
1330 646.5 3.3 24.62 0.070 8.207 1.10
1340 648.7 3.4 25.32 0.071 8.440 1.13
1350 652.1 3.53 26 0.071 8.667 1.18
1360 653.7 3.69 26.71 0.071 8.903 1.23
1370 655.5 3.8 27.4 0.071 9.133 1.27
1380 659.7 3.96 28.09 0.072 9.363 1.32
1390 661 4.09 28.77 0.072 9.590 1.36
1400 663.1 4.24 29.47 0.072 9.823 1.41
1410 664 4.42 30.16 0.072 10.053 1.47
 Table 2: For normal load =1 kg/cm^2

TIME (SEC) HORIZONTAL Load(KGs) VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT (mm) HORIZONTAL DISPLACEMENT (mm) SHEAR STRESS (N/mm2) SHEAR STRAIN(%) VERTICAL STRAIN(%)COMPRESSION

0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 108.8 0 0.5 0.012 0.167 0.00
20 205.1 0.12 1.08 0.022 0.360 0.04
30 289.2 0.21 1.7 0.032 0.567 0.07
40 359 0.2 2.32 0.039 0.773 0.07
50 419.3 0.24 2.96 0.046 0.987 0.08
60 470.5 0.27 3.63 0.051 1.210 0.09
70 517.9 0.2 4.3 0.056 1.433 0.07
80 561.4 0.21 4.96 0.061 1.653 0.07
90 605.8 0.21 5.63 0.066 1.877 0.07
100 646.3 0.2 6.31 0.070 2.103 0.07
110 684 0.2 7 0.075 2.333 0.07
120 720 0.23 7.68 0.078 2.560 0.08
130 752.9 0.19 8.38 0.082 2.793 0.06
140 780.9 0.2 9.05 0.085 3.017 0.07
150 811.8 0.24 9.73 0.088 3.243 0.08
160 836.2 0.18 10.4 0.091 3.467 0.06
170 852.7 0.14 11.12 0.093 3.707 0.05
180 874.1 0.12 11.8 0.095 3.933 0.04
190 893.3 0.08 12.49 0.097 4.163 0.03
200 910.3 0.03 13.16 0.099 4.387 0.01
210 921.3 0.04 13.86 0.100 4.620 0.01
220 923 0.09 14.56 0.101 4.853 0.03
230 928.3 0.16 15.26 0.101 5.087 0.05
240 938.3 0.21 15.95 0.102 5.317 0.07
250 945.5 0.17 16.64 0.103 5.547 0.06
260 950.8 0.21 17.34 0.104 5.780 0.07
270 948.2 0.25 18.03 0.103 6.010 0.08
280 955.3 0.26 18.71 0.104 6.237 0.09
290 953 0.31 19.41 0.104 6.470 0.10
300 956.5 0.38 20.11 0.104 6.703 0.13
310 956.6 0.46 20.82 0.104 6.940 0.15
320 954 0.56 21.52 0.104 7.173 0.19
330 952.2 0.54 22.21 0.104 7.403 0.18
340 949.5 0.65 22.89 0.103 7.630 0.22
350 951.4 0.71 23.59 0.104 7.863 0.24
360 953.4 0.71 24.28 0.104 8.093 0.24
370 956.3 0.77 24.97 0.104 8.323 0.26
380 956.6 0.8 25.67 0.104 8.557 0.27
390 955.6 0.81 26.34 0.104 8.780 0.27
400 945.6 0.85 27.05 0.103 9.017 0.28
410 944.3 0.87 27.75 0.103 9.250 0.29
420 947.5 0.92 28.45 0.103 9.483 0.31
430 946.4 0.9 29.16 0.103 9.720 0.30
440 926.3 0.92 29.86 0.101 9.953 0.31
450 922.6 0.94 30.57 0.101 10.190 0.31
460 923.1 0.99 31.26 0.101 10.420 0.33
470 884.5 1.02 31.64 0.096 10.547 0.34
480 856.1 1.05 31.65 0.093 10.550 0.35
 Table 3: For normal load =1.5kg/cm^2

TIME (SEC) HORIZONTAL Load(KGs) VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT (mm) HORIZONTAL DISPLACEMENT (mm) SHEAR STRESS (N/mm2) SHEAR STRAIN(%) VERTICAL STRAIN(%)COMPRESSION

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

10 544.9 0.35 3.37 0.059 1.123 0.12

20 600.2 0.4 4.03 0.065 1.343 0.13
30 641.9 0.43 4.68 0.070 1.560 0.14
40 682.1 0.43 5.36 0.074 1.787 0.14
50 724.5 0.54 6.05 0.079 2.017 0.18
60 761.8 0.53 6.75 0.083 2.250 0.18
70 797.7 0.61 7.43 0.087 2.477 0.20
80 830.7 0.62 8.12 0.091 2.707 0.21
90 864.5 0.58 8.8 0.094 2.933 0.19
100 901.6 0.62 9.47 0.098 3.157 0.21
110 934.4 0.62 10.15 0.102 3.383 0.21
120 965.8 0.58 10.83 0.105 3.610 0.19
130 997.9 0.57 11.5 0.109 3.833 0.19
140 1028.5 0.54 12.18 0.112 4.060 0.18
150 1056.8 0.56 12.86 0.115 4.287 0.19
160 1083.5 0.58 13.53 0.118 4.510 0.19
170 1108.3 0.58 14.23 0.121 4.743 0.19
180 1132.9 0.59 14.91 0.123 4.970 0.20
190 1155.5 0.57 15.6 0.126 5.200 0.19
200 1158.3 0.53 16.31 0.126 5.437 0.18
210 1179.8 0.47 17 0.129 5.667 0.16
220 1192.5 0.46 17.7 0.130 5.900 0.15
230 1205.7 0.47 18.38 0.131 6.127 0.16
240 1203.4 0.41 19.06 0.131 6.353 0.14
250 1202.9 0.32 19.75 0.131 6.583 0.11
260 1212.2 0.3 20.44 0.132 6.813 0.10
270 1227.9 0.27 21.14 0.134 7.047 0.09
280 1235.7 0.25 21.84 0.135 7.280 0.08
290 1242.3 0.21 22.52 0.135 7.507 0.07
300 1249.3 0.21 23.19 0.136 7.730 0.07
310 1253.1 0.19 23.88 0.137 7.960 0.06
320 1258.4 0.23 24.58 0.137 8.193 0.08
330 1257.2 0.22 25.27 0.137 8.423 0.07
340 1259.7 0.26 25.96 0.137 8.653 0.09
350 1257.6 0.18 26.64 0.137 8.880 0.06
360 1256.3 0.18 27.32 0.137 9.107 0.06
370 1252.3 0.18 27.99 0.137 9.330 0.06
380 1244.4 0.15 28.68 0.136 9.560 0.05
390 1195 0.08 28.75 0.130 9.583 0.03
6.Plots:

(i) Shear stress v/s shear strain

(ii) Vertical strain v/s Horizontal strain
 (iii) Shear stress, Normal stress for peak and critical state

CRITICAL NORMAL STRESS(KG/CM2)

0 0 0
SHEAR STRESS MAX 1 0.027 0.0723 0.5
SHEAR STRESS MAX 2 0.066 0.1 1
SHEAR STRESS MAX 3 0.065 0.13 1.5
DEGREE
WITH CRITICAL SHEAR 62.5
WITH PEAK SHEAR 35

7.Results
(i) Peak Friction Angle: 35 DEGREE

(ii) Critical Friction Angle: 62.5 DEGREE

(iii) Dilation Angle :62.5-35=27.5 DEGREE