DIRECT SHEAR TEST
OBJECTIVE
This test is performed to determine the consolidated-drained shear strength of a sandy to silty
soil. Direct shear test or box shear test is used to determine the shear strengthof the soil. It is
more suitable for cohesionless soils.
INTRODUCTION
The direct shear test is used to determine the shear strength of soils on a predetermined
failure surface. Results of this test are applicable to the stability analysis of foundation,
slopes, and retaining wall. The main problem of the test are that (1) the failure plane is forced
along an arbitrary plane, (2) the states of the stress in the vertical boundaries are not know
there is a rotation of principal stress during the test, (3) full saturation cannot be confirmed,
and (4) the dissipation of excess pore water pressure is not monitored, in spite of these
limitations, the test is quite popular because it is simple to run and the data are easily reduced.
APPARATUS
PROCEDURES
1. Familiarize yourself with components of the shear box. The boxes consist of a base
plate and mould, the top half of the shear box with pins for lateral restraint, and the
top cap loading block.
2. Remove the shear box assembly from the loading frame. Notices the screws on the
half of the shear box. The screws oriented vertically are used to separate the top and
bottom halves of the shear box prior to testing. Back off these screws until they have
been fully retracted within the top half of the shear box. Back off these screws until
the loading block can be removed.
3. Insert the pins the vertical holes machined into both halves of the shear box. These
pins prevent lateral displacement between upper and lower halves of the shear box
during sample preparation.
4. Pass the soil to be tested through the No.4 sieve, retain the minus No.4 material for
testing.
5. Measure and record the interior dimensions of the shear box ( length and with, or
diameter and height ) and the height of the loading block. Data can be recorded on the
sample data form.
6. Fill a container of known weight with the prepared soil. Weigh the container plus the
soil. Pour the sand into the shear box by using the following techniques for the
preparation either loose or dense samples. If the soil is to be tested at loose relative
densities, the material should be poured into the shear box in one lift by adding soil in
thin lifts and vibrating the sample with lateral blows with a rubber hammer. For the
latter techniques , the loading block should be inserted into the shear box and secured
by moderate finger pressure during the hammer impact . After the sample has been
fabricated, weigh the container and remaining sand in order to determine the weight
of the specimen .
7. After leveling the surface on the sample, carefully place the loading block on the
specimen. Determine the height of the sample by measuring the vertical distance
between the top of the loading block and the top of the shear box. Once the samples
height is known, the volume, unit weight, and the void ratio of the specimen can be
obtained.
8. Place the shear box assembly in the direct shear machines.
9. The samples should be tested at a range of normal stresses the correspond to the
stresses anticipated in the field. Convert these estimated stresses to vertical loads on
the area of the sample on the horizontal plane. Add the appropriate load .
10. Advance the vertically oriented screws in the top half of the shear box until the upper
box is elevated approximately one grain diameter above the lower half of the shear
box.
11. Clamp the loading block to the upper half of the shear box by advancing the
horizontally aligned screws. Back off the screws so that is now no contact between
the two halves of the shear box .
12. We had attach the horizontal and vertical dial guage to the shear box. During our test,
measurements are made of the horizontal and vertical displacements.
13. The vertical pins from the shear box are removed.
14. The application of the horizontal load is provided by the mechanical drive that
displaces the upper half of the shear box at a constant rate. The corresponding load is
measured with a proving ring clamped between the moving load piston and the upper
half of the shear box . The deflection of the proving ring is indicated on a dial gauge
and converted to load. Appling the horizontal load and at 15 second intervals,
record(1) the horizontal deflection, (2) vertical deformation, and (3) deflection of the
proving ring, which allow us to calculate the horizontal load being sustained by the
soil .
15. The load versus deformation behavior of the sample are depending on both the initial
density of the sample and the normal stress at the beginning of the test. We had record
the maximum horizontal load reached and it remains constant for at least five readings
or (2) the horizontal load increases to a maximum , then gradually decreases to a
stable minimum value . At this load level. The residual strength of the soil is being
mobilized.
16. The test data should be presented in the following plots:
Shear stress against horizontal displacement
Vertical displacement against horizontal displacement
Peak stress at failure against normal stress
17. Then we repeated steps 2 through 14 samples at 5kg, 10kg, 15kg.
DISCUSSION
The test is carried out on a soil sample confined in a metal box of square cross-section which
is split horizontally at mid-height. A small clearance is maintained between the two halves of
the box. The soil is sheared along a predetermined plane by moving the top half of the box
relative to the bottom half. The box is usually square box in plane of size 60 mm x 60 mm.
CONCLUSION
Experimental data from unreinforced direct shear tests on sand are presented to show the
influence of the boundary conditions on the test measurements. The data and the theoretical
considerations of the loading in the test show that a symmetrical direct shear test arrangement
is preferable. A new method of analysis for the direct shear test is introduced based on the
relationship between the sand shearing resistances and dilatancy. The analysis provides an
independent check on the conventional analyses and on the consistency of the data from
direct shear test. The conclusions is that the symmetrical direct shear test is an effective
method for the measurement of the plane strain and direct shear angles of friction for sand
and the angle of dilation, at the density and stress level tested. The measured plane strain
shearing resistance corresponds closely with the minimum value with respect to strength
anisoropy. A simple modification for the standard laboratory direct shear apparatus and
suggestions for the analysis of standard test data are recommended.
REFERENCES
1. http://home.iitk.ac.in/~madhav/expt10.html
2. https://theconstructor.org/geotechnical/shear-strength-soil-direct-shear-test/3112/
3. https://www.geotechdata.info/geotest/direct-shear-test.html
4. http://www.iricen.gov.in/LAB/res/html/Test-08.html
5. https://civilseek.com/direct-shear-test/
