Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory

Department of Civil Engineering

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY GUWAHATI

NAME: YOGESH NAUTIYAL ROLL.NO: 234104212 PROGRAMME: M.TECH

DIRECT SHEAR TEST

OBJECTIVE
To determine the shear strength parameters of given soil sample.

NEED AND SCOPE

The intent of direct shear test is to determine the angle of internal friction and cohesion to obtain
shear stress deformation characteristics of the soil sample. This information is necessary in
substructure analysis in determining bearing capacity of the soil.

REFERENCES
IS: 2720 (Part 13) – 1986

APPARATUS REQUIRED
Shear box, Container, Grid Plates, Base Plate, Loading Pad with steel ball, Leading frame. Weights,
Proving ring with dial gauge (0.002 mm accurate), micrometre dial gauge (0.01 mm accurate). Tamping
rod.

THEORY
The strength of soil mass is its property against sliding along internal planes within itself. The stability
of slopes & bearing capacity of foundations depend on shearing resistance offered by the soil along
possible slippage surfaces. The shear strength of specimen is determined as:

S= C+ σ tanØ

Where S= shear strength of soil (kg/cm2)

C= Cohesion (kg/cm2)
Ø = angle of shearing resistance (degree)

The parameters C & Ø for a particular soil depend upon its degree of saturation, density and condition
of laboratory testing. In direct shear test, the sample is sheared along a horizontal plane. The failure
plane is horizontal and predefined. The normal stress on this plane is the external vertical load acting
on the area of the sample. The stress (shear) at failure is the lateral load divided by the corrected area of
the sample. By repeating the test for different values of σ & S, the values of C & Ø can be determines
using Mohr circle method. Direct shear test is used to predict these parameters quickly, especially in
cohesionless soils. This can be carried out on undisturbed or remolded samples.
In the direct shear test, the specimen is not failing along its weakest plane but along a predetermined or
induced failure plane i.e. horizontal plane separating the two halves of the shear box. The normal stress
is applied from a external vertical load acting on the area of the sample. Shear is induced by providing
lateral displacement to the lower box at a constant rate of 1.25mm/min. Shear stress is the calculated by
dividing the corresponding lateral load by corrected area of the sample. By repeating the test for
different σ and  values shear parameters can be determined with Mohr circle.

PROCEDURE
1. To prepare the sample take the dimensions of the shear box and calculate the volume of soil
required for the test. The shear box considered in this test is a square box of 6 cm dimension.
Taking 3cm height of the sample the volume is calculated.
2. For the calculated volume the corresponding calculate the weight of soil using the density and
water content of the soil sample
3. Assemble the shear box by placing the bottom plate, fastening the vertical screws, rodding the
soil sample in layers and then placing the top plate over it.
4. Place shear box in it’s position with loading plate placed on the top of the metal ball of shear
box.
5. The dial gauges to measure the vertical deformation, horizontal displacement and also the
proving ring to measure the shearing load are adjusted to zero.
6. The required normal load is imposed on the specimen by loading the lever pan with necessary
weights
7. Adjust the electric motor priorly to give the necessary horizontal deformation.
8. Remove the pins before applying the load
9. Take the readings of all the the dial gauges at regular intervals until the failure of specimen
10. Repeat the test with two more specimens at different normal loadings
11. Plot the graphs between normal stress and maximum shearing resistance
12. Obtain the shear parameters from the graphs

OBSERVATIONS
Length of the shear box = 6cm

Breadth of shear box = 6cm

Height of soil sample = 3cm

Rate of shear displacement = 1.25mm/min

Dry density of soil sample (γd) =1.365 g/cc

Proving ring constant = 0.345

 Specimen No.1 (Normal Stress 0.5 kg/cm²)

Shearing Stress Dial Shear

Strain Dial Corrected Axial Axial
Sl No. Displacement Gauge Stress
Division Area (cm2]) Load (Kg) Strain (%)
(cm) Reading (kg/cm2)
1 0 0.00 36.00 0.0 0.00 0.00 0.00

2 20 0.02 35.76 15.0 5.18 0.33 0.14

3 40 0.04 35.52 20.0 6.90 0.67 0.19

4 60 0.06 35.28 21.5 7.42 1.00 0.21

5 80 0.08 35.04 24.0 8.28 1.33 0.24

6 100 0.10 34.80 25.0 8.63 1.67 0.25

7 120 0.12 34.56 26.5 9.14 2.00 0.26

8 140 0.14 34.32 26.5 9.14 2.33 0.27

9 160 0.16 34.08 29.5 10.18 2.67 0.30

10 180 0.18 33.84 28.0 9.66 3.00 0.29

11 200 0.20 33.60 27.5 9.49 3.33 0.28

12 220 0.22 33.36 26.5 9.14 3.67 0.27

Specimen No.2 (Normal Stress 1.0 kg/cm²)

Shearing Stress Dial Shear
Strain Dial Corrected Axial Axial
Sl No. Displacement Gauge Stress
Division Area (cm2]) Load (Kg) Strain (%)
(cm) Reading (kg/cm2)
1 0 0.00 36.00 0.0 0.00 0.00 0.00

2 20 0.02 35.76 18.0 6.21 0.33 0.17

3 40 0.04 35.52 26.0 8.97 0.67 0.25

4 60 0.06 35.28 30.0 10.35 1.00 0.29

5 80 0.08 35.04 35.0 12.08 1.33 0.34

6 100 0.10 34.80 39.0 13.46 1.67 0.39

7 120 0.12 34.56 43.0 14.84 2.00 0.43

8 140 0.14 34.32 45.0 15.53 2.33 0.45

9 160 0.16 34.08 48.5 16.73 2.67 0.49

10 180 0.18 33.84 52.0 17.94 3.00 0.53

11 200 0.20 33.6 54.0 18.63 3.33 0.55

12 220 0.22 33.36 56.0 19.32 3.67 0.58

 13 240 0.24 33.12 59.0 20.36 4.00 0.61

14 260 0.26 32.88 60.0 20.70 4.33 0.63

15 280 0.28 32.64 63.5 21.91 4.67 0.67

16 300 0.30 32.4 64.0 22.08 5.00 0.68

17 320 0.32 32.16 64.0 22.08 5.33 0.69

18 340 0.34 31.92 61.5 21.22 5.67 0.66

Specimen No.2 (Normal Stress 1.5 kg/cm²)

Shearing Stress Dial Shear
Strain Dial Corrected Axial Axial
Sl No. Displacement Gauge Stress
Division Area (cm2]) Load (Kg) Strain (%)
(cm) Reading (kg/cm2)
1 0 0.00 36.00 0.0 0.00 0.00 0.00
2 20 0.02 35.76 19.0 10.35 0.33 0.29
3 40 0.04 35.52 20.0 13.11 0.67 0.37
4 60 0.06 35.28 27.0 15.53 1.00 0.44
5 80 0.08 35.04 34.0 16.91 1.33 0.48
6 100 0.10 34.80 40.0 19.32 1.67 0.56
7 120 0.12 34.56 51.0 20.36 2.00 0.59
8 140 0.14 34.32 61.0 21.05 2.33 0.61
9 160 0.16 34.08 68.0 23.46 2.67 0.69
10 180 0.18 33.84 74.0 25.53 3.00 0.75
11 200 0.2 33.6 76.0 26.22 3.33 0.78
12 220 0.22 33.36 82.5 28.46 3.67 0.85
13 240 0.24 33.12 85.0 29.33 4.00 0.89
14 260 0.26 32.88 87.0 30.02 4.33 0.91
15 280 0.28 32.64 89.0 30.71 4.67 0.94
16 300 0.30 32.4 89.0 30.71 5.00 0.95
17 320 0.32 32.16 85.0 29.33 5.33 0.91
18 340 0.34 31.92 80.0 27.60 5.67 0.86
GRAPHS

Shear Stress Versus Shear Displacement

1.00

0.90
Shear Stress ( kg/cm2 )

0.80

0.70

0.60

0.50

0.40

0.30

0.50 Kg/sq. cm
0.20
1.00 Kg/sq. cm
0.10
1.50 Kg/sq. cm

0.00
0 1 2 3 4
Shear Displacement (mm)

Shear Stress Versus Shear Displacement

1.5

1.0
Shear Stress, kg/cm2

0.5

0.0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5
Normal Stress, kg/cm2
TEST RESULTS

Normal Stress (kg/cm²) 0.50 1.00 1.50

Shear stress at failure (kg/cm²) 0.30 0.69 0.95

Shear Displacement at failure

0.69 5.33 3.00
(mm)

Cohesion intercept, "c" (kg/cm²) 0.00

Angle of Shearing resistance "ɸ"

33.0
(degree)

CONCLUSION
1. Test was conducted successfully and required shear strength parameters of the given soil
sample obtained from the test.
2. The condition of machine, proving ring, dial gauge and the weights might have wrongly
placed or misplaced also impacts the results.
3. Soil should be compacted properly in three layers. The shearing should be tightly fixed while
compacting. While placing the shear box, the shearing pin should be removed. The readings
of proving ring dial gauge reading should be taken.
4. This test is simple and fast to operate.
5. One disadvantage involves that there is no mechanism to measure pore water pressure hence
this is not for fine grained soils.
6. Pin should be removed before starting of the test.
7. Plates should be perpendicular to point of application of the load.

SOURCE OF ERROR
1. Improper preparation and disturbance of soil samples.
2. Loading Rate
3. Friction between the specimen and loading platens.
4. Errors in data collection, analysis, and interpretation
5. Incorrect alignment of the test specimen within the loading apparatus.