Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory

Department of Civil Engineering

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY GUWAHATI

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

UNCONFINED COMPRESSION TEST

OBJECTIVE
To determine the unconfined compressive strength (qu) of the soil

NEED AND SCOPE

Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) stands for the maximum axial compressive stress that a
cohesive soil specimen can bear under zero confining stress. UCS test quickly determine a measure of
the unconfined compressive strength of fine grained soil that possess sufficient cohesion to permit
testing in the unconfined state.

REFERENCES
IS: 2720 (Part 10) – 1991

APPARATUS REQUIRED
1) Loading frame of capacity 2t, with constant rate of movement
2) Proving ring of 0.01 kg sensitivity for soft soils; 0.05 kg for stiff soils
3) Soil trimmer, evaporating dish (aluminum container)
4) Friction less end plates of 75 mm diameter (Perspex plate with silicon grease coating)
5) Dial gauge (0.01 mm accuracy), Dial gauge (sensitivity 0.01 mm), Vernier calipers
6) Oven thermostatically controlled with interior of non-corroding material.
7) Balance of capacity 200 gm and sensitivity 0.01 g.
8) Soil sample of 76 mm length, sample extractor and split sampler.

THEORY
The unconfined compression test is the most popular method of soil shear testing because it is one of the
fastest and least expensive methods of measuring shear strength. It is used primarily for saturated,
cohesive soils recovered from thin-walled sampling tubes. The test is not applicable to cohesionless or
coarse-grained soils.
The load per unit area at which a cylindrical specimen of a cohesive soil fails in compression is called
UCS (qu).
qu = P/A
where P = axial load at failure
A = Corrected area = Ao/ (1-Ε),
where Ao is the initial cross-sectional area of the specimen,
Ε = axial strain = (Change in length)/ (Original Length)
The undrained shear strength (Su) of the soil is equal to one half of the UCS i.e. Su = qu / 2.

It is not always possible to conduct the bearing capacity test in the field. Sometimes it is cheaper to take the
undisturbed soil sample and test its strength in the laboratory. Also to choose the best material for the
embankment one has to conduct strength tests on the samples selected. Under these conditions it is easy to
perform the UCS test on undisturbed and remoulded samples.

In the test, a cylindrical sample without lateral support is tested to failure in simple compression, at a
constant rate of strain. The compressive load per unit area required to fail the specimen as called
unconfined compressive strength of the soil.

PROCEDURE
(A) Preparation of undisturbed sample:

1) Note down the sample no., bore hole no. and depth at which the sample was taken.
2) Remove the protective cover (paraffin wax) from the sampling tube.
3) Place the sampling tube extractor and push the plunger until a 75 mm long sample moves out.
4) Trim the projected sample using a wire saw and push the plunger until a 75 mm long sample
comes out.
5) Cut out this sample carefully and hold it on the split sampler so that it does not fall.
6) Take out 10 to 15 g of soil from the tube for water content determination.
7) Note the container no. and take the net weight of the sample and the container.
8) Measure the dia. at top, middle and bottom of the sample. Find the average and record the same.
9) Measure the length and weight of the sample and record.

(B) Preparation of remolded sample:

1) For the desired water content and dry density calculate the weight of the dry soil. Ws required for
preparing a specimen of 3.8 cm diameter and 7.6 cm long.
2) Add required quantity of water WW to this soil.
Ww= Ws* W/100 g
3) Mix the soil thoroughly with water.
4) Place the wet soil in a thick polythene bag in a humidity chamber.
5) After 24 hours take soil from the humidity chamber and place the soil in a constant volume mould
having an internal height of 7.5 cm and internal diameter of 3.8 cm.
6) Place the lubricated mould with plungers in position in the load frame.
7) Apply the compressive load till the specimen is compacted to a height of 7.5 cm.
8) Eject the specimen from constant volume mould using sample extractor.
9) Record the correct height, weight and diameter of the specimen.

Test Procedure

1) Take two frictionless bearing plates of 75 mm dia.

2) Place the specimen on the base plate of the load frame (sandwiched between the end plates)
3) Place a hardened steel ball on the bearing plate.
4) Adjust the centre line of the specimen such that the proving ring and the steel ball are in the same
line.
5) Fix a dial gauge to measure the vertical compression of the specimen.
6) Adjust the gear position on the load frame to give suitable vertical displacement.
 7) Start applying the load and record the readings of the proving ring dial and compression dial for
every 5 mm compression.
8) Continue loading till failure is complete and draw the sketch of the failure pattern in the
specimen.

OBSERVATION

Descriptions Specimen Specimen Specimen Specimen Specimen

No.1 No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5
Length (mm) 76

Diameter (mm) 38

Volume (cc) 86.192

Bulk Density (g/cc) 1.96 1.61 1.73 1.76 1.68

Dry Density (g/cc) 1.70 1.40 1.50 1.50 1.50

Moisture Content (%) 15.00 15.00 15.00 17.00 12.00

Type of sample Remolded

Specimen No.1

Strain Shearing Corrected Proving Axial Compressive

Sl Axial
Dial Displacement Area ring Load Stress
No. Strain
Division (cm) (cm2) reading (Kg) (kg/cm2)
1 0 0.00 0.000 11.34 0.0 0.00 0.00
2 20 0.02 0.003 11.37 42.0 15.66 1.38
3 40 0.04 0.005 11.40 80.0 29.83 2.62
4 60 0.06 0.008 11.43 115.0 42.88 3.75
5 80 0.08 0.011 11.46 145.0 54.07 4.72
6 100 0.10 0.013 11.49 172.0 64.14 5.58
7 120 0.12 0.016 11.52 196.0 73.09 6.34
8 140 0.14 0.018 11.55 219.0 81.67 7.07
9 160 0.16 0.021 11.59 235.0 87.63 7.56
10 180 0.18 0.024 11.62 250.0 93.23 8.03
11 200 0.20 0.026 11.65 261.0 97.33 8.36
12 220 0.22 0.029 11.68 270.0 100.68 8.62
13 240 0.24 0.032 11.71 278.0 103.67 8.85
14 260 0.26 0.034 11.74 284.0 105.90 9.02
15 280 0.28 0.037 11.77 290.0 108.14 9.18
16 300 0.30 0.039 11.81 294.0 109.63 9.29
17 320 0.32 0.042 11.84 296.0 110.38 9.32
18 340 0.34 0.045 11.87 300.0 111.87 9.42
19 360 0.36 0.047 11.91 286.5 106.836 8.97
Specimen No.2

Strain Shearing Corrected Proving Axial Compressive

Sl Axial
Dial Displacement Area ring Load Stress
No. Strain
Division (cm) (cm2) reading (Kg) (kg/cm2)
1 0 0.00 0.000 11.34 0.0 0.00 0.00
2 20 0.02 0.003 11.37 9.0 3.36 0.30
3 40 0.04 0.005 11.40 41.0 15.29 1.34
4 60 0.06 0.008 11.43 67.0 24.98 2.19
5 80 0.08 0.011 11.46 87.0 32.44 2.83
6 100 0.10 0.013 11.49 103.0 38.41 3.34
7 120 0.12 0.016 11.52 114.0 42.51 3.69
8 140 0.14 0.018 11.55 122.0 45.49 3.94
9 160 0.16 0.021 11.59 126.5 47.17 4.07
10 180 0.18 0.024 11.62 129.0 48.10 4.14
11 200 0.20 0.026 11.65 131.0 48.85 4.19
12 220 0.22 0.029 11.68 131.0 48.85 4.18
13 240 0.24 0.032 11.71 130.0 48.48 4.14
14 260 0.26 0.034 11.74 130.0 48.48 4.13
15 280 0.28 0.037 11.77 129.0 48.10 4.09
16 300 0.30 0.039 11.81 125.0 46.61 3.95
Specimen No.3

Strain Shearing Corrected Proving Axial Compressive

Sl Axial
Dial Displacement Area ring Load Stress
No. Strain
Division (cm) (cm2) reading (Kg) (kg/cm2)
1 0 0.00 0.000 11.34 0.0 0.00 0.00
2 20 0.02 0.003 11.37 42.0 15.66 1.38
3 40 0.04 0.005 11.40 68.0 25.36 2.22
4 60 0.06 0.008 11.43 88.0 32.82 2.87
5 80 0.08 0.011 11.46 103.0 38.41 3.35
6 100 0.10 0.013 11.49 115.0 42.88 3.73
7 120 0.12 0.016 11.52 129.5 48.29 4.19
8 140 0.14 0.018 11.55 131.0 48.85 4.23
9 160 0.16 0.021 11.59 140.0 52.21 4.51
10 180 0.18 0.024 11.62 145.0 54.07 4.65
11 200 0.20 0.026 11.65 148.0 55.19 4.74
12 220 0.22 0.029 11.68 150.5 56.12 4.81
13 240 0.24 0.032 11.71 151.0 56.31 4.81
14 260 0.26 0.034 11.74 151.0 56.31 4.80
15 280 0.28 0.037 11.77 148.0 55.19 4.69
16 300 0.30 0.039 11.81 148.0 55.19 4.67
Specimen No.4
 Strain Shearing Corrected Proving Axial Compressive
Sl Axial
Dial Displacement Area ring Load Stress
No. Strain
Division (cm) (cm2) reading (Kg) (kg/cm2)
1 0 0.00 0.000 11.34 0.0 0.00 0.00
2 20 0.02 0.003 11.37 14.5 5.41 0.48
3 40 0.04 0.005 11.40 29.0 10.81 0.95
4 60 0.06 0.008 11.43 42.0 15.66 1.37
5 80 0.08 0.011 11.46 51.0 19.02 1.66
6 100 0.10 0.013 11.49 62.0 23.12 2.01
7 120 0.12 0.016 11.52 70.0 26.10 2.27
8 140 0.14 0.018 11.55 75.0 27.97 2.42
9 160 0.16 0.021 11.59 78.0 29.09 2.51
10 180 0.18 0.024 11.62 80.0 29.83 2.57
11 200 0.20 0.026 11.65 80.0 29.83 2.56
12 220 0.22 0.029 11.68 79.0 29.46 2.52
Specimen No.5

Strain Shearing Corrected Proving Axial Compressive

Sl Axial
Dial Displacement Area ring Load Stress
No. Strain
Division (cm) (cm2) reading (Kg) (kg/cm2)
1 0 0.00 0.000 11.34 0.0 0.00 0.00
2 20 0.02 0.003 11.37 18.0 6.71 0.59
3 40 0.04 0.005 11.40 32.0 11.93 1.05
4 60 0.06 0.008 11.43 45.0 16.78 1.47
5 80 0.08 0.011 11.46 57.0 21.26 1.85
6 100 0.10 0.013 11.49 67.0 24.98 2.17
7 120 0.12 0.016 11.52 79.0 29.46 2.56
8 140 0.14 0.018 11.55 93.0 34.68 3.00
9 160 0.16 0.021 11.59 107.0 39.90 3.44
10 180 0.18 0.024 11.62 114.0 42.51 3.66
11 200 0.20 0.026 11.65 134.0 49.97 4.29
12 220 0.22 0.029 11.68 149.5 55.75 4.77
13 240 0.24 0.032 11.71 158.0 58.92 5.03
14 260 0.26 0.034 11.74 166.0 61.90 5.27
15 280 0.28 0.037 11.77 170.0 63.39 5.38
16 300 0.30 0.039 11.81 170.0 63.39 5.37
17 320 0.32 0.042 11.84 170.0 63.39 5.35
18 340 0.34 0.045 11.87 167.5 62.46 5.26
GRAPHS
1. Variation of Unconfined Compressive Strength due to Dry Density

Water Content (%) = 15

Dry Density (g/cc) Compressive strength (kpa)
1.40 410.90
1.50 471.70
1.70 923.78

Dry Density vs Unconfined Compressive Strength

1000.00

900.00

800.00
Unconfines compressive Strength (kpa)

700.00

600.00

500.00

400.00

300.00

200.00

100.00

0.00
1.40 1.50 1.70
Dry Density (g/cc)

2. Variation of Unconfined Compressive Strength due to Water Content

Dry Density = 1.50g/cc

Water Content (%) Compressive strength (kpa)
12 410.90
15 471.70
17 923.78
 Water Content vs Unconfined compressive Strength
600.00
Unconfines compressive Strength(kpa)

500.00

400.00

300.00

200.00

100.00

0.00
12 15 17
Water Content(%)

TEST RESULT

Specimen Specimen Specimen Specimen Specimen

description
No.1 No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5

Peak Deviator stress

9.42 4.19 4.81 2.57 5.38
at failure, (Kg/cm2)

Peak Deviator stress

923.78 410.90 471.70 252.03 527.60
at failure, (kpa)

Cohesion intercept," c
4.71 2.10 2.40 1.28 2.69
" (kg/cm²)

Cohesion intercept," c
461.90 205.94 235.36 125.52 263.80
" (kpa)
 Soil specimen photos after test
CONCLUSION
1. The tests were conducted successfully and required compressive strength of different soil
specimens was calculated.
2. It has been observed from the test that compressive strength of the soil specimens increases with
increasing the dry density and compressive strength decreases with increasing the moisture
content.

SOURCE OF ERROR
1. Sample Preparation: improper preparation of soil samples can lead to errors. inaccurate sample
trimming, uneven surfaces, or disturbance of the specimen during preparation can affect the test results.
2. Friction: friction between the specimen and loading platens can affect the distribution of stress
within the sample, leading to errors in shear strength measurements.
3. Alignment: incorrect alignment of the test specimen within the loading apparatus can introduce
bending or eccentric loading, leading to stress concentrations and inaccurate measurements.
4. Loading Rate: deviating from the specified loading rate can impact the test results. if the rate of axial
compression is not consistent, it may affect the soil's response to stress and result in different shear
strength values.
5. Data Analysis: errors in data collection, analysis, and interpretation can lead to incorrect
determination of compressive strength.