Experiment 8

Questions:

Principles of Direct Shear:

1.) For which types of engineering analyses do you need the results of direct shear tests?
2.) Why is the shear strength of dense sands higher than that of loose sands?
3.) Is it possible to plot the evolution of the Mohr stress circle during a direct shear test?
4.) Is it possible to determine the state of strain of the tested sample during the direct shear
test?
5.) Under which assumptions can we determine the normal failure stress on the vertical
surface of a sheared sample?
6.) What is the effect of the change in the contact area during a direct shear test?
7.) In which parts of the soil sample are the strains concentrated during a direct shear test?
8.) What is the effect of density on the friction angle of sands?
9.) Define peak and residual friction angles.
10.) What is the critical state theory in the case of the direct shear test on sand?

Direct Shear Test:

1.) What is the purpose of a direct shear test? Which soil properties does it measure?
2.) Why do we use mounting pins in a direct shear test? Can you predict what will happen if
you do not remove them during the test?
3.) Why are the porous stones of direct shear box serrated or provided with teeth?
4.) What is the rationale for determining the spacing between the two parts of a direct shear
box? What are the effects of a poorly selected spacing?
5.) What is the purpose of the counterweight mechanism in direct shear apparatus?
6.) What is the range of the rate of shear displacement that is typically achievable with direct
shear loading device?
7.) Under which circumstances for which soils should a very slow shearing speed are used?
8.) Give an approximate duration for a very slow direct shear test.
9.) Is the shear strength of coarse-grained soils influenced by the rate of shearing in a direct
shear test? On what basis the rate of shearing selected for coarse-grained soils?
10.) How many and which types of direct shear tests are possible to perform on fine-grained
soils?
11.) What are the basic steps of a CU direct shear test on a fine-grained soil?
12.) What are the basic steps of a CD direct shear test on a fine-grained soil?
13.) How is the shearing rate determined for the CD direct shear tests of fine-grained soils?

Discussion:

Conclusion:

References:

Experiment 9
Questions:

Principles of Unconfined Compression Test

1.) What soil properties are determined from the unconfined compression test?
2.) Draw the evolution of the Mohr circle in parallel to a typical stress curve during an
unconfined compression test.
3.) Does the pole of the Mohr circle move during the unconfined compression test?
4.) What is the theoretical inclination of failure planes predicted for purely cohesive material
during an unconfined compression test?
5.) Define the axial strain from the displacement and sample height
6.) What is the range of unconfined shear strength for soils?
7.) What is the relation between the unconfined shear strength and the undrained shear
strength measured from UU and CU triaxial compression tests?
8.) What is the effect of the water content on the unconfined shear strength?
9.) How can Young’s modulus be calculated from the results of unconfined compression
tests?

Unconfined Compression Test

1.) What is the purpose of the unconfined compression test?

2.) To which types of soil is the unconfined compression test applicable?
3.) What are undisturbed and remolded samples?
4.) What method can you use to prepare undisturbed samples?
5.) What is the typical loading rate for the unconfined compression test?

Discussion:

Conclusion:

References: