Unit 9

Shear Strength

Dr. Jitendra Singh Yadav

Assistant Professor-I
Dept of Civil Engineering
1

NIT Kurukshetra, Kurukshetra Haryana

• Introduction,

• Mohr stress circle,

• Mohr-coulomb failure-criterion,

• Relationship between principal stresses at failure,

• Shear tests: direct shear test, unconfined compression test, triaxial compression tests, drainage conditions and

strength parameters, vane shear test,

• Shear strength characteristics of sands, normally consolidated clays, over-consolidated clays and partially saturated

soils

• Sensitivity and thixotropy.

 Strength of different
materials

Steel Concrete Soil

Tensile Compressive Shear

strength strength strength

Presence of pore water

Complex
behavior
Shear strength, may be defined as the resistance to shearing stresses and a

consequent tendency for shear deformation

Shear Failure in Soil

 Shear Strength in Soils

The shear strength of a soil is its resistance to shearing stresses.

• It is a measure of the soil resistance to deformation by continuous displacement of its
individual soil particles
• Shear strength in soils depends primarily on interactions between particles
• Shear failure occurs when the stresses between the particles are such that they slide or
roll past each other
Shear Strength in Soils

Soil derives its shear strength from two sources:

1. Cohesion between particles (stress independent component)
• Cementation between soil grains
• Electrostatic attraction between clay particles
2. Frictional resistance between particles (stress dependent component)
 Shear Strength of Soils: Cohesion
Cohesion (C), is a measure of the forces that cement particles of soils

Shear Strength of Soils: Internal friction

Internal Friction angle (f), is the measure of the shear strength of soils due to friction
Mohr circle and failure theories
➢ If the load or stress in a foundation or earth slope is increased until the
deformations become too large, we say that the soil under the foundation or
slope, has FAILED.

➢ In this case we are referring to the STRENGTH of the soil, which is really the
maximum or ultimate stress the material can support.

➢ In geotechnical engineering we are generally concerned with the shear

strength of soils because in most of our problems in foundations and
earthwork engineering, failure results from excessive applied shear stresses.
Shear failure of soils

Soils generally fail in SHEAR The soil grains slide over each other
along the failure surface without any
crushing of individual grains.

No crushing of individual grains.

At failure, shear stress along the

failure surface (mobilized shear  m = f
strength) reaches the shear strength
 unstable soil

The soil grains

slide over each
stable soil
other along the
failure surface.
No crushing of
At failure, shear stress along the
individual grains.
failure surface () reaches the
shear strength (f).
“Shearing stresses tend to displace failure surface

a part of soil mass to the rest of

the soil mass.”
Shear failure of soils

stable soil

At failure, shear stress along the failure surface (mobilized shear resistance) reaches the shear
strength.
Mohr–Coulomb Failure Criterion

Charles Augustin de COULOMB (1736‐1806) is well known from his studies on

friction, electrostatic attraction and repulsion.

Christian Otto MOHR (1835‐1918) hypothesized (1900) a criterion of failure for

real materials in which he stated that materials fail when the shear stress on the
failure plane at failure reaches some unique function of the normal stress on that
plane:
ff = f (ff)
where  is the shear stress and  is the normal stress.
The first subscript f refers to the plane on which the stress acts (in this case the
failure plane) and the second f means “at failure.” ff is the shear the material.
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
➢ An element at failure with the
principal stresses that caused failure
and the resulting normal and shear stresses
on the failure plane.

➢ We will assume that a failure  plane

exists, which is not a bad assumption for
soils, rocks, and many other materials.
➢ If we know the principal stresses at
failure, we can draw a Mohr circle to
ff = f (ff)
represent this state of stress for this
particular element.


Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
→Mohr hypothesis: the
MOHR‐COULOMB FAILURE
CRITERION failure point of tangency
defines the angle of the failure plane in
the element or test specimen.
→The Mohr failure hypothesis is
illustrated for the element at failure shown.
→Stated another way: the Mohr
failure hypothesis states that the point
of tangency of the Mohr failure
envelope with the Mohr circle at
failure determines the inclination of
the failure plane.
The available frictional resistance F when a normal force P is acting is related to P as follows: (Two solid
bodies in contact with no bonding between them)
F = P . μ = P . tan d

Here, μ = Coefficient of friction d = Angle of interface friction

(Two solid bodies in contact with bonding between them)

F =Ca+ P . tan d
Ca = Adhesion force
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
(in terms of total stresses)


 f = c +  tan f
f

Friction angle
Cohesion
f
c



f is the maximum shear stress the soil can take without

failure, under normal stress of .
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
(in terms of effective stresses)


 f = c'+ ' tan f '

 ' = −u
f’
u = pore water
Effective
pressure
cohesion Effective
f friction angle
c’
’ ’

f is the maximum shear stress the soil can take without

failure, under normal effective stress of ’.
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
Shear strength consists of two
components: cohesive and frictional.


f
 f = c'+ ' f tan f '
’f tan f’ frictional
f’ component

c’ c’
’f '
c and f are measures of shear strength.
Higher the values, higher the shear strength.
Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion
• The parameters c, f are in general not soil constants. They depend on
• the initial state of the soil (OCR or Id)
• the type of loading (drained or undrained)

• The Mohr-Coulomb criterion is an empirical criterion, and the failure locus

is only locally linear.
• Extrapolation outside the range of normal stresses for which it has been
determined is likely to be unreliable.
Principal Stress
 σ1> σ2> σ3
 Major, Intermediate, Minor principal stress

 1' −  3'
= Sin2
2
 '
+  '
 '
−  '
 ' = 1 3 + 1 3 Cos 2
2 2
 Mohr Circle of stress
’1

’
’3 ’3

Soil element 
’1

Resolving forces in  and  directions,

 1' −  3'
= Sin2 ' 2
 '  +   −
' 2 
' '
2
 +   −   +  −
2 1 3
 = 
1 3

 2 
' ' ' '
 ' = 1 3 + 1 3 Cos 2  2   
2 2
 Mohr Circle of stress

' 2
 '  +   −
' 2   1' −  3'
' '

 +  −
2 1 3
 = 
1 3
 2
 2 
 2    ’
 3'  1' +  3'  1'
2
 Mohr Circle of stress


(’, )
' 2
 '  +   −
' 2   1' −  3'
' '

 +  −
2 1 3
 = 
1 3
 2
 2  
 2    ’
 3'  1' +  3'  1'
2

PD = Pole w.r.t. plane

Mohr Circles & Failure Envelope


Failure surface
 f = c'+ ' tan f '

Y
Y
X X
’
Soil elements at different locations

Y ~ stable
X ~ failure
Mohr Circles & Failure Envelope
The soil element does not fail if the
Mohr circle is contained within the
envelope

GL


c
Y c
c c+
Initially, Mohr circle is a point

Mohr Circles & Failure Envelope
As loading progresses,
Mohr circle becomes
larger…

GL


c
Y c
c

.. and finally failure occurs

when Mohr circle touches
the envelope
 Orientation of Failure Plane
’1 Failure
envelope
’
’3 ’3
 (’, f)
 (90 – )
’1

f’ 
 3'  1' +  3'  1' ’
2

PD = Pole w.r.t. plane

Therefore,
 = 45 + f’/2
90 –  + f’ = 
Inclination of the Plane of Failure Caused by Shear

Principal stress relations at

failure
➢ The relationship between the
shear strength parameters and
the effective principal stresses at
failure at a particular point
can be deduced.
Inclination of the Plane of Failure Caused by
Shear
 Inclination of the Plane of Failure Caused by Shear

➢ The Above equation is referred to as the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion:

With c = 0 → In the special case, when f = 0:

Principal stress relations at failure
The essential points are:
1. Coupling Mohr’s circle with Coulomb’s frictional law allows us to define
shear failure based on the stress state of the soil.
2. The Mohr-Coulomb criterion is:
Mohr circles in terms of total & effective stresses

v v ’ u

h
= +
h’ u
X X X

effective stresses
total stresses

h’ v ’ h v  or ’
u
 Failure envelopes in terms of total & effective
stresses
v v ’ u

h
= +
h’ u
X X X

 Failure envelope in terms Failure envelope in

If X is on of effective stresses terms of total stresses
failure f’
effective stresses
f
total stresses

c’ c
h’ v ’ h v  or ’
u
Mohr-Coulomb failure envelope for shear strength of soils
➢ So even though the stress
combination, n and max, for circle A
is obviously greater than that of
circle B, it is circle B that is on the
verge of failure .

➢ State of stress
represented by Mohr
circles that exist
beyond the Mohr-
Coulomb envelope
can not exist.
Mohr-Coulomb failure envelope for shear strength of soils

➢ Now, if the stresses increase so that failure occurs, then

the Mohr circle becomes tangent to the Mohr failure
envelope.
➢ According to the Mohr failure hypothesis, failure occurs on the
plane inclined at f and with shear stress that plane of ff.

➢ This is not the largest or maximum shear stress in the

element!!!
➢ The maximum shear stress acts on the plane inclined at
45° and is equal to:
Mohr-Coulomb failure envelope for shear strength of soils
Why does not failure occur on 45° plane?

➢ It cannot because on that plane the shear strength available is

greater than max.
➢ So failure cannot occur.
Mohr-Coulomb failure envelope for shear strength of soils

➢ This condition is represented by the distance from

the maximum point on the Mohr circle up to the
Mohr failure envelope
That would be the shear strength available
when the normal stress available on the 45°
plane was (1f + 3f)/2.
Mohr-Coulomb failure envelope for shear strength of soils
➢ The only exception would be when shear strength is independent of
normal stress, i.e., when Mohr failure envelope is horizontal and f = 0.
➢ Such materials are called purely cohesive for obvious reasons or this
may result in completely saturated and un-drained conditions.
Mohr Circles & Failure Envelope

 Initially
 Mohr’s
circle is a
point

c

Y B
c c c+
c 


Soil element does not fail if the Mohr’s
 circle is contained within the envelope
c
Mohr Circles & Failure Envelope:
As loading progresses,
 Mohr’s circle becomes
++ larger


c

Y B
c c
c 
c+++

Failure occurs when

Mohr’s circle touches
 the envelope
c
Principal stress relations at failure

1
3
 X
 1 =  3 tan (45 + f  / 2)
2

+ 2c tan(45 + f  / 2)
 3 =  1 tan 2 (45 − f  / 2)
f 90+f
− 2c tan(45 − f  / 2)
3 1 
Mohr circles for three dimensional state of stress

Effect of intermediate principal stress 2 on condition at

failure.
Since by definition 2 lies
somewhere between the major and
minor principal stresses, the Mohr
circles for the three principal
Stresses look like those
shown herein.
 Mohr circles for three dimensional state of stress
Effect of intermediate principal stress 2 on condition at failure.
➢ It is obvious that 2 can have no influence on the conditions at
failure for the Mohr failure criterion, no matter what magnitude it
has.

➢ The intermediate principal stress 2 probably does have an

influence in real soil, but the Mohr‐Coulomb failure theory does
not consider it.
Limitations of Mohr-Coulomb theory:
1. Linearization of the limit stress envelope
 Usual experimental f,
range in the
laboratory
c

• Possible overestimation of the safety factor in slope stability

calculations,
• Difficulties in calibration because of linearization
2. Mohr-coulomb failure criterion is well proven for most of the
geomaterials, but data for clays is still contradictory.
3. Soils on shearing exhibit variable volume change characteristics
depending on pre-consolidation pressure which cannot be accounted
with Mohr-Coulomb theory.
4. In soft soils volumetric plastic strains on shearing are compressive
(negative dilation) whilst the Mohr-Coulomb model will predict
continuous dilation.
 Definition of failure :

Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria:

• Failure along a plane in a material occurs by critical combination of normal
and shear stress .

•  = f()

•  = c + tanf

• Shear stress is function of material cohesion (c) and angle of internal friction
(f)
Definition of failure :
Stress state cannot exist

 C

 = f()
B  = c + tanf

A Shear failure occurs

Safe against failure


 Interlocking concept and its interpretations :
Frictional soil behaviour is mainly influenced by two factors:
1. Frictional resistance between the soil particles.

2. To expand the soil against confining pressure (Dilatancy).

So, angular friction can be defined as:

f= fu + 
3. where, f is angle of sliding friction between mineral surfaces and  is the
effect of interlocking.
Interlocking concept and its interpretations :

f = fu + 

• f varies with the nature of packing of the soil.

• Denser the packing, higher is the value of f 

• If fu for a given soil is constant,  must change with the denseness of the
soil packing.

•  increases with increasing denseness of the soil, because more work to be

done to overcome the effect of interlocking.
 Interlocking concept and its interpretations :

Effect of angularity of soil particles:

• Soil possessing angular soil particles will show higher friction angle
than that of rounded soil particles .

• Because angular soil particles will show greater degree of

interlocking and higher value of .
Interlocking concept and its interpretations : Dilation

f= fu + 

•  is the function of dilatancy of the soil.

x
dense
−y

y

x x

loose
y +y

• For loose sand the volume decreases with shearing

• For dense sand the volume increases with shearing
Interlocking concept and its interpretations : Dilation/ direct shear response
dense
Q/P

loose
P
y

x x
Q y dense

loose

x
Interlocking concept and its interpretations : Dilation/ direct shear response

Total work done, P

y
dW = Pdy + Qdx x
Q
Pdy + Qdx = Pdx

dy/dx =  – Q/P = - tan

tan = tanfm − tanfc , where, fc = tan-1

Alternatively, fm = fc + 
How to understand dilatancy

i.e., why do we get volume changes when applying shear stresses?

f =  + fi
The apparent externally mobilized angle of friction on horizontal planes (f)
is larger than the angle of friction resisting sliding on the inclined planes (fi).
strength = friction + dilatancy
How to understand dilatancy

Bolton, 1991
How to understand dilatancy

➢When soil is initially denser than the

critical state which it must achieve, then
as the particles slide past each other
owing to the imposed shear strain they
will, on average separate.

➢The particle movements will be spread

about mean angle of dilation 

See the orientation →

How to understand dilatancy

➢ When soil is initially looser than the

final critical state, then particles will
tend to get closer together as the
soil is disturbed, and the average
angle of dilation will be negative,
indicating a contraction.

See the orientation →

 How to understand dilatancy

➢ If the density of the soil does not have to change in order to reach a critical state then there
is zero dilatancy as the soil shears at constant volume.

➢ It is important to realise that a critical state is only reached when the particles
have had full opportunity to juggle
around and come into new
configurations . If the confining pressure is
increased while the particles are being
moved around then they will tend to
finish up in a more compact state.
Thanks !!!