UCT
UCT
UCT
OBJECTIVE
To determine the undrained shear strength parameters of soil using unconfined compression
test.
THEORY
The unconfined compressive strength (qu) is the load per unit area at which the cylindrical
specimen of a cohesive soil falls in compression.
qu
P
A
A0
1
s=
qu
2
APPARATUS
Sieve shaker, weighing balance, ruler, vernier callipers, moisture can, beaker, soil sample,
Load and deformation dial gauges, compression device and mould.
PROCEDURE
1) The soil sample was sieved using the sieve shaker.
2) The water content used is 48 percent.
3) The mass of the soil solids (Ms) was weigh using the weighing balance so that the mass
of water can be calculated with this formula: Ms x water content.
4) The soil specimen was compacted into the mould. Then, take out the specimen from
the mould.
5) The exact diameter of the specimen was measured by using the vernier callipers at
three different locations, which is at the top, middle and bottom. The average diameter
was calculated and recorded.
6) The exact length of the specimen was measured by using the ruler at three different
locations. The average length was calculated and recorded.
7) The specimen was weigh and the mass was recorded.
8) The specimen was placed in the compression device and centered on the bottom plate.
The device was adjusted until the upper plate contact with the specimen. The load and
deformation dials was set to zero.
9) The deformation dial is turned manually in the clockwise direction and the reading of
the load dial is recorded at every 20 to 50 divisions on the deformation the dial.
10) The data was recorded until the sample reaches the failure.
11) Remove the sample from the compression device and placed it into the oven. After 24
hours, the mass of the sample is weighed again and the data is recorded.
DATA
Date Tested: 05 Feb 2015
Tested By: EC110 Class, Group 4D
Project Name: EC110 Lab
Table 1: Moisture Content Determination
MC = Mass of empty, clean can (grams)
MCMS = Mass of can, and moist soil (grams)
20
370.76
257
237
Sample data:
Diameter (d) = 1.412 cm
Length (L0) = 9.7 cm
Mass = 320.4 g
4
Area (A0) =
Mass
Volume
Wet density =
= 21.04 g/cm3
113.76
48
Wet density
W
1
100
= 14.21 g/cm3
Dry density =
Load
Sample
Strai
Strai
Correct
Load
Load
Stress
on Dial
Dial
Deformati
n ()
ed
(lb)
(kN)
(kN/mm
Reading
Readi
on L
(%)
Area, A
ng
(mm)
0
0.04
0
0.00
0
0.04
(mm2)
15.66
15.70
0
0.15
0
673
0
42.866
1
0.08
15.72
14
0.16
716
45.547
1
0.17
756
48.092
770
48.951
0
20
0
0.48
40
0.51
0.08
0
0.00
60
0.54
0.12
1
0.00
2
0.12
15.72
80
0.55
0.16
1
0.00
4
0.16
15.73
0
0.17
100
0.57
0.20
0.00
0.20
15.73
3
0.18
801
50.922
120
0.68
0.24
2
0.00
6
0.24
15.73
0
0.21
954
60.648
140
0.73
0.28
2
0.00
7
0.28
15.75
4
0.23
102
64.952
160
0.80
0.32
3
0.00
9
0.33
15.75
0
0.25
3
112
71.238
180
0.92
0.36
3
0.00
0
0.37
15.76
2
0.29
2
129
81.916
0.40
4
0.00
1
0.41
15.76
0
0.34
1
154
97.906
0.50
4
0.00
2
0.51
15.78
7
0.47
3
210
133.33
200
250
1.1
1.5
300
1.8
0.60
5
0.00
5
0.61
15.79
3
0.56
4
252
3
159.97
350
2.0
0.70
6
0.00
9
0.72
15.81
8
0.63
6
280
5
177.54
400
2.2
0.80
7
0.00
2
0.82
15.83
1
0.69
7
308
6
195.00
0.90
8
0.00
5
0.92
15.84
4
0.78
7
350
9
221.51
8
1.03
15.86
9
0.91
9
407
8
256.62
450
2.5
500
2.9
1.00
9
0.01
550
3.0
1.10
0
0.01
1
1.13
15.87
5
0.94
0
422
265.97
600
3.2
1.20
1
0.01
4
1.23
15.89
9
1.00
1
448
4
282.44
650
3.5
1.30
2
0.01
7
1.34
15.91
9
1.10
8
491
2
308.67
700
3.7
1.40
3
0.01
0
1.44
15.92
4
1.16
1
519
4
326.06
750
3.9
1.50
4
0.01
3
1.54
15.94
7
1.23
1
547
8
343.22
800
4.0
1.60
5
0.01
6
1.64
15.96
0
1.26
1
561
5
351.69
1.70
6
0.01
9
1.75
15.99
2
1.29
3
575
2
359.72
3
1.85
16.00
3
1.32
2
589
5
368.25
850
4.1
900
4.2
1.80
8
0.01
950
4.3
1.90
9
0.02
6
1.95
16.02
5
1.35
2
603
0
376.52
1000
4.4
2.00
0
0.02
9
2.06
16.04
6
1.38
2
617
9
384.85
1100
4.5
2.20
1
0.02
2
2.26
16.07
8
1.41
3
631
0
392.84
4.7
2.40
3
0.02
8
2.47
1200
16.10
3
659
4
409.56
1.48
1300
4.9
2.60
0.02
2.68
16.14
2
1.54
687
425.89
1400
5.0
2.80
7
0.02
0
2.88
16.17
5
1.57
4
701
8
433.76
1500
5.1
3.00
9
0.03
7
3.09
16.20
7
1.60
4
715
6
441.79
3.20
1
0.03
3
3.29
16.24
9
1.67
7
743
0
457.94
1600
5.3
1700
5.4
3.40
3
0.03
9
3.50
16.27
2
1.70
7
757
3
465.64
1800
5.5
3.60
5
0.03
5
3.71
16.30
3
1.73
6
771
3
473.43
1900
5.6
3.80
7
0.03
1
3.91
16.34
5
1.76
7
785
6
480.72
4.00
9
0.04
8
4.12
16.37
6
1.82
5
813
2
496.94
4
4.53
16.44
9
1.86
5
827
6
503.52
2000
5.8
2200
5.9
4.40
1
0.04
2400
6.0
4.80
5
0.04
6
4.94
16.51
1
1.89
8
841
8
509.75
2600
6.1
5.20
9
0.05
8
5.36
16.60
2
1.92
6
855
2
515.54
2800
6.2
5.60
4
0.05
1
5.77
16.67
4
1.95
8
869
2
521.77
3000
6.3
6.00
8
0.06
3
6.18
16.74
5
1.98
8
883
6
527.95
3300
6.5
6.60
2
0.06
6
6.80
16.85
7
2.05
8
911
7
541.12
3600
6.7
7.20
8
0.07
4
7.42
16.95
0
2.11
8
939
8
554.51
7.80
4
0.08
3
8.04
17.07
3
2.14
9
954
3
558.93
1
8.66
17.20
5
2.17
1
968
4
562.79
3900
6.8
4200
6.9
8.40
0
0.08
4500
7.0
9.00
7
0.09
0
9.27
17.31
6
2.20
0
982
1
567.36
4800
7.2
9.60
3
0.09
8
9.89
17.43
8
2.27
1
101
0
579.18
5100
7.3
10.2
9
0.10
7
10.5
17.54
1
2.30
01
102
1
583.75
5400
7.4
10.8
5
0.11
15
11.1
17.66
2
2.33
39
103
1
587.88
5700
7.6
11.4
1
0.11
34
11.7
17.80
4
2.39
82
106
2
598.98
6000
7.7
12.0
8
0.12
53
12.3
17.92
7
2.42
62
108
9
602.90
12.8
4
0.13
71
13.1
18.09
9
2.49
04
110
2
612.71
13.6
2
0.14
96
14.0
18.26
2
2.36
84
105
4
576.34
21
24
6400
6800
7.9
7.5
ANALYSIS
Examples of calculation :
Strain (%) = L/Lo x 100%
= 0.04 / (97) x 100%
= 0.041
Corrected Area = A0 / (1- )
= 15.7 / (1- 0.001)
= 15.72 mm2
Load (kN) = Load (lb) x 4.448 x 1000
= 0.1514 x 4.448 x 1000
= 673 kN
Sample Deformation( L) = Deformation dial x 0.002
= 20 x 0.002
= 0.04 mm
Graph 1: Stress (kPa) against Strain (%)
700
600
500
400
Stress (kPa) 300
200
100
0
8 10 12 14 16
Strain (%)
DISCUSSION
measured.
This test is considered as undrained shear test assuming that there is no moisture loss
Undrained shear strength can be related to the consistency of soil. The consistency shows the
type and degree to which the soil particles unify and bond relation to rupture or deformation.
For this sample soil, the consistency of soil is C = 308 kPa. From graph 1, we can see the
behavior of shear stress and at the peak of the graph we obtained unconfined compressive
strength (qu) = 618 kPa. The stress rapidly increase until it reaches the peak point then
gradually decreases down.
Some precautions in this experiment are, when moulding the soil, the experimenter have to
make sure that the soil is nicely compacted in the mould as this might affect the reading of the
shear strength later. Next, when turning the crank for the load, the time to take one full
rotation should be constant because if it is not constant, it will also affect the reading of the
shear strength.
CONCLUSION
The objective of this experiment is achieved because we have determined the undrained shear
strength parameters of the soil, which are; c = 308 kPa and qu = 618 kPa. However, this value
cannot be brought to the field as this experiment is carried on soil that passes the 63 m sieve
while on the field, the diameter of soil varies.
REFERENCES
1. Budhu M. (2011)., Soil Mechanics and Foundations 3rd Edition., USA: John Wiley and
Sons, Inc.
2. Sir Embam Ak Daud, Laboratory Manual, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Uitm
Samarahan Kampus 2.
3. Prof . Krishna Reddy, Engineering Propeties of soil based on laboratory testing,UIC.