Shear Strength of an Accumulation Soil from Direct Shear Test

Abstract

The present study focuses on the shear strength of the loose accumulation soil induced by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. A series of direct shear box tests was performed to characterize the shear strength of the accumulation soil, under drained conditions. Twenty tests with five different relative compactions from 0.30 to 0.90 determine an angle of shearing resistance between 26.6° and 52.8°, and the angle is generally increasing with the increment of the relative compaction. Sixteen tests with four different water contents from 2.01% to 8.01% determine an angle of shearing resistance between 28.3° and 47.8°, and the angle is increasing then decreasing with the increment of the water content. Eight tests with two different specimen sizes (the specimen lengths are 500 mm and 1000 mm, respectively) determine an angle of shearing resistance between 34.3° and 44.4°, and the angle is generally decreasing with the increment of the specimen size. The angle of shearing resistance is stress-dependent and exhibits a linear relation with logarithm of normal stress.

Keywords:

• Accumulation soil
• laboratory tests
• relative compaction
• shear strength
• specimen size
• water content

Notes

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