Soils Lab
1. INTRODUCTION
The stability and life of any structure – a building, an airport, a road, dams, levees – depend on the stability, strength, and deformation of soils.[1] Unfortunately, due to the uncertainties of the world’s natural materials, the study of geotechnical engineering, and soil mechanics in particular, is both challenging and necessary. The following report is a compilation of the results acquired as a result of two laboratories performed by Group 13 at McMaster University on February 1st and 15th, 2007. Four tests; Direct Shear, Vacuum Triaxial Compression, Unconsolidated and Undrained Triaxial and Unconfined Compression were carried out in order to assess the performance of our most ancient and complex engineering materials, sand and clay. The behavior and response of these materials was a result of various applied loads, shearing forces, confinements and drainage conditions. Throughout this report we will describe and define the various analyses used, our expected versus actual results, some of the sources of the inherent inaccuracies and errors, as well as the final shear strength of the soils samples provided.
2. PROCEDURE
The four laboratories as outlined above were carried out as per the provided McMaster University 2007 Civil Engineering 3B03 Geotechnical Engineering 2, Lab Procedures Manual, under the guidance of Peter Koudys and Jamie Hamelin.
3. DIRECT SHEAR TEST (SAND)
Direct shear tests are quick and inexpensive test used to determine the corresponding shear strengths and parameters of fine and coarse grained soils. However, a major disadvantage to shear tests can be attributed to the forced horizontal failure plane which is not often the weakest failure in in-situ conditions. We conducted a direct shear test using the direct shear apparatus in order to determine the consolidated-drained shear strength of our sandy soil. Although drainage may not prevented when using a direct shear apparatus, a shear test can be used as a
The stability and life of any structure – a building, an airport, a road, dams, levees – depend on the stability, strength, and deformation of soils.[1] Unfortunately, due to the uncertainties of the world’s natural materials, the study of geotechnical engineering, and soil mechanics in particular, is both challenging and necessary. The following report is a compilation of the results acquired as a result of two laboratories performed by Group 13 at McMaster University on February 1st and 15th, 2007. Four tests; Direct Shear, Vacuum Triaxial Compression, Unconsolidated and Undrained Triaxial and Unconfined Compression were carried out in order to assess the performance of our most ancient and complex engineering materials, sand and clay. The behavior and response of these materials was a result of various applied loads, shearing forces, confinements and drainage conditions. Throughout this report we will describe and define the various analyses used, our expected versus actual results, some of the sources of the inherent inaccuracies and errors, as well as the final shear strength of the soils samples provided.
2. PROCEDURE
The four laboratories as outlined above were carried out as per the provided McMaster University 2007 Civil Engineering 3B03 Geotechnical Engineering 2, Lab Procedures Manual, under the guidance of Peter Koudys and Jamie Hamelin.
3. DIRECT SHEAR TEST (SAND)
Direct shear tests are quick and inexpensive test used to determine the corresponding shear strengths and parameters of fine and coarse grained soils. However, a major disadvantage to shear tests can be attributed to the forced horizontal failure plane which is not often the weakest failure in in-situ conditions. We conducted a direct shear test using the direct shear apparatus in order to determine the consolidated-drained shear strength of our sandy soil. Although drainage may not prevented when using a direct shear apparatus, a shear test can be used as a