Shear strength behavior of cemented soil under direct simple shear testing

Abstract

Over the years, much research and soil mechanics theories had been carried out and derived respectively to describe the strength behavior of soil. However, we still do not have a good understanding of the engineering behavior of cemented soil such as tropical soils. Their strength behavior can be different from that expected by these classical theories. The objectives of this project are to use the direct simple shear tests to observe the strength behavior of laboratory-made artificially cemented soil. Artificially cemented soil samples will be shear at 0.036mm/min under various conditions. From the test results, certain strength parameters such as the effective friction angle, ;’ and cohesion intercept, c’ of the cemented soil will be determined. From the direct simple shear test results, it is observed that the stress anisotropy and stress history of the soil affect its shear strength and stress-strain behavior. It is found that the shear strength increases with increasing overconsolidation ratio (OCR) value. From these trends, it can be concluded that the cemented soil will also behave similarly in a manner, with respect to non-cemented soil, as described by the classical theories.