TEST TITLE : UNCONFINED COMPRESSION TESTS

1.0 0BJECTIVE
This test made to determine the unconfined compressive strength, which is then used to
calculate the unconsolidated undrained shear strength of the cohesive soil.

2.0 LEARNING OUTCOME

At the end of experiment, students are able to

Describe the deflection of the jet generates forces on the vane

Identify the relationship between forces and rate of momentum flow in the jet

Measure the force generated by ajet of water striking a plate

3.0 THEORY
The unconfined compressive strength, qu is defined as the maximum unit axial
compressive stress at failure or at 20% strain, whichever occurs first.
The unconfined compression test is very popular and used worldwide. It is simple test
where atmospheric pressure surrounds the soil sample. The test is also called an
unconsolidated-undrained (U or UU) test.
The unconfined compression test is a form of triaxial test in which the major
principal stress (1) is equal to the applied axial stress and the minor principal
stresses (3) is equal to zero.
At failure, the relationship between the two principal stresses is given by:

Where,

As 3 = 0 for an unconfined compression test,

For clayed soil, = 0

1 = 2c
The vertical stress s1 at failure is known as the unconfined compressive strength (qu)
Hence, qu = 2c
qu is obtained by dividing the normal load at failure by the corrected area as given by:

Where,

The axial load may be applied to the specimen either by the controlled strain
procedure, in which the stress is applied to produce a pre-determined rate of strain, or
by the controlled stress procedure, in which the stress is applied in pre-determined
increments of load. IS: 2720 (Part 10) -1973 recommend use of controlled strain test.

4.0 TEST EQUIPMENTS

Compression device of any suitable type

Proving ring of 0.01 kg sensetivity

split mould 3.5cm diameter and 7cm long

Soil samples

5.0 PREPARATION OF SAMPLE

1. The split mould is oiled lightly from inside.

2. Remoulded soil sample is prepared by compacting the soil at desired water

contentand dry density in the split mould.

3. Split mould is opened carefully and sample is taken out.

4.

Place this soil sample in an air-tight container for 24 hrs.

5.

Minimum three soil samples should be prepared for test.

6.0 PROCEDURE

1. The initial length and diameter of the soil specimen is measured

2. The specimen on the base plate is placed of the load frame (sandwiched between
the end plates)
3. Place a hardened steel ball on the bearing plate. The centerline was adjusted of
specimen such that the proving ring and the steel ball are in the same line.
4. Fixed the dial gauge to measure vertical compression of the specimen.
5.

The gear position is adjusted on the load frame to give suitable vertical
displacement.

6. Set the reading of proving ring and dial gauge to zero

7. .Start applying the load and record the readings of the proving ring dial and strain
dial for every 5 mm
8.

compression.

9. Continue loading till failure occurs or 20% vertical deformation is reached.

10. Sketch the failure pattern; measure the angle between the cracks and the horizontal
if possible.
11. Drawing the Mohrs circle using qu from the last step and show the undrained
shear strength, su = c (or cohesion) = qu/2. See the example data.

7.0 EXPERIMENTIAL DATA

Samples 1

1) Initial diameter of specimen, D0 = 3.82 cm

2) Initial lenght of specimen, L0 = 7.3 cm
3) Mass = (weight sample + cointaner )- container
= 173.28 9.75g
= 163.53g
4) Initial c/s area of specimen, A0 =( /4) x D02 = 11.46 cm2
5) Intial density of soil ,
Volume = j2h = x 1.912 x 7.3 = 83.66 cm2

6) Wet density of soil , = 163.53/ 83.66

= 1.95 g/cm2

Samples 2

1) Initial diameter of specimen, D0 = 3.82 cm

2) Initial lenght of specimen, L0 = 7.3 cm
3) Mass = (weight sample + cointaner )- container
= 167.88 9.75g
= 158.13g
4) Initial c/s area of specimen, A0 =( /4) x D02 = 11.46 cm2
5) Intial density of soil ,
Volume = j2h = x 1.912 x 7.3 = 83.66 cm2
6) Wet density of soil , = 158.13/ 83.66
= 1.89 g/cm2

Samples 3

1) Initial diameter of specimen, D0 = 3.82 cm

2) Initial lenght of specimen, L0 = 7.3 cm
3) Mass = (weight sample + cointaner )- container
= 172.02 9.75g
= 162.27g
4) Initial c/s area of specimen, A0 =( /4) x D02 = 11.46 cm2
5) Intial density of soil ,
Volume = j2h = x 1.912 x 7.3 = 83.66 cm2
6) Wet density of soil , = 162.27/ 83.66
= 1.94 g/cm2

8.0 OBSERVATION TABLE

Sample 1

Strain
Dial
Reading
(L)
(Mm)
0.0

Axial

Axial

Corrected

Proving

Axial

Compressive

Strain

Strain

Area

Ring

Load

Stress

(l/L0 )
()
0

(%)

(Ac) (Cm2)

P (Kg)

() (Kg/Cm2)

0.0000

0.000

Readings
(Div)
0

0.00000

0.00000

50

0.010

0.0013

0.1300

11.475

0.00020

0.00002

100

0.020

0.0026

0.2600

11.490

0.00041

0.00004

150

0.030

0.0039

0.3900

11.505

0.00061

0.00005

200

0.040

0.0052

0.5200

11.520

0.00102

0.00009

250

0.050

0.0066

0.6600

11.536

0.00122

0.00011

300

0.060

0.0079

0.7900

11.551

0.00143

0.00012

350

0.070

0.0092

0.9200

11.566

0.00163

0.00014

400

0.080

0.0105

1.0500

11.582

0.00183

0.00016

450

0.090

0.0118

1.1800

11.597

0.00183

0.00016

500

0.100

0.0131

1.3100

11.612

10

0.00204

0.00018

550

0.110

0.0144

1.4400

11.627

11

0.00224

0.00019

600

0.120

0.0157

1.5700

11.643

11

0.00224

0.00019

650

0.130

0.0170

1.7000

11.658

12

0.00245

0.00021

700

0.140

0.0183

1.8300

11.674

13

0.00265

0.00023

750

0.150

0.0197

1.9700

11.690

14

0.00285

0.00024

800

0.160

0.0210

2.1000

11.706

14

0.00285

0.00024

850

0.170

0.0223

2.2300

11.721

15

0.00306

0.00026

900

0.180

0.0236

2.3600

11.737

16

0.00326

0.00028

950

0.190

0.0249

2.4900

11.753

16

0.00326

0.00028

1000

0.200

0.0262

2.6200

11.768

18

0.00367

0.00031

1050

0.210

0.0275

2.7500

11.784

18

0.00367

0.00031

1100

0.220

0.0288

2.8800

11.800

19

0.00387

0.00033

1150

0.230

0.0301

3.0100

11.816

20

0.00408

0.00035

1200

0.240

0.0315

3.1500

11.833

21

0.00428

0.00036

1250

0.250

0.0328

3.2800

11.849

22

0.00449

0.00038

Dial
Gauge

1300

0.260

0.0341

3.4100

11.865

22

0.00449

0.00038

1350

0.270

0.0354

3.5400

11.881

23

0.00469

0.00039

1400

0.280

0.0367

3.6700

11.897

24

0.00489

0.00041

1450

0.290

0.0380

3.8000

11.913

25

0.00510

0.00043

1500

0.300

0.0393

3.9300

11.929

25

0.00510

0.00043

1550

0.310

0.0406

4.0600

11.945

26

0.00530

0.00044

1600

0.320

0.0419

4.1900

11.961

27

0.00550

0.00046

1650

0.330

0.0433

4.3300

11.979

28

0.00571

0.00048

1700

0.340

0.0446

4.4600

11.995

28

0.00571

0.00048

1750

0.350

0.0459

4.5900

12.011

29

0.00591

0.00049

1800

0.360

0.0472

4.7200

12.028

30

0.00612

0.00051

1850

0.370

0.0485

4.8500

12.044

31

0.00632

0.00052

1900

0.380

0.0498

4.9800

12.061

32

0.00652

0.00054

1950

0.390

0.0511

5.1100

12.077

32

0.00652

0.00054

2000

0.400

0.0524

5.2400

12.094

33

0.00673

0.00056

2050

0.410

0.0537

5.3700

12.110

33

0.00673

0.00056

2100

0.420

0.0550

5.5000

12.127

34

0.00693

0.00057

2150

0.430

0.0564

5.6400

12.145

35

0.00714

0.00059

2200

0.440

0.0577

5.7700

12.1617

35

0.00714

0.00059

2250

0.450

0.059

5.9

12.1785

36

0.00734

0.0006

2300

0.46

0.0603

6.03

12.1954

37

0.00754

0.00062

2350

0.47

0.0616

6.16

12.2123

38

0.00775

0.00063

2400

0.48

0.0629

6.29

12.2292

38

0.00775

0.00063

2450

0.49

0.0642

6.42

12.2462

39

0.00795

0.00065

2500

0.5

0.0655

6.55

12.2632

39

0.00795

0.00065

2550

0.51

0.0668

6.68

12.2803

39

0.00795

0.00065

Sample of calculation in time 50 minutes

Strain dial reading (L) (cm)

Time x 0.002mm = 50 x 0.002 = 0.1 mm ~ 0.010 cm

Axial strain,
L/Lo = 0.010/7.63
= 0.0010

Axial starin in percent = 0.131 %

Corrected area Ac = (Ao/1- )

= (11.46/1 0.0010)
= 11.47 cm2

Proving ring readings = 1 div

Axial load P (kg)

(Div x 0.002) / 9.81 = (1x 0.002) / 9.81
= 0.00020

Compressive stress,
= P/Ac
= 0.00020 / 11.47
= 0.00002

Sample of calculation in time 1250 minutes

Strain dial reading (L) (cm)

Time x 0.002mm = 1250 x 0.002 = 2.5 mm ~ 0.250 cm

Axial strain,

L/Lo = 0.25/7.63
= 0.0328

Axial strain in percent = 3.277 %

Corrected area Ac = (Ao/1- )

= (11.46/1 0.0328)
= 11.85 cm2

Proving ring readings = 20 div

Axial load P (kg)

(Div x 0.002) / 9.81 = (20x 0.002) / 9.81
= 0.0041

Compressive stress,
= P/Ac
= 0.0041 / 11.85
= 0.00035

Sample of calculation in time 2550 minutes

Strain dial reading (L) (cm)

Time x 0.002mm = 2550 x 0.002 = 5.1 mm ~ 0.510 cm

Axial strain,
L/Lo = 0.510/7.63
= 0.0668

Axial strain in percent = 6.684 %

Corrected area Ac = (Ao/1- )

= (11.46/1 0.0668)
= 12.280 cm2

Proving ring readings = 39 div

Axial load P (kg)

(Div x 0.002) / 9.81 = (39x 0.002) / 9.81
= 0.00897

Compressive stress,
= P/Ac
= 0.00795 / 12.280
= 0.0006

Sample 2

Strain
Dial
Reading
(L)
(Cm)
0.0

Axial

Axial

Corrected

Proving

Axial

Compressive

Strain

Strain

Area

Ring

Load

Stress

(l/L0
) ()
0

(%)

(Ac) (Cm2)

0.0000

50

0.010

0.0013

100

0.020

150

Elapsed
Time T
(Minutes)

P (Kg)

() (Kg/Cm2)

0.000

Readings
(Div)
0

0.00000

0.00000

0.1310

11.475

0.00020

0.00002

0.0026

0.2600

11.490

0.00041

0.00004

0.030

0.0039

0.3900

11.505

0.00061

0.00005

200

0.040

0.0052

0.5200

11.520

0.00102

0.00009

250

0.050

0.0066

0.6600

11.536

0.00122

0.00011

300

0.060

0.0079

0.7900

11.551

0.00143

0.00012

350

0.070

0.0092

0.9200

11.566

0.00122

0.00011

400

0.080

0.0105

1.0500

11.582

0.00143

0.00012

450

0.090

0.0012

0.1180

11.474

0.00163

0.00014

500

0.100

0.0131

1.3100

11.612

11

0.00224

0.00019

550

0.110

0.0144

1.4400

11.627

12

0.00245

0.00021

600

0.120

0.0157

1.5700

11.643

14

0.00285

0.00025

650

0.130

0.0170

1.7000

11.658

16

0.00326

0.00028

700

0.140

0.0183

1.8300

11.674

17

0.00347

0.00030

750

0.150

0.0197

1.9700

11.690

18

0.00367

0.00031

800

0.160

0.0210

2.1000

11.706

19

0.00387

0.00033

850

0.170

0.0223

2.2300

11.721

20

0.00408

0.00035

900

0.180

0.0236

2.3600

11.737

21

0.00428

0.00036

950

0.190

0.0249

2.4900

11.753

22

0.00449

0.00038

1000

0.200

0.0026

0.2620

11.490

23

0.00469

0.00041

1050

0.210

0.0275

2.7500

11.784

24

0.00489

0.00042

1100

0.220

0.0288

2.8800

11.800

25

0.00510

0.00043

1150

0.230

0.0301

3.0100

11.816

26

0.00530

0.00045

1200

0.240

0.0315

3.1500

11.833

27

0.00550

0.00047

1250

0.250

0.0328

3.2800

11.849

28

0.00571

0.00048

1300

0.260

0.0341

3.4100

11.865

29

0.00591

0.00050

1350

0.270

0.0354

3.5400

11.881

30

0.00612

0.00051

1400

0.280

0.0367

3.6700

11.897

31

0.00632

0.00053

1450

0.290

0.0380

3.8000

11.913

32

0.00652

0.00055

1500

0.300

0.0393

3.9300

11.929

33

0.00673

0.00056

1550

0.310

0.0406

4.0600

11.945

33.5

0.00683

0.00057

1600

0.320

0.0419

4.1900

11.961

34

0.00693

0.00058

1650

0.330

0.0433

4.3300

11.979

35

0.00714

0.00060

1700

0.340

0.0446

4.4600

11.995

36

0.00734

0.00061

1750

0.350

0.0459

4.5900

12.011

37

0.00754

0.00063

1800

0.360

0.0472

4.7200

12.028

38

0.00775

0.00064

1850

0.370

0.0485

4.8500

12.044

39

0.00795

0.00066

1900

0.380

0.0498

4.9800

12.061

39

0.00795

0.00066

1950

0.390

0.0511

5.1100

12.077

40

0.00815

0.00068

2000

0.400

0.0524

5.2400

12.094

41

0.00836

0.00069

2050

0.410

0.0537

5.3700

12.110

43

0.00877

0.00072

2100

0.420

0.0550

5.5000

12.127

44

0.00897

0.00074

2150

0.430

0.0564

5.6400

12.145

44

0.00897

0.00074

2200

0.440

0.0577

5.7700

12.1617

44

0.00897

0.00074

Sample 3

Dial
Gauge

Strain
Dial
Reading

Axial

Axial

Corrected

Proving

Axial

Compressive

Strain

Strain

Area

Ring

Load

Stress

(%)

(Ac) (Cm2)

P (Kg)

() (Kg/Cm2)

0.0000

0.000

Readings
(Div)
0

0.00000

0.00000

0.0

(l/L0 )
()
0

50

0.010

0.0013

0.1300

11.475

10

0.00204

0.00020

100

0.020

0.0026

0.2600

11.490

15

0.00306

0.00027

150

0.030

0.0039

0.3900

11.505

20

0.00489

0.00042

200

0.040

0.0052

0.5200

11.520

24

0.00500

0.00044

250

0.050

0.0066

0.6600

11.536

27

0.00551

0.00048

300

0.060

0.0079

0.7900

11.551

30

0.00612

0.00053

350

0.070

0.0092

0.9200

11.566

31

0.00632

0.00055

400

0.080

0.0105

1.0500

11.582

32

0.00652

0.00056

450

0.090

0.0012

0.1200

11.474

34

0.00693

0.00060

500

0.100

0.0131

1.3100

11.612

35

0.00714

0.00061

550

0.110

0.0144

1.4400

11.627

36

0.00734

0.00063

600

0.120

0.0157

1.5700

11.643

36

0.00734

0.00063

650

0.130

0.0170

1.7000

11.658

37

0.00754

0.00065

700

0.140

0.0183

1.8300

11.674

38

0.00775

0.00066

750

0.150

0.0197

1.9700

11.690

38

0.00775

0.00066

800

0.160

0.0210

2.1000

11.706

39

0.00795

0.00068

850

0.170

0.0223

2.2300

11.721

39.5

0.00805

0.00069

900

0.180

0.0236

2.3600

11.737

40

0.00815

0.00069

950

0.190

0.0249

2.4900

11.753

41

0.00836

0.00071

1000

0.200

0.0260

2.6000

11.766

42

0.00856

0.00073

1050

0.210

0.0275

2.7500

11.784

42

0.00856

0.00073

1100

0.220

0.0288

2.8800

11.800

42

0.00856

0.00073

(L) (cm)

9.0 CONCLUSSION

1. Unconfined compressive strength of the soil = qU 1 = 0.00065

qU 2 = 0.00074
qU 3 =0.00073
2. Shear strenght of the soil c = qU / 2 = 0.036

As for the results, the axial stress is usually plotted versus the axial strain. The
maximum axial stress, or the axial stress at 20% (sometimes 15%) axial strain if it occurs
earlier, is reproted as the unconfined compressive strength c. The undrained shear
strength then reads. From the graph shear stress verses normal stress we got the value of the c
is 0.036.
Theoritically, for similiar saturated clay specimens, the unconfined compression tests
and the unconsolidated undrained triaxial tests should yield the same value of cu . in practic,
however unconfined compression tests on saturated clays yields slightly lower values of cu
than those obtained from unconsilidated undrained tests.

APPENDIX