Shear Strength of A Cohesionless Soil Under Plane Strain and Triaxial Conditions

Abstract

<p>An experimental programme was carried out involving both plane strain and triaxial compression tests on a dry sand. A comparison between both methods is presented to show the influence of the intermediate principal stress on the angle of shearing resistance of failure, the shear characteristics and the failure criterion. The Mohr-Coulomb theory was used as a failure criterion. The angle of shearing resistance at failure in plane strain tests was higher than in triaxial tests. Shear strength values at failure were higher in plane strain tests than in triaxial tests. All stress-strain curves in both plane strain and triaxial test have a similar shape.</p>