Degree of Initial Saturation and Shear Strength of Soil in a Triaxial Loading

Shear strength is the basic strength properties of soil which controls the stability of a soil mass under loads. The shear strength of soil helps to design the foundation of all the civil engineering structures, stability of slopes, earth retaining walls, embankments, man-made excavation etc. All the problems of soil engineering are related in one way or the other with shear strength of the soil. The triaxial shear test is one of the precise methods to determine the shear strength of the soil. Here the loading is more often triaxial than biaxial which simulates, the field loading. In field saturation level of soil may vary and depends upon climatic condition, drainage condition, porosity, density of particle etc., which may affect the shear strength of soils. The shear strength parameters of partially saturated to nearly saturated soils with varying degree of initial saturation, S (%) were determined through triaxial shear test. In doing so consolidated undrained (CU) test were carried out through measurement of B-parameter coefficient (B-factor), before shearing stage. This study helps to plot the variation of shear strength under different S (%) of MI type of soil.