Shear strength of saprolitique soil masses

Abstract

This paper approaches aspects regarding the shear strength of saprolitic soil masses. It proposes a methodology of study of such masses similar to the one used in rock masses, on which the influence of the discontinuities in the shear strength have extensively been studied, while as regards saprolitic soil masses, this influence due to relict planar structures is still poorly known. It further presents results of triaxial tests carried out for the first time with migmatite saprolitic soils, according to the same form used for the study of rocks, however based upon effective stresses. Besides this, theories related to the problem and definition of an anisotropy coefficient are also presented.