Shear Strength of Unsaturated Malaysian Granitic Residual Soil

This study aims to understand the shear strength of unsaturated Malaysian granitic residual soil. The soil was obtained from Kuala Klawang, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. A pressure plate was used for obtaining soil-water characteristic curves under zero net confining pressure. Multistage consolidated drained triaxial tests were carried out on both saturated and unsaturated compacted specimens at a constant strain rate. The experimental data of the saturated and unsaturated shear strength of the soil were fitted with a comprehensive constitutive shear strength model that represents both linear and nonlinear shear strength behaviors, with respect to suction and net stress or effective stress for unsaturated and saturated conditions, respectively.