Effect of wetting and drying cycles on soil shear strength parameters of a coarse textured soil using direct shear test

Shear strength is one of the critical properties of soil that affects the interaction of machine and soil. Wetting-drying cycles change the structure the soil (due to frequent surface irrigation) and affects the shear strength parameters of the soil. Therefore, the effect of this process on the shear strength parameters of coarse-textured soil (sandy loam) is studied. In this study, large soil samples were prepared and some of them were subjected to 5 wettingdrying cycle. After that, the large soil samples with/without wetting and drying cycles were compressed under three loads (0, 100 or 200 kPa) at two water contents (0.9 plastic limit; PL and 1.1PL). Then three samples were prepared for direct shear tests. The results showed that the increase in water contents will increase bulk density and cohesion, and reduce the internal friction angle. Compressing the soil after wetting and drying process resulted in an increase in bulk density and cohesion, and reduction in internal friction angle. These changes were due to clay particles mobility and sedimentation among larger particles as well as developing water films among aggregates during wetting.