Question:

A pure cohesive soil has cohesion value of 40 kPa, then as per the Mohr's – Coulomb equation its shear strength is

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The Mohr-Coulomb equation for the shear strength of soil is \(\tau = c + \sigma \tan\phi\), where \(c\) is the cohesion, \(\sigma\) is the normal stress and \(\phi\) is the angle of internal friction.
Updated On: Jun 16, 2026
  • 10 kPa
  • 20 kPa
  • 30 kPa
  • 40 kPa
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Concept:
The Mohr-Coulomb equation for the shear strength of soil is \(\tau = c + \sigma \tan\phi\), where \(c\) is the cohesion, \(\sigma\) is the normal stress and \(\phi\) is the angle of internal friction.

Step 1:
For a pure cohesive soil (such as saturated clay), the angle of internal friction is taken as zero, so \(\phi = 0\) and \(\tan\phi = 0\). This makes the frictional term \(\sigma \tan\phi\) equal to zero.

Step 2:
The equation reduces to \(\tau = c\). With cohesion \(c = 40\ \text{kPa}\), the shear strength is \(\tau = 40\ \text{kPa}\).

Answer: Option (4) — 40 kPa.
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