Strength Theory Model of Unsaturated Soils with Suction Stress Concept

Figure 2

The curves of normal stress and shear strength at different initial water content state of soil (experimental data from Vanapalli et al. [10]).

(a) Shear strength envelops at drier than optimum water content

(b) Shear strength envelops at wetter than optimum water content

(c) Shear strength envelops at optimum water content