A New Cyclic Simple Shear Test Procedure with Multidirectional Loading

This article presents a new procedure for cyclic simple shear tests with a change in the loading direction. For the experimental investigation of sand under drained condition, a conventional simple shear test device (unidirectional simple shear) was used. After modification of the specimen cell, the cell can rotate during the test, enabling the load direction to be changed. The construction of this modified version and its test procedure are explained in detail. This modification and test procedure can also be used for different simple shear devices of the same type. Furthermore, a test series involving Berlin sand was conducted with the direction of cyclic loading being changed once during each test. The test results indicate that a change in the cyclic direction has a significant influence on the accumulated deformation of sand.