Question

The vertical stress on the solid cylindrical test apparatus is applied by ____________

(a) Major principal stress

(b) Minor principal stress

(c) Intermediate principal stress

(d) All of the mentioned

I got this question in an internship interview.

Enquiry is from Tri-axial Compression Test in division Shear Strength of Geotechnical Engineering I

Answer 1

Correct option is (a) Major principal stress

Best explanation: In tri axial test, the major principle stress σ1 is applied in the vertical direction, and the other two principal stresses σ and σ are applied in the horizontal direction by the fluid pressure round the specimen.