The 'Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion' for a soil is expressed as:
Choose the correct answer
τf = c × σ
τf = c + σ·tanφ (shear strength = cohesion + friction component)
τf = σ/tanφ
τf = c − σ·tanφ
Correct Answer
B. τf = c + σ·tanφ (shear strength = cohesion + friction component)
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τf = c + σ·tanφ (total stress) or τf = c' + σ'·tanφ' (effective stress). c = cohesion, φ = friction angle, σ = normal stress on failure plane. For pure sand: c ≈ 0 (cohesionless). For saturated clay (undrained, φu=0): τf = Su (undrained shear strength). The failure envelope is a straight line on τ-σ plot.
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