On the basis of the cyclic shear apparatus for soil-structure interface in Tsinghua University

a laminar-ring simple shear apparatus for the study of the mechanical behavior of interface between granular materials is developed. A series of experiments are conducted with the embankment materials used in Nuozhadu high earth core dam. It is confirmed that the shear strength envelope of the interface is the lower shear strength envelope of the two granular materials. When the failure strength is reached

concentrated rigid plastic shear deformation takes place in an area near the interface with the lowest strength. The rigid-plastic model can be used to simulate the deformation behavior of the interface between two granular materials.