FRICTION ANGLE OF POLISHED SURFACES OF SANDSTONE AND CONGLOMERATE FROM THE SEMANGGOL FORMATION, BERIS DAM, KEDAH DARUL AMAN

Abstract

The Beris Dam is founded on a sequence of thick bedded to massive conglomerate and gritstone with some sandstone and mudstone, mapped as the Semanggol Formation of Triassic age. Portable shear box tests on polished surfaces of a sandstone, and a conglomerate, core yield friction angles of 18.0o and 20.8o, respectively. These friction angles are comparable with residual friction angles of between 17.5o and 19.0o determined in field and laboratory tests on sheared mudstone surfaces of the Semanggol Formation at the Muda Dam. Apparent cohesion values determined in the portable shear box tests result from the restricted normal displacement test conditions and should not be considered in shear strength calculations.