The large direct shear apparatus (Shearmatic) has a load capacity of 100 kN in both vertical and horizontal directions. It accommodates shear boxes of dimensions 300 mm x 300 mm and 150 mm x 150 mm, maintaining a consistent sample depth of 150 mm when two shear boxes are assembled. This versatile apparatus is designed for measuring the shear strength properties of various unbound road construction materials, including aggregates, recycled concrete aggregates, recycled asphalt pavements, soil, and soil blended with additives to enhance strength. Moreover, the Shearmatic apparatus is capable of determining the interface shear strength of different materials, such as geosynthetic-gravel/soil, through pull-out tests. All these tests can be conducted under either saturated or unsaturated conditions.
