Abstract
Oda and Konishi (1974 a and b) obtained the following relation between the stress ratio τ/σN on the apparent shear plane and the inclination angle ψ of the maximum principal stress axis in the simple shear test on the granular material : τ/(σN)=κ·tanψ In this paper the physical meaning of the constant κ is made clear. The constant κ has the same physical meaning as the frictional constant which has been defined as the ratio of the shear stress to the mean normal stress at the critical void ratio state by Roscoe, et al. (1958). It can be also formulated in a simple form with the other important soil parameters such as the internal friction angle at the critical void ratio state and the earth pressure coefficient at rest.
