Soil is a very important component in the field of construction because it functions as a laying of a construction. But not all types of soil are good for construction, one of which is clay soil. Clay soil is fine-grained soft soil with a larger surface area and particle diameter. Clay soils have (Chou, 2012) high compressibility and compression properties, and shrinkage properties due to interaction with water. These factors increase the carrying capacity of the soil to be low and more susceptible to landslides when the soil is functions as a basis for placing construction. This direct shear strength test research was carried out at the Civil Engineering Laboratory of Kadiri University using the Direct Shear Test tool and experimental methods. The purpose of this study was to determine the shear resistance of clay soils in the Kadiri University area. The study results obtained a cohesion value of 0.224 kPa, a deep shear angle value of 3.783°, and a soil carrying capacity of 0.95 tons. So it can be concluded that the clay soil in the Kadiri University area has a low carrying capacity and is prone to cladding if it functions as a construction placement.