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The matric suction must be measured when calculating the shear strength of unsaturated silt, but the measurement method is cumbersome and time-consuming. The saturation degree of silt is easily measured; therefore, a simplified calculation method for the shear strength of unsaturated silt using the saturation degree instead of matric suction is valuable in practical engineering. A new calculation method based on the saturation degree of silt is proposed to determine the smooth transition from a saturated to an unsaturated state. Suitable parameters for unsaturated Zhengzhou silt are determined, and the results of an unsaturated triaxial test and the soil–water characteristic curve are used to establish the proposed calculation method. A comparison of the results of Vanapalli's method and the simplified calculation method indicates high consistency and a low error. Therefore, the simplified method is more suitable for practical applications than Vanapalli's method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]