Example questions for Soil Mechanics

Prof Hicks / Dr Vardon

Sheet 1
Reading before attempting questions: Verruijt Chapters 1 to 3
Questions are approximately similar in style and standard to the exam questions
(points are indicative of those given in the exam)

1) A cylindrical soil sample has a diameter of 38mm, length of 76mm and mass of 183.4g. After oven
drying the soil weighs 157.7g. Determine:
a.

Volume of the sample. [1 mark]

b.

Volumetric weight. [3 marks]

c.

The dry volumetric weight. [3 marks]

d.

The water content. [3 marks]

e.

The porosity. [3 marks]

2) A soil sample was taken using an open sampling tube and the volumetric weight of the fully saturated
soil sample was determined immediately after collection in a field laboratory. The saturated volumetric
weight was 18.85 kN/m3. After some time the volumetric weight was again determined, and was found
to have fallen to 18.15 kN/m3. The sample was then placed in an oven, so that the dry volumetric weight
could be determined. The dry volumetric weight of the sample was 14 kN/m3 and the volumetric weight
of the water in the sample was 10 kN/m3.
a.

Why did the volumetric weight decrease from 18.85 kN/m3 to 18.15 kN/m3; give 2
possible causes. Provide a method that could prevent this? [3 marks]

b.

What was the water content of the saturated soil? [3 marks]

c.

Calculate the decrease of the degree of saturation (expressed as a percentage) from storing the
sample. The volumetric weight of the fully saturated sample is 18.85 kN/m3. [3 marks]

d.

What is the porosity of the soil sample? [3 marks]

e.

What is the density of the solid particles in the material? [3 marks]

f.

What is the value of the average density of sand that is found in the Netherlands? [3 marks]

3) In natural conditions at a temperature of 4C a soil sample has a mass of 2290 g and a volume of
1.1510-3 m3. The sample is dried in the oven at 105C. After drying, the mass is reduced to 2035 g.
The soil sample has a volumetric weight (solids) of 26.8 kN/m3. (w= 1000 kg/m3 at a temperature of
4C)
a.

Determine the volumetric weight (in kN/m3) and water content (in %) of the sample. [3 marks]

b.

Determine the dry volumetric weight of the soil (in kN/m3). [3 marks]

c.

Calculate the void ratio. [3 marks]

d.

Calculate the porosity (in %). [3 marks]

e.

Calculate the degree of saturation (in %). [3 marks]

Soil Mechanics CTB2310

Example questions for Soil Mechanics

Prof Hicks / Dr Vardon

4) A dry soil sample of 187.2g is sieved through a series of sieves. The following table gives the quantity
of material remaining on each sieve size and the remainder that passed through all sieves is found on the
tray.
a.

Draw the grain size diagram? [6 marks]

b.

Determine, from the diagram, the quantities D10 and D60. [4 marks]

c.

Find the uniformity coefficient and comment on it. [3 marks]

d.

Classify the soil. [3 marks]

Sieve size, m

Soil Mechanics CTB2310

Mass, g

tray

21.1

63

26.5

150

28.7

212

33.1

300

31.3

425

27.8

600

7.2

1180

4.7

2000

6.8

6300

Example questions for Soil Mechanics

Prof Hicks / Dr Vardon

5) To determine the properties of a soil sample, a 200 ml sample is taken to the laboratory. The sample is
weighed and is 346 g. The sample is placed in an oven at 105 C for 24 hours. Afterwards, the sample
weighs 322 g. The sample is placed back in the oven at 900 C and after another 12 hours, the sample
weighs 300.6 g. The remaining sample is then sieved. The following table gives the quantity of
material remaining on each sieve size. It is also known that the density of the organic material (eg peat)
p,peat = 1200 kg/m3.
a.

What is the volumetric weight of the original sample? [3 marks]

b.

Determine, on the basis of the sieve data, the volume and weight of the clay/silt-component of
the sample. [3 marks]

c.

Explain briefly how to practically determine the volume and mass of the individual sieved
fractions of the granular material. [3 marks]

d.

Determine the density of the clay mineral and the density of the sand. [3 marks]

e.

Calculate the volume percentages of sand, clay, organic matter, water and air in the soil
sample. [4 marks]

f.

What is the porosity of the original sample? [3 marks]

g.

What is the degree of saturation of the original sample? [3 marks]

h.

What would the volumetric weight of this soil be in fully saturated conditions? [3 marks]

Sieve size, m

Soil Mechanics CTB2310

Volume, ml

Mass, g

32

91

27

77

63

21

56

100

15

39

200

11

30

600

2000

Example questions for Soil Mechanics

Prof Hicks / Dr Vardon

Answers:
1 a. 8.62x10-5m3 b. 21.3kN/m3 c. 18.3 kN/m3 d. 16.3% e. 30%
2 a. text b. 34.6% c. 14.4% d. 48.5% e. 2718kg/m3 f. 2690kg/m3
3 a.19.9kN/m3 12.5% b. 17.7kN/m3 c. 0.515 d. 34.0% e. 65.2%
4 a. fig b. D10=0.06, D60=0.31mm c.5.2 d. SW
5. a. 17.3kN/m3 b. 59ml, 1.68N c. text d. 2850kg/m3, 2660kg/m3 e. 50,59,18,24,49ml, 25,29.5,9,12,24.5%
f. 36.5% g. 33% h. 19.75kN/m3
Worked solutions will be available in due course on blackboard

Soil Mechanics CTB2310