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Two fine-grained soils; A and B have liquid limit, wL values equal to 50 and 60
respectively. Note that the plastic limit, wP values for the soils A and B are 25 and
35 respectively. For such fine-grained soils, the compression index, Cc of will not
be the same; however, the swelling index, Cs will be the same. Assume Soil A is
normally consolidated clay and Soil B is over consolidated clay.
(i) True
(ii) False
The bearing capacity of a fine-grained soil such as clay for long term condition
depends on the effective shear strength parameters c’ and φ’ values and the
location of the ground water table.
(i) True
(ii) False
The passive earth pressure coefficient is always greater than active earth
pressure coefficient and also equal to unity or greater than unity.
(i) True
(ii) False
A sand with a higher angle of internal friction, φ' exerts a higher Pa on a retaining
structure compared to a saturated clay with no angle of internal friction (i.e., φ u =
0).
(i) True
(ii) False
Elastic settlements predominantly occur below foundations constructed on
sands rather than saturated clays
(i) True
(ii) False
The ultimate bearing capacity of a fine-grained soil such as clay for the long term
condition depends on the shear strength parameters c’ and φ’ values and the
location of the ground water table conditions.
(i) True
(ii) False
The soil has to undergo lateral deformation before the soil reaches a state of
active or passive condition.
(i) True
(ii) False
Excavations lose strength with time and embankments gain strength with time.
(i) True
(ii) False
Sands and gravels typically exhibit angle of internal friction, φ’ greater than 25°.
(i) True
(ii) False
Boussinesq’s equation used for calculating the vertical stress distribution below
the footings is not valid at a depth value equal to zero.
(i) True
(ii) False
Two fine-grained soils; A and B have liquid limit, wL values equal to 60 and 40
respectively. Note that the plastic limit, wP values for the soils A and B are 20 and
20 respectively. For such fine-grained soils, the compression index, Cc of will be
the same.
(i) True
(ii) False
A pocket penetrometer can be directly used in the field for quickly determining
the plastic limit of the soils.
(i) True
(ii) False
Only in some exceptional cases, passive earth pressure coefficient can be greater
than active earth pressure coefficient.
(i) True
(ii) False
A sand with a higher angle of internal friction, φ' exerts a lower Pa on a retaining
structure compared to a saturated clay with no angle of internal friction (i.e., φu =
0).
(i) True
(ii) False
The compression index, Cc for an over consolidated clay (i.e., Soil A) was
determined from consolidation tests. The same clay (i.e., Soil A) was mixed with
water at a content higher than its liquid limit and subjected to a loading below the
preconsolidation pressure. The Cc value of the prepared normally consolidated
clay is lower than the Cc value of the over consolidated clay specimen (i.e., Soil
A).
(i) True
(ii) False
The direct shear test apparatus is a versatile equipment and can be used for
determining the shear strength of soils under different loading conditions for all
soils including sands and clays (i.e., UU, CU and CD conditions).
(i) True
(ii) False
For heavily overconsolidated clays, the swelling index can be greater than the
compression index.
(i) True
(ii) False
Vane shear apparatus can be used for determining the in-situ shear strength of
(i) Soft clays only
(ii) Soft clays and soft sands
(iii) All types of clayey soils but not for sands
(iv) All soils
It is more reliable to determine the FS for long term stability conditions for an
expansive soil slope using:
(i) Peak shear strength parameters
(ii) Residual shear strength parameters
(iii) Critical state shear strength parameters
(iv) None of the above. The long term FS is not dependent on the shear strength
parameters
Which one of the below is not an assumption in the 1-D consolidation theory
proposed by Terzaghi?
(i) Homogeneous and 100% saturation
(ii) Drainage at both the top and bottom of the compressible layer
(iii) Soil grains and water are incompressible
(iv) Unique relationship between the volume change and effective stress
(v) mv and k vary with respect the effect stress
Lateral earth pressure under active conditions on the back of a smooth vertical
retaining wall with a horizontal slope clay backfill under saturated conditions and
loaded under undrained conditions will be zero at a depth of
Water content at which no further volume change occurs with further reduction in
water content is defined as
(i) Shrinkage limit
(ii) Plastic limit
(iii) Liquid limit
(iv) Plasticity index
Which one of the tests below has a different drainage condition than the others?
(i) Consolidated drained triaxial test on a fully saturated clay
(ii) Vane shear test on a fully saturated clay
(iii) Unconfined compression test on a fully saturated clay
To determine the long term stability of an embankment constructed with clay, the
effective shear strength, c’ and φ’ parameters can be determined by:
(i) Conducting consolidated drained direct shear tests on identical specimens
(ii) Conducting consolidated drained triaxial shear tests on identical specimens
(iii) Conducting consolidated undrained (CU ) triaxial shear tests with pore-pressure
measurements during the shearing stage on identical specimens
(iv) Conducting any one of the above tests (i.e., (i), (ii) or (iii)
(v) None of the above
Three different over consolidated clay specimens were tested for the pore-
pressure parameter, Af. The Af values of these clay specimens were respectively;
0.5, 0.9 and 0.3 respectively. Which one of these soils has been subjected to
higher stresses in their past history?
(i) Soil specimen with Af value = 0.5
(ii) Soil specimen with Af value = 0.9
(iii) Soil specimen with Af value = 0.3
Lateral earth pressure under active conditions on the back of a smooth vertical
retaining wall with a horizontal slope clay backfill under saturated conditions and
loaded under undrained conditions will be zero at a depth of
(i) z = 0
(ii) z = 2cu/γ
(iii) z = 3cu/γ
(iv) z = 4cu/γ
The bearing capacity theory originally proposed by Karl Terzaghi is valid for only
continuous strip footing assuming
(i) punching shear failure conditions under undrained loading conditions
(ii) general shear failure conditions under drained loading conditions
(iii) local shear failure conditions under both drained and undrained loading conditions
(iv) none of the above conditions
The concept of floating or compensated foundation is commonly used in the
design of
(i) isolated or individual column footings
(ii) raft or mat foundations
(iii) pile foundations
(iv) can be applied for all the foundations
Several parameters are listed below for increasing the load carrying capacity of a
coarse-grained soil; which one of the following is more effective than others.
(i) increase the width of the foundation
(ii) increase the depth of the foundation
(iii) increase the thickness of the foundation
(iv) by raising the ground water table to the natural ground level