Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and

Technology

University Examinations
2017/2018 Academic Year

4th Year, First Semester Examination for the Degree if Bachelors

of Science in Civil Engineering
Course Code: ECE2406

Course Title: Foundation Engineering I

Date:

Time: 2hrs

Instructions

Answer ALL questions

Q1.
The permeability of sand was tested in the laboratory at a void ratio of 0.56 and was
determined to be 0.14cm/sec. Estimate the coefficient of permeability of this sand at a void
ratio of 0.79?

Q2.
The laboratory tests results of six soils are given in the following table. Classify the soils by the
AASHTO Soil Classification System, and give the group indices.
Results of sieve analysis on six soils
Sieve analysis - % passing
Sieve no. Soil
A B C D E F
4 92 100 100 95 100 100
10 48 60 98 90 91 82
40 28 41 82 79 80 74
200 13 33 72 64 30 55
Liquid limit 31 38 56 35 43 35
Plastic limit 26 25 31 26 29 21

1
Q3. Refer to Fig. 1. The clay is normally consolidated. A laboratory consolidation test on the clay
gave the following results:

Pressure Void ratio

------------------------------------------
100 0.905
200 0.815

a) Calculate the average effective stress on the clay layer

b) Determine the compression index, Cc
c) If the average effective stress on the clay layer is increased (po + Δp) to 115kN/m2, what
would be the total consolidation?

Dry sand, Gs = 2.66, ε = 0.55

2m
B Ground water table

Sand, Gs = 2.66, ε = 0.48

2m
C

Clay, Gs=2.74, ω = 34.78%

2m
D
C
Rock

Fig. 1: The soil profile

Q4.
A square footing is shown in Fig. 3. Using a factor of safety of 6, determine the size of the
footing.

2
 445kN

68kN-m

γ = 15.71 kN/m3
c=0
1.2m Ø = 30o

BXB
Ground water
table
γsat = 18.85 kN/m3, c = 0, Ø = 30o

Fig. 3: Square footing