Soil Mechanics

Question 1

How to get lateral earth pressure from effective vertical stress

Answer 1

Multiply effective vertical stress by earth pressure coefficient

Question 2

Which side of wall is active?

Answer 2

Wall is moving away from soil (on taller soil side)

Question 3

Which side of wall is passive?

Answer 3

Wall is moving toward soil

Question 4

T/F: At rest earth pressure is greater than active earth pressure

Answer 4

True

Question 5

Types of Spread Footing

Answer 5

Pad, wall, raft or mat, strap, combined, continuous

Question 6

What is net bearing pressure?

Answer 6

Does not consider weight of footing and overlying soil

Question 7

3 types of settlement

Answer 7

1. Immediate/elastic: right after construction. Dominant settlement in cohesionless and granular soils
2. Primary Consolidation: mainly in clays due to slow drainage of water due to loading
3. Secondary Settlement/Creep: mainly due to particle rearrangement and crushing

Question 8

Heave vs Settlement

Answer 8

Heave is calculated using Cr, not Cc like settlement

Question 9

Types of Shallow Foundations

Answer 9

Spread, Strip, Mat, Raft

Question 10

Types of Deep Foundations

Answer 10

Pile, Shaft, Caisson, Basements, (pile, pier, drilled shafts, and caissons are most common)

Question 11

Most of load is transferred to soil on skin or bottom of pile?

Answer 11

Skin friction along pile transfers most of load. Unless pile is an end bearing or point bearing pile