Geotech_Refresher

Question 1

Ratio of volume of voids and volume of soil

Answer 1

Porosity (n)

Question 2

Ratio of volume of voids and volume of soil solids

Answer 2

Void Ratio (e)

Question 3

Ratio of volume of water and volume of voids

Answer 3

Degree of Saturation (S)

Question 4

Which is true for porosity?

a. 0 < n < 100
b. 0 =< n =< 100
c. 0 =< n
d. 0 < n

Answer 4

a. 0 < n < 100

Question 5

Which is true for void ratio?

a. 0 < e < 100
b. 0 =< e =< 100
c. 0 =< e
d. 0 < e

Answer 5

d. 0 < e

Question 6

Which is true for degree of Saturation (S)?

a. 0 < S < 100
b. 0 =< S =< 100
c. 0 =< S
d. 0 < S

Answer 6

b. 0 =< S =< 100

Question 7

When the seepage pressure becomes equal to the pressure due to submerged weight of a soil, the effective pressure is reduced to zero and the soil particles have a tendency to move up in the direction of flow. This phenomenon is generally known

a. Quick Condition
b. Boiling Condition
c. Quick Sand
d. All of the above

Answer 7

d. All of the above

Question 8

What is soil in civil engineering?

a. the material in a relatively thin surface zone within roots occur.
b. the unaggregated and uncemented deposits of minerals and organic particles covering the earth’s crust.
c. the substance existing on the earth’s surface; which grows and develop plants.
d. None of the above

Answer 8

b. the unaggregated and uncemented deposits of minerals and organic particles covering the earth’s crust.

Question 9

A process by which water-saturated soil sediment temporarily loss strength and acts as a fluid.

A. Consolidation
C. Settlement
B. Plasticity
D. Liquefaction

Answer 9

D. Liquefaction

Question 10

Volume change in saturated soils caused by the expulsion of pore water from loading?

A. Initial Consolidation
B. Primary Consolidation
C. Secondary Consolidation
D. None of the above

Answer 10

B. Primary Consolidation

Question 11

Negative skin friction on piles..
A. Is caused due to relative settlement of the soil
B. Is caused in soft clays
C. Decreases the pile capacity
D. All of the above

Answer 11

D. All of the above

Question 12

For better strength and stability, the fine grained soils and coarse grained soils are compacted respectively as

A. Dry of OMC and wet of OMC
B. Wet of OMC and dry of OMC
C. Wet of OMC and wet of OMC
D. Dry of OMC and dry of OMC

Answer 12

B. Wet of OMC and dry of OMC

Question 13

Pick up the incorrect statement from the following:

A. Compaction has no effect on the structure of a soil
B. Permeability decreases with increase in the dry density of a compacted soil
C. A wet side compacted soil is more compressible than a dry side compacted soil
D. Dry side compaction soils swell more when give access to moisture

Answer 13

A. Compaction has no effect on the structure of a soil

Question 14

A decrease in water content results in a reduction of the volume of soil in:

A. Liquid state
B. Plastic state
C. Semi-solid state
D. All of these

Answer 14

D. All of these

Question 15

The water content in a soil sample when it continues to loose weight without loosing the volume, is called

A. Shrinkage limit
B. Plastic limit
C. Liquid limit
D. Semi-solid limit

Answer 15

A. Shrinkage limit

Question 16

The admixture of coarser particles like sand or silt to clay causes

A. Decrease in liquid limit and increase in plasticity index
B. Decrease in liquid limit and no change in plasticity index
C. Decrease in both liquid limit and plasticity index
D. Increase in both liquid limit and plasticity index

Answer 16

C. Decrease in both liquid limit and plasticity index

Question 17

A cohesive soil deposit is considered
stiff if the unconfined compression strength, in kPa, is between

A. 0 to 25
B. 50 to 100
C. 100 to 200
D. 25 to 50

Answer 17

C. 100 to 200

Question 18

A cohesive soil deposit is considered soft if the unconfined compression strength, in kPa, is between

A. 0 to 25
B. 50 to 100
C. 100 to 200
D. 25 to 50

Answer 18

D. 25 to 50

Question 19

A cohesive soil deposit is considered very soft if the unconfined compression strength, in kPa, is between

A. 0 to 25
B. 50 to 100
C. 100 to 200
D. 25 to 50

Answer 19

A. 0 to 25

Question 20

Rise of water table above the ground surface causes:

A. Equal increase in pore water pressure and total stress
B. Equal decrease in pore water pressure and total stress
C. Increase in pore water pressure but decrease in total stress
D. Decrease in pore water pressure but increase in total stress

Answer 20

A. Equal increase in pore water pressure and total stress

Question 21

The shear strength of a soil:

A. Is directly proportional to the angle of internal friction of the soil
B. Is inversely proportional to the angle of internal friction of the soil
C. Decreases with increase in normal stress
D. Decreases with decrease in normal stress

Answer 21

D. Decreases with decrease in normal stress

Question 22

Effective stress on soil:

A. Increases voids ratio and decreases permeability
B. Increases both voids ratio and permeability
C. Decreases both voids ratio and permeability
D. Decreases voids ratio and increases permeability

Answer 22

C. Decreases both voids ratio and permeability

Question 23

The coefficient of compressibility of
soil, is the ratio of:

A. Stress to strain
B. Strain to stress
C. Stress to settlement
D. Rate of loading to that of settlement

Answer 23

B. Strain to stress

Question 24

If the ground water table in the soil formation rises as a resulting of flooding, the bearing capacity of the soil

A. increases
B. unaffected
C. decreasing
D. depends on the footing load

Answer 24

C. decreasing

Question 25

One of the following foundation conditions does not affect the bearing capacity of the supporting soil A. Unit weight of the soil B. depth of founding of footings C. Load imposed onto the soil D. Position of ground water table

Answer 25

C. Load imposed onto the soil

Question 26

6. What is the largest grain that passes a no. 200 sieve in millimeter? A. 0.020 B. 0.064 C. 0.074 D. 0.0054

Answer 26

C. 0.074

Question 27

Section 302.2.2 of the National Structural Code of the Philippines provides that the slope of cut surfaces of the ground shall be no steeper than is safe for the intended use and shall be no steeper that: A. 1 to 3 B. 1 to 2 C. 1 to 1 D. 1 to 1.5

Answer 27

B. 1 to 2

Question 28

The fraction of soils passing which sieve number is used for Atterberg Limits tests of soils: A. 60 B. 30 C. 50 D. 40

Answer 28

D. 40

Question 29

Coefficient of Consolidation is affected by A. Compressibility B.Permeability C. Both Compressibility and Permeability D. None

Answer 29

C. Both Compressibility and Permeability

Question 30

If the sand in-situ is in its densest state, then the relative density of sand is A. Zero B. 1 C. Between 0 to 1 D. Greater than 1

Answer 30

B. 1

Question 31

Water content of soil can A. Never be greater than 100% B. Take Values only from 0% to 100% C. Be less than 0% D. Be greater than 100%

Answer 31

D. Be greater than 100%

Question 32

An index used to identify the swelling potential of clay soils is called A. Plasticity Index B. Liquidity Index C. Consistency Index D. Activity

Answer 32

D. Activity

Question 33

The property of a soil which permits water to percolate through it A. Moisture content B. Permeability C. Capillarity D. None of these

Answer 33

B. Permeability

Question 34

Which of the following methods is best suited for determination of permeability of coarse-grained soils? A. Constant head method B. Falling head method C. Both the above D. None of the above

Answer 34

A. Constant head method

Question 35

Terzaghi's bearing capacity factors Nc, Nq and Nγ are functions of A. Cohesion only B. Angle of internal friction only C. Both cohesion and angle of internal friction D. None of the above

Answer 35

B. Angle of internal friction only

Question 36

Coefficient of earth pressure at rest is A. Less than active earth pressure but greater than passive earth pressure B. Greater than active earth pressure but less than passive earth pressure C. Greater than both the active earth pressure and passive earth pressure D. Less than both the active and passive earth pressures

Answer 36

B. Greater than active earth pressure but less than passive earth pressure

Question 37

The average coefficient of permeability of natural deposits A. Parallel to stratification is always greater than that perpendicular to stratification B. Parallel to stratification is always less than that perpendicular to stratification C. Is always same in both directions D. Parallel to stratification may or may not be greater than that perpendicular to stratification

Answer 37

A. Parallel to stratification is always greater than that perpendicular to stratification

Question 38

The quantity of seepage of water through soils is proportional to A. Coefficient of permeability of soil B. Total head loss through the soil C. Neither A nor B D. Both A and B

Answer 38

D. Both A and B

Question 39

The critical exit gradient of seepage water in soils, increases with A. An increase in specific gravity B. A decrease in specific gravity C. A decrease in void ratio D. Both A and C

Answer 39

D. Both A and C

Question 40

Who is the father of modern soil mechanics? A. K. Terzaghi B. R. Peck C. W. Rankine D. K. Policarpio

Answer 40

A. K. Terzaghi

Question 41

Water content of soil can A. Never be greater than 100% B. Take values only from 0% to 100% C. Be less than 0% D. Be greater than 100%

Answer 41

D. Be greater than 100%

Question 42

The shearing strength of a cohesive soil is: A. Proportional to the angle of shearing resistance B. Inversely proportional to the angle of shearing resistance C. Proportional to the tangent of the angle of shearing resistance D. Inversely proportional to the tangent of the angle of shearing resistance

Answer 42

C. Proportional to the tangent of the angle of shearing resistance

Question 43

The intensity of vertical stress, σ at a depth due to a point load acting on a surface of a semi infinite elastic soil mass is: A. Directly proportional to the depth B. Inversely proportional to the depth C. Directly proportional to the square of the depth D. Inversely proportional to the square of the depth

Answer 43

D. Inversely proportional to the square of the depth

Question 44

Water is densest at a temperature of A. 32° 𝐂 B. 4 ° 𝐂 C. 0° 𝐂 D. 100° 𝐂

Answer 44

B. 4 ° 𝐂