ASSESSMENT EXAM 04: degrees.

Determine the developed cohesive

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING force. *
834.56
1. Given a 9m cut slope is shown, with a 225.55
130.84
unit weight of soil is 17kN/m3. Friction 484.11
angle and cohesion along the rock surface
are 20 degrees and 24kPa respectively. The 4. It is also called skin friction. *

slope makes an angle of 30 degrees from rear shear

back shear
horizontal and the failure plane is at 15 side shear
degrees. Determine the force tending to upper shear
cause sliding. *
5. What is the minimum limiting value of
1318.67
the lateral earth pressure at a depth of 3
356.40
709.66 meters in a uniform sand fill with a unit
965.40 weight of 20 kN/m3 and a friction angle of
35°? The ground surface is level. *
2. Given a 9m cut slope is shown, with a
23.389
unit weight of soil is 17kN/m3. Friction 16.260
angle and cohesion along the rock surface 221.410
65.580
are 20 degrees and 24kPa respectively. The
slope makes an angle of 30 degrees from 6. A wall, 5.4 m high, retains sand. In the
horizontal and the failure plane is at 15 loose state the sand has void ratio of 0.63
degrees. Determine the developed frictional and φ = 27°, while in the dense state, the
force along the failure plane. * corresponding values of void ratio and φ
130.84 are 0.36 and 45° respectively. Determine
484.11
the ratio of active earth pressure in the two
225.55
834.56 cases (dense to loose state), assuming G =
2.64. *
3. Given a 9m cut slope is shown, with a
0.50
unit weight of soil is 17kN/m3. Friction 0.64
angle and cohesion along the rock surface 0.55
0.47
are 20 degrees and 24kPa respectively. The
slope makes an angle of 30 degrees from 7. The foundation soil at the toe of a
horizontal and the failure plane is at 15 masonry dam has a porosity of 40% and the
specific gravity of grains is 2.70. To assure below the ground surface. Point A is at a
safety against piping, the specifications depth of 6m below the ground surface.
state that the upward gradient must not Compute the effective stress at A. *
exceed 25% of the gradient at which a quick 72.87 kPa
condition occurs. What is the maximum 67.25 kPa
77.18 kPa
permissible upward gradient? * 56.47 kPa
0.500
0.522 11. If the water table rises by 3.5m, find the
0.255 effective stress at A. *
0.200
72.87 kPa
8. There is clay layer 8 m thick with a layer 67.25 kPa
48.45 kPa
of sand on either side. An undisturbed 56.47 kPa
sample 2.5 cm thick of the clay when tested
in the laboratory require 25 minutes to 12. In comparison to items 1 and 2, what

reach 50% consolidation. It is proposed to will happen to the effective stress at A if the

construct a building at the above site. ground water level will rise up to the

Estimate the time required for 90% ground surface? *

consolidation to take place in days. * increase

no change
7867 decrease
7768 maximum
7778
7678 13. A saturated specimen of cohesionless

9. It is the total effective stress at a given sand was tested under drained conditions in

depth due to the weight of overlying soil or a triaxial compression test apparatus and

rock. * the sample failed at a deviator stress of 482

Overburden Pressure kN/m2 and the plane of failure made an

Total Vertical Pressure angle of 60° with the horizontal. Determine
Preconsolidation pressure the magnitudes of the deviator stress for
Initial Pressure
another identical specimen of sand if it is
Situation (10-12): A uniform soil deposit has tested under a cell pressure of 200
a dry unit weight of 15.6kN/m3 and a kN/sq.m? *
saturated unit weight of 17.2kN/m3. The A 400 kPa
ground water table is at a distance of 4m B 320 kPa
C 200 kPa
D 236 kPa A 2.5
B 1.15
14. The results of two drained triaxial test C 2.33
on a saturated clay are shown below on the D 1.8

table. If the deviator stress used in the test 17. Soils having size larger than 75 mm. *
is 150kPa used in the same sample, what Gravel
would be the chamber pressure. * Rock
Loam
Boulders and Cobbles

A 52.70 kPa 18. If the specific gravity of soil is 2.7 and

B 36.35 kPa has a water content of 15%, compute the
C 25.32 kPa
D 38 kPa zero air void unit weight in kN/m^3. *
18.85
15. The data shown in the table were 16.85
obtained in tri – axial compression tests of 20.79
21.65
three identical soil specimen. Compute the
shear strength at a depth of 6m below the 19. The following are results of a field unit
ground if a ground water table is located weight determinate test using sand cone
2m below the ground surface and the soil method: Vol. of hole = 0.0014 m^3 Mass of
has a dry unit weight of 16 kN/m3 and a moist soil from hole = 3 kg Water content =
saturated unit weight of 20 kN/m3. * 12% Maximum dry unit weight from a
laboratory compaction test is 19 kN/m^3.
Determine the relative compaction in the
field. *
A 88.1 kPa
B 23.65 kPa 98.8%
C 56.65 kPa 102.5%
D 36.35 kPa 99.8%
92%
16. A conventional consolidated drained tri
20. A soil sample has the following
– axial test is conducted on a sand. The cell
properties: Sp.gr. = 2.67 Void ratio = 0.54
pressure is 100 kPa and the applied axial
Water content = 11.2% Compute the air
stress at failure is 200 kPa. Calculate the
void ratio. *
factor of safety on the plane of maximum
0.165
shear stress. * 0.156
0.145 1260
0.176
25. An experiment to determine the
21. A cone penetrometer test was permeability of a soil sample was
conducted on a sample of soil and the conducted. The permeameter in a falling
shrinkage limit was determined to be 12%. head permeability test setup involves a
If the shrinkage ratio is 0.081, determine cylindrical soil sample 100 mm in diameter
the specific gravity of the soil sample. * and a height of 200mm. The hydraulic head
2.65 in the 10mm diameter standpipe through
2.60
2.70 which the test water passed dropped from
2.75 1 meter to 600mm in one minute of
observation. In that duration the water
(22-24)SITUATION. After 24 hours of
collected in the graduate was recorded at
pumping at 50 liters/sec, the water level in
2.0 liters. From these data, evaluate the
an observation well at a distance of 100m
coefficient of permeability of the soil
from the test well is lowered 0.5m. At
sample, in cm/sec. *
another observation well located 50m from
0.000224
the test well, the water level dropped by 0.00170
1.0m. 22. Estimate the rate of flow in cubic 0.001910
meters per day. * 0.001890

4320 26. In accordance with the Unified Soils

4890
5130 Classification System, a soil grain having a
4560 size greater than No. 200 sieve opening
(0.074 mm) but less than that a No. 4 sieve
23. Evaluate the coefficient of permeability
(4.75 mm opening) is called *
of the aquifer in meters per day. *
Gravel
36.3 Pebble
20.1 Cobble
44.5 Sand
58.3
27. A 1.25 m layer of the soil (Gs = 2.65 and
24. Compute the transmissibility of the
porosity = 35%) is subject to an upward
aquifer in square meters per day. *
seepage head of 1.85 m. Determine the
1140
953 critical hydraulic gradient. *
1080 1.0725
1.0275 0.32
1.0572 0.49
1.0527 0.54
0.68
28. Determine the theoretical length of the
required flow path. * 31. All samples from Atterberg’s Limit Tests

3.24 m shall pass sieve __. *

3.05 m # 10
3.38 m #200
3.45 m #40
#4
29. What depth of coarse sand would be
required above the soil to provide a factor 32. A saturated soil sample has a volume of

of safety of 2.0 against piping assuming that 20 cm3 at its Liquid Limit. Given LL = 42% ,

the coarse sand has the same porosity and PL = 30% , SL = 17% , GS = 2.74. Find the

specific gravity as the soil and that there is minimum volume the soil can attain. *

negligible head loss in the sand? * 10.70 cm3

19.97 cm3
13.63 cm3
14.77 cm3

33. Design a square footing that will carry

an axial load of 61175 kg. The bottom of the
footing is 2.5m below the ground surface,
with the groundwater table located at the
bottom of the footing. Compute the
dimension of the footing using FS=3. *
1.80 m
1.99 m 2.5m
2.20 m 1.6m
2.13 m 2.0m
1.0m
30. From a hydrometer analysis to
determine particle sizes, it is found that 45
percent of the sample consists of particles
smaller than 0.002 mm. The soil sample has
a liquid limit of 64% and plastic limit of 42%.
Determine the activity of the clay. *
34. Design a square footing that will carry
an axial load of 61175 kg. The bottom of the
685.3
footing is 2.5m below the ground surface, 1253.2
426.2
579.8

36. SITUATION. Three specimens of clay

having a small air-void content were tested
in the shear box. Shear loading was started
immediately after the application of the
normal load and was completed in 10
minutes. The results are tabulated as
with the groundwater table located at the shown. Find the apparent cohesion of the
bottom of the footing. Compute the clay. *
ultimate bearing capacity of the soil in kPa.
*
81.5 kPa
535.6 71.5 kPa
2523.3 61.5 kPa
1784.7 51.5 kPa
1925.3
37. (continuation) Find the angle of
35. Design a square footing that will carry shearing resistance of the clay. *
an axial load of 61175 kg. The bottom of the 8.4°
footing is 2.5m below the ground surface, 7.4°
6.4°
with the groundwater table located at the
5.4°
bottom of the footing. Compute the net
allowable bearing capacity using FS=3 in 38. (continuation) What unconfined shear
kPa. * strength would be obtained from an
unconfined compression test on the same
soil? *
94 kPa
84 kPa
74 kPa
64 kPa
39. The particle size characteristics of a soil 41. The particle size characteristics of a soil
is given in the table. Determine the is given in the table. Determine the
percentage of sand using USCS. *

percentage of silt using AASHTO. *

20.6 %
61.5 % 25.2 %
75.1 % 16.3 %
52.3 % 8.5 %
11.5 %
40. The particle size characteristics of a soil
42. A circular pile having a diameter of 0.35
is given in the table. Determine the
m is embedded through a layer of 4.5 m
thick of clay layer into a dense sand having
a bearing capacity factor of 78. Unit weight
of clay is 16 kN/m3 and saturated unit
weight of sand is 18 kN/m3. Water table is
located at the top of the sand layer. Lateral
pressure factor of compression K = 1.20 and
coefficient of friction of concrete pile is
percentage of sand using USDA. * 0.42. The allowable capacity 600 kN. Using a
factor of safety of 3. *
16.9 % 16.37 m
15.2 % 15.25 m
26.3 % 17.88 m
12.0 % 14.23 m

43. Figure shows a braced cut in stratified

soils. Given γ sand = 16 kN/cu.m , c = 0 and
Ф = 36⁰, γ Clay = 19 kN/cu.m , c = 38 kN/\ center to center. Determine the reaction of
m2 , n = 0.9. Assuming the struts are spaced the strut B. *
1 m center to center. Compute the section
modulus of wale at B if the allowable stress 585.598 kN
612.387 kN
is 0.6 fy where fy = 248 MPa. * 703.541 kN
506.889 kN

45. SITUATION. A smooth, vertical wall

retains a 7-m high granular backfill with the
ground level being horizontal. The water
table lies at a depth of 3 m from the top.
The friction angle of the backfill is 32°. The
bulk and saturated unit weight of the soil
are 16.5 kN/m3 and 18.0 kN/m3
67 210.36 mm^3 respectively. Assuming the soil is in active
55 498.78 mm^3
80 940.86 mm^3 state, What is the active earth coefficient? *
91 238.36 mm^3 0.703
0.307
44. A long trench was excavated in medium 3.255
dense sand for the foundation of a 1.422

multistory building. The sides of the trench 46. SITUATION. A smooth, vertical wall
are supported with sheet pile walls fixed in retains a 7-m high granular backfill with the
ground level being horizontal. The water
table lies at a depth of 3 m from the top.
The friction angle of the backfill is 32°. The
bulk and saturated unit weight of the soil
are 16.5 kN/m3 and 18.0 kN/m3
respectively. Assuming the soil is in active
state, What is the magnitude of the
horizontal thrust on the wall, kN? *
200.2
place by struts and wales as shown in
225.0
figure. The wales are braced at every 4 m 182.3
165.3
47. SITUATION. A smooth, vertical wall 49. SITUATION. A footing of a structure is
retains a 7-m high granular backfill with the shown below. Find average increase of
ground level being horizontal. The water effective pressure in clay layer using 2:1
table lies at a depth of 3 m from the top. method. *
The friction angle of the backfill is 32°. The
bulk and saturated unit weight of the soil
are 16.5 kN/m3 and 18.0 kN/m3
respectively. Assuming the soil is in active
state, Find location of the horizontal thrust
measured from the bottom? *
2.70 m
2.01 m
2.30 m
2.51 m

48. SITUATION. A footing of a structure is

63.6 kPa
shown below. Solve for the overburden 32.2 kPa
pressure in the clay layer. * 16.5 kPa
8.6 kPa

71.97 kPa
101.40 kPa
124.95 kPa
95.52 kPa
50. SITUATION. A footing of a structure is
shown below. Determine the settlement of
the clay layer. *

22 mm
36 mm
26.5 mm
28 mm