Ques on Bank

SOIL MECHANICS -II- CE (PE) 504

Mul ple choice and objec ve type ques ons --- (marks -1 each)

Q1. What is consolida on?

= Consolida on is the process in which reduc on in volume takes place by the gradual expulsion or absorp on
of water under long-term sta c loads. When stress is applied to a soil, it causes the soil par cles to pack
together more ghtly.

Q2. What are the earth pressure?

= Earth pressure is the lateral pressure exerted by the soil on a shoring system. It is dependent on the soil
structure and the interac on or movement with the retaining system.

Q3. Write down ac ve earth pressure coefficient formula.

= Ac ve earth pressure coefficient (Ka): It is the ra o of horizontal and ver cal principal effec ve stresses when
a retaining wall moves away (by a small amount) from the retained soil. K a = 1 − sin ⁡ ( ϕ ) 1 + sin ⁡ ( ϕ ) = tan
2 ( 45 − ϕ 2 ) . Passive earth pressure coefficient (Kp):

Q4. Define compac on.

= Soil compac on is the prac ce of applying mechanical compac ve effort to densify a soil by reducing the void
space between soil par cles. Compac on occurs when par cles are pressed together to reduce the space
between them. Highly compacted soils contain very few spaces resul ng in soil with higher unit weight.

Q5. Full form of ZAVD

= ZAVD stands for the zero air void line.

Q6. What is the name of compac on test?

= Proctor Compac on Test. The most common laboratory test for soil compac on is the Proctor compac on
test.

Q7. Rela on between ac ve earth pressure coefficient and passive earth pressure coefficient.

= For any value of shearing angle, the product of ac ve earth pressure coefficient and passive earth pressure
coefficient will always equal to 1. The official no fica on of the ISRO Scien st CE will release by the Indian
Space Research Centre (ISRO).

Q8. Is compac on and Consolida on same process?

= Compac on is the compression of soil by the expulsion of air from the voids of the soil. Consolida on is the
compression of soil by the expulsion of water from voids of the soil
Q9. Define coefficient of compression index (Cc).

= The compression index (Cc) is defined as the nega ve of the slope of the virgin consolida on curve. From:
Soil Mechanics, 2017.

Q10. Calcula on of void ra o and coefficient of volume change methods are---- types.

Q11. Define coefficient of volume change.

= coefficient of volume change(Mv) is the change in volume of a soil per unit of ini al volume per unit
increases in the pressure.

Q12. Coefficient of compression index is dimensionless. (T)

Q13. What is device name that used for consolida on test?

= The Consolida on test is also referred to as Standard Oedometer test or One-dimensional compression test.

Q14. Full form of OMC

= The Op mum moisture content (OMC)

Short answer type ques ons ---- (marks -5 each)

Q1. Explain spring analogy process for consolida on.

= The spring analogy process for consolida on is a simplified way to understand how soil consolidates under
load. It is based on the principle that a spring can be used to represent the compressibility of the soil, and the
water in the soil can be represented by a weight on the spring.

Explana on:

The spring analogy process for consolida on can be explained using the following steps:

 When a load is applied to the soil, the water in the soil pores is compressed. This reduces the pore
volume and increases the effec ve stress on the soil skeleton.
 The increased effec ve stress causes the soil skeleton to compress. The rate of compression depends
on the compressibility of the soil and the rate at which the water can be squeezed out of the soil pores.
 As the water is squeezed out of the soil pores, the soil skeleton becomes more compacted. This reduces
the volume of the soil and increases its density.
 The consolida on process con nues un l the pore pressure is dissipated and the effec ve stress is
equal to the applied load.

Q2. Write a short note on Terzaghi’s Theory of One Dimensional Consolida on

= Terzaghi's One-Dimensional Consolida on Theory is a mathema cal model that describes the process of soil
consolida on under load. It is based on the following assump ons:

 The soil is homogeneous and isotropic.

 The soil is fully saturated.
  The soil grains and water are incompressible.
 The load is applied in the ver cal direc on only.
 Drainage of pore water is one-dimensional, i.e., in the direc on of the load.

Terzaghi's theory is based on the following differen al equa on:

∂ue∂t=cv∂2ue∂z2

where:

 u is the excess pore water pressure

 e is the void ra o
 t is me
 c is the coefficient of consolida on

The coefficient of consolida on is a measure of the rate at which pore water can be squeezed out of the soil
pores. It is a func on of the soil's permeability and compressibility.

Q3. Explain Square root of me fi ng method for determina on of coefficient of consolida on.

= The square root of me fi ng method is a graphical method for determining the coefficient of consolida on
of soil. It is based on the following principle:

The degree of consolida on (U) of a soil sample is propor onal to the square root of me (√t).

The degree of consolida on (U) is defined as the ra o of the actual se lement to the ul mate se lement. It
can be calculated using the following equa on:

U = (s - s0) / (su - s0)

where:

 s is the current se lement

 s0 is the ini al se lement
 su is the ul mate se lement

The square root of me fi ng method is performed as follows:

 Plot the degree of consolida on (U) against the square root of me (√t) on a semi-logarithmic graph.
 Draw a straight line through the data points.
 The slope of the straight line is equal to the coefficient of consolida on (cv).

Q.4. Write down difference between standard and modified test.

Q5. Write down standard proctor test procedure for compac on.

= The standard Proctor test procedure for compac on is as follows:

 Prepare the soil sample by passing it through a No. 4 sieve (4.75 mm).
  Weigh the mold and base plate.
 Place the soil sample in the mold in three layers.
 Compact each layer with 25 blows of a 2.5 kg rammer falling from a height of 300 mm.
 Level the top surface of the soil sample.
 Weigh the mold with the compacted soil sample.
 Calculate the wet density of the compacted soil sample.
 Remove the soil sample from the mold and place it in an oven to dry at 105°C.
 Once the soil sample is dry, weigh it.
 Calculate the dry density of the compacted soil sample.
 Repeat steps 3-10 for different moisture contents of the soil sample.
 Plot the dry density of the compacted soil sample versus the moisture content.
 The maximum dry density of the soil is the highest point on the curve.
 The op mum moisture content of the soil is the moisture content at the maximum dry density.

Q6.Compare the compac ve energy used in the IS heavy compac on test with that of the IS light compac on
test.

= The IS heavy compac on test is a more energe c compac on test than the IS light compac on test. This
means that the IS heavy compac on test applies more energy to the soil during compac on, resul ng in a
denser and more compacted soil sample.

The following table summarizes the key differences between the IS heavy and light compac on tests in terms
of compac ve energy:

Characteris c IS Heavy Compac on Test IS Light Compac on Test

Rammer weight 4.5 kg 2.5 kg

Rammer drop height 450 mm 300 mm

Number of layers 5 3

Compac ve energy per layer 605 kJ/m3 475 kJ/m3

As shown in the table, the IS heavy compac on test applies more compac ve energy per layer than the IS light
compac on test. This is due to the heavier rammer and the higher drop height used in the IS heavy
compac on test.

The IS heavy compac on test is typically used for soils that will be used in high-traffic applica ons, such as
pavements and airfields. The IS light compac on test is typically used for soils that will be used in low-traffic
applica ons, such as subgrades and backfill.

The following are some of the factors that influence the choice between the IS heavy and light compac on
tests:

 The intended use of the soil

 The type of soil
  The desired level of compac on
 The availability of compac on equipment
 Engineers typically select the compac on test that is most appropriate for the specific project.

Q7. What are the difference factors affec ng compac on?

There are a number of factors that can affect the compaction of soil. Some of the most important
factors include:

 Type of soil: The type of soil can have a significant impact on its compaction characteristics.
For example, coarse-grained soils are generally easier to compact than fine-grained soils. This
is because coarse-grained soils have larger particles that can be more easily rearranged
during compaction.
 Moisture content: The moisture content of the soil can also affect its compaction
characteristics. Soils with a moisture content that is too high or too low will be difficult to
compact. The optimum moisture content for compaction is the moisture content at which the
soil reaches its maximum dry density.
 Compaction energy: The amount of energy applied to the soil during compaction is another
important factor. Soils that are compacted with more energy will be denser and more
compacted. The amount of compaction energy required depends on the type of soil and the
desired level of compaction.
 Compaction method: The compaction method used can also affect the compaction
characteristics of the soil. There are a variety of compaction methods available, such as rolling,
tamping, and vibrating. The best compaction method to use will depend on the type of soil and
the desired level of compaction.

Other factors that can affect soil compaction include:

 Temperature: Soils that are compacted at higher temperatures will be denser and more
compacted.
 Air voids: Soils with a high percentage of air voids will be less compacted.
 Organic matter: Soils with a high organic matter content will be more difficult to compact.

Engineers typically consider all of these factors when designing and constructing compacted soil
structures. By understanding the factors that affect soil compaction, engineers can ensure that
compacted soil structures are safe and durable.
Q8. Write down differences between compac on and consolida on.

Q9. Compute the intensity of ac ve earth pressure at a depth of 8 meter in dry cohesion less in sand bath with
an angle of internal fric on of 30 degree and unit weight of 18 KN/m 3. What will be the total ac ve earth
pressure?

= To compute the intensity of ac ve earth pressure at a depth of 8 meters in dry cohesionless sand with an
angle of internal fric on of 30 degrees and a unit weight of 18 kN/m3, we can use the following equa on:

Pa = Ka * γ * H

where:

 Pa is the intensity of ac ve earth pressure in kN/m2

 Ka is the coefficient of ac ve earth pressure
 γ is the unit weight of the soil in kN/m3
 H is the depth in meters

The coefficient of ac ve earth pressure can be calculated using the following equa on:

Ka = tan^2(45 - φ/2)

where:

 φ is the angle of internal fric on of the soil in degrees

Subs tu ng the given values into the equa ons above, we get:

Ka = tan^2(45 - 30/2) = 0.333

Pa = 0.333 * 18 * 8 = 48 kN/m2
Therefore, the intensity of ac ve earth pressure at a depth of 8 meters in dry cohesionless sand with an angle
of internal fric on of 30 degrees and a unit weight of 18 kN/m3 is 48 kN/m2.

To calculate the total ac ve earth pressure, we need to mul ply the intensity of ac ve earth pressure by the
width of the retaining wall. For example, if the retaining wall is 10 meters wide, then the total ac ve earth
pressure would be:

Total ac ve earth pressure = 48 kN/m2 * 10 m = 480 kN

It is important to note that the above calcula ons are for illustra ve purposes only. The actual ac ve earth
pressure on a retaining wall will depend on a number of factors, such as the type of soil, the height of the
retaining wall, and the presence of any surcharge loads.