Name:

Student Number:

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Mock Exam Paper for Mid Term test 2017
COURSE No & TITLE : CIVE1108
Geotechnical Engineering 2

DATE OF EXAM :

TIME ALLOWED: 1 Hours

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

1. There are 5 questions in this paper.

2. Five questions are to be attempted.

3. This is a closed book examination. Notes or textbooks may not be used.

4. Selected equations and information are given at the end of the paper.

5. If you feel that there is not enough information given for any particular question,
please assume reasonable values for any additional information that you require,
state what those assumptions are and explain the reasons why you feel they are
required.

6. Please write your name and student number on this paper and submit ALL
PAGES for marking.

7. Please use the blank spaces below each question to write your solutions, and
DO NOT separate the pages.

8. Please do not write in pencil.

9. Show all your calculations clearly.

1
Question 1 - Multiple Choice Questions (Mark = 10 X 3 = 30)

Identify and circle clearly the only choice that best completes the statement or answers
the following questions.

1-
A vertical stress of 78 kPa is applied to a saturated clay, the excess pore water pressure
(kPa) after a long time is :
a. 156
b. 78
c. 0

2-
The first part of the consolidation process is called
a. secondary
b. primary
c. immediate

3-
A 4.5 m thick soil can drain from its bottom level, the drainage path length (m) is
a. 2.25
b. 4.5
c. 9

4-
The current vertical effective stress on a soil is 50 kPa. The past maximum vertical effective
stress is 200 kPa. The overconsolidation ratio is
a. 0.25
b. 4
c. 1

5-
Unconsolidated undrained shear strength of a saturated clay is used for:
a. short term design
b. long term loading
c. medium term loading

6-
In a triaxial test for the normally consolidated clay, chamber confining pressure = 100
kN/m2 and deviator stress = 130 kN/m2. What is the effective major principal stress?
(a) 30 kN/m2
(b) 100 kN/m2
(c) 130 kN/m2
(d) 230 kN/m2

2
7-
Effective stress is the stress carried by the
a. pore water
b. pore air
c. soil grains

8-
The Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion is used for the determination of
(a) friction angle
(b) cohesion
(c) both (a) and (b)
(d) none of the above

9-
Which of the following earth pressure theories consider both the roughness and softness
of the back of the wall?
(a) Rankines active earth pressure theory
(b) Rankines passive earth pressure theory
(c) Coulombs earth pressure theory
(d) all of the above
(e) none of the above

10-
The effective unit weight is the
a. saturated unit weight
b. saturated unit weight - the unit weight of water
c. bulk unit weight - the unit weight of water

3
QUESTION 2

Underline whether the following are true or false (Mark = 5 X 2 = 10)

1.0 For dry sand, c=0 (True/False) 2 marks

2.0 For dense sand, peak friction angle and critical state friction angles are identical
(True/False) 2 marks
3.0 C and can be determined from an consolidated undrained test (True/False) 2
marks
4.0 C and cannot be determined from an unconsolidated undrained test
(True/False) 2 marks
5.0 For over-consolidated clay, c=0 (True/False) 2 marks

4
QUESTION 3

A consolidation test on a saturated clay soil (OCR=2) gave a value for C c = 0.3, Cr=0.03.
The existing vertical effective stress in the field is 143 kPa. A building foundation will
increase the vertical stress at the center of the clay by 57 kPa. The average thickness of the
clay layer is 1.9 m and the original initial void ratio is 0.68. Calculate the primary
consolidation settlement.

(20 Marks)

5
QUESTION 4

The shear strength of a normally consolidated clay can be given by the equation
= tan 35. A consolidated undrained triaxial test was conducted on the clay.
Following are the results of the test:

Cell or Chamber pressure = 150 kN/m2

Deviator stress at failure = 250 kN/m2

a. Determine the consolidated undrained friction angle (8 marks)

b. What is the pore water pressure developed in the clay specimen at failure? (8
marks)

c. Explain briefly the differences and the applications of the friction angle given in
this problem and the friction angle calculated in part (a.) (4 marks)

6
QUESTION 5

A retaining wall supports a coarse-grained soil as showed in below figure.

Details of the soil and wall are as given in the figure.

Sand
bulk=18.0kN/m3
6m
sat=20.0kN/m3
Ka=0.27

a. Calculate the earth pressure and PLOT the variation of this pressure with depth, if
the ground water level is below the base of the wall.
b. Calculate the earth pressure and PLOT the variation of this pressure with depth, if
the ground water level is on the ground surface.
c. Calculate the water pressure distribution in part (b)
d. Calculate the total active force on the wall in part (b)

(4 X 5 = 20 Marks)

7
Equations

Some of these equations may not be required for solving the problems included in the
test.

= - u
= {(G s + Se) / (1+e)} w

Se = wG s

e = e 0 (1- z/H 0 ) - z/H 0

e H
pc = H = C c log fin ; OCR = 1
1 + eo 1 + eo zo

pc = Hm v z

H
pc = C r log fin ; fin < zc
1 + eo zo

H
pc = (C r log zc + C c log fin ); fin > zc
1 + eo zo zc
H
pc = C r log(OCR ) + C c log fin ; fin > zc
1 + eo zc

H t
sc = C log
(1 + e p ) tp

Cvt
Tv =
H 2 dr
8
 [T v / t ] 1 = [T v / t ] 2

kz
Cv =
mv w
2
U
Tv = for U < 60%
4 100
Tv = 1.781 0.933 log(100 U) for U 60%

U = St / S

Where U = degree of consolidation at time t, S t = settlement at

time t, and S = total settlement.

1 = 3 tan2 {45 + /2} + 2c tan {45 + /2}

3 = 1 tan2 {45 - /2} - 2c tan {45 - /2}
= c + tan
f = [( 1 + 3 ) / 2] + {[( 1 - 3 )] /2} cos2
f = {[( 1 - 3 )] /2} sin2
= 45 + /2

k a = tan2 {45 - /2}

k p = tan2 {45 + /2}
P a =1/2 k a H2 2 c Hk a
P p =1/2 k p H2 + 2 c Hk p

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