Optional FE Review:

Geotechnical engineering
Chris Rehmann
 Geotechnical engineering
A. Geology
B. Index properties and soil classifications
C. Phase relations (air-water-solid)
D. Laboratory and field tests
E. Effective stress (buoyancy)
F. Stability of retaining walls (e.g., active pressure/passive pressure)
G. Shear strength
H. Bearing capacity (cohesive and noncohesive)
I. Foundation types (e.g., spread footings, deep foundations, wall footings,
mats)
J. Consolidation and differential settlement
K. Seepage/flow nets
L. Slope stability (e.g., fills, embankments, cuts, dams)
M. Soil stabilization (e.g., chemical additives, geosynthetics)
N. Drainage systems
O. Erosion control
 Soil classification: Example 1
A soil sample has the grain size distribution shown
below. According to the Unified Soil Classification
System, it is a 100
90
80
A. Well-graded gravel 70

Percent finer
B. Well-graded sand 60
50
C. Poorly-graded sand 40
30
D. Silty sand 20
10
0
0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10
Diameter (mm)
 Soil classification: Example 2
A soil sample has a liquid limit of 79% and a plastic limit
of 46%. The plasticity chart indicates that the soil could
be

A. High plasticity silt

B. Low plasticity silt
C. High plasticity clay
D. Low plasticity clay
 Phase relations: L&W #3.2a
A cubic foot of soil in its natural state weighs 113 lb;
after being dried it weighs 96 lb. The specific gravity of
the soil solids is 2.70. The water content is most nearly

A. 18%
B. 43%
C. 63%
D. 76%

L&W = Lambe and Whitman (1969), Soil Mechanics

 Phase relations: L&W #3.2b
A cubic foot of soil in its natural state weighs 113 lb;
after being dried it weighs 96 lb. The specific gravity of
the soil solids is 2.70. The degree of saturation is most
nearly

A. 18%
B. 43%
C. 63%
D. 76%

L&W = Lambe and Whitman (1969), Soil Mechanics

 Phase relations: L&W #3.2c
A cubic foot of soil in its natural state weighs 113 lb;
after being dried it weighs 96 lb. The specific gravity of
the soil solids is 2.70. The void ratio is most nearly

A. 18%
B. 43%
C. 63%
D. 76%

L&W = Lambe and Whitman (1969), Soil Mechanics

 Phase relations: L&W #3.2d
A cubic foot of soil in its natural state weighs 113 lb;
after being dried it weighs 96 lb. The specific gravity of
the soil solids is 2.70. The porosity is most nearly

A. 18%
B. 43%
C. 63%
D. 76%

L&W = Lambe and Whitman (1969), Soil Mechanics

 Phase relations: Example 2
A soil sample has a specific gravity of soil solids of 2.65,
a water content of 15%, and porosity of 31%. The
degree of saturation is most nearly

A. 15%
B. 25%
C. 45%
D. 88%
 Phase relations: L&W #3.1
A soil sample has a void ratio of 0.76, specific gravity of
2.74, and a degree of saturation of 85%. The total unit
weight of the soil is most nearly

A. 62.4 lb/ft3
B. 120 lb/ft3
C. 124 lb/ft3
D. 171 lb/ft3
 Laboratory tests: L&W #8.7a
The major principal stress on the element below is
most nearly
25 psi
A. 16.0 psi 10 10 50 psi
B. 21.5 psi 30
C. 53.5 psi
D. 75.0 psi
 Laboratory tests: L&W #8.7b
The minor principal stress on the element below is
most nearly
25 psi
A. 16.0 psi 10 10 50 psi
B. 21.5 psi 30
C. 25.0 psi
D. 53.5 psi
 Laboratory tests: L&W #8.7c
The maximum shear stress on the element below is
most nearly
25 psi
A. 10.0 psi 10 10 50 psi
B. 16.0 psi 30
C. 21.5 psi
D. 53.5 psi
 Laboratory tests: 1.30 #2.7b
A triaxial sample of loose sand with K0 = 0.5 is first
consolidated along the K0 line until s1 = 4 kg/cm2 and
then failed by decreasing s3 and keeping s1 constant. If
the sand has a friction angle of 30, then the minor
principal stress at failure will be most nearly

A. 1.3 kg/cm2
B. 2.0 kg/cm2
C. 2.7 kg/cm2
D. 4.0 kg/cm2
 Laboratory tests: Example 3
A sample of sand is placed in a constant-head perme-
ameter. If the flow through the permeameter is 2 x 10-7
m3/s, the hydraulic conductivity of the sand is most
nearly

A. 1.8 x 10-5 m/s

B. 2.7 x 10-5 m/s
C. 6.7 x 10-5 m/s
D. 2.8 x 10-1 m/s
 Laboratory tests: Example 4
A falling head permeameter test is run on a soil sample of length
8 cm and cross-sectional area 70 cm2. The tube has a cross-
sectional 3.5 cm2. If it takes 24 seconds for the water level to fall
from point A to point B, then the hydraulic conductivity is most
nearly

A. 2.6 x 10-3 cm/s

B. 2.2 x 10-2 cm/s
C. 2.7 x 10-2 cm/s
D. 8.8 cm/s
 Effective stress: Example 5
Soil with a total unit weight of 131 lb/ft3 is saturated to the
surface. The effective vertical stress 10 ft below the surface is
most nearly

A. 13.1 lb/ft2
B. 195.4 lb/ft2
C. 686 lb/ft2
D. 1310 lb/ft2
 Retaining walls: L&W ex. 13.2
A 20-foot high wall retains sand with a total unit weight of 110
lb/ft3 and a friction angle of 30. In the active condition, the
magnitude of the horizontal thrust (per unit length of wall) on
the wall is most nearly

A. 7333 lb/ft
B. 14,666 lb/ft
C. 22,000 lb/ft
D. 25,403 lb/ft
 Bearing capacity: L&W ex. 14.2
A footing rests on dry sand with total unit weight of 120 lb/ft3
and friction angle of 30. The ultimate bearing capacity
(expressed as force per unit length of wall) is most nearly
10 ft
A. 4157 lb/ft
B. 18,000 lb/ft 4 ft
C. 41,570 lb/ft
D. 54,000 lb/ft
Flow nets: U.W.-Platteville example
If the hydraulic conductivity is 0.04 ft/s, the flow per
unit width beneath the barrier (in ft2/s) is most nearly
A. 0.45 B. 0.53 C. 1.02 D. 1.49