Smith Albert Edu world : March 2016

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Soil Mechanics - Basic Concepts

Q.1. Activity of a clay is given by
Activity = N/clay formation(%), here N stands for
(a) liquidity index
(b) plasticity index
(c) flow index
(d) none of these (AMIE Summer99)

Q.2. Lists I and II contain respectively terms and expressions related to soil classifications. Match the two lists and select the correct answer using the codes given below.

List I
A. Activity number
B. Liquidity index
C. Sensitivity

List II
1. $\frac{{Liquid\,\lim it - water\,content}}{{plasticity\,index}}$
2. $\frac{{plasticity\,index}}{{percentage\, < \,2\,microns}}$
3. (Natural water content - plastic limit)/plasticity index
4. Unconfined compressive strength of undisturbed soil sample divided by unconfined compressive strength of remoulded soil sample
(a) A1,B3,C4
(b) A1,B2,C3
(c) A3,B2,C1
(d) A2,B3,C4 (IES 1993)

Q.3. The plasticity index and the percentage of grain size finer than 2 microns of a clay sample are 25 and 15 respectively. Its activity ratio is
(a) 2.5
(b) 1.67
(c) 1.0
(d) 0.6 (IES 2001)

Q.4. If an unconfined compressive strength of 4 kg/cm2 in the natural state of clay reduces by four times in the remoulded state, then its sensitivity will be
(a) 1
(b) 2
(c) 4
(d) 8 (IES 1999)

Q.5. A soil has a liquid limit of 60%; plastic limit of 35% and shrinkage limit of 20% and it has a natural moisture content of 50%. The liquidity index of soil is
(a) 1.5
(b) 1.25
(c) 0.6
(d) 0.4 (IES 1996)

Q.6. A soil has plasticity index equal to 34%. It has 23% particles having size less than 2 micron.Its activity number would be
(a) 0.67
(b) 1.48
(c) -0.12
(d) none of these

Q.7. The liquid limit and plastic limit of a sample are 65% and 29% respectively. The percentage of the soil fraction with grain size finer than 0.002 mm is 24. The activity ratio of the soil sample is
(a) 0.5
(b) 1.00
(c) 1.50
(d) 2.00 (IES 1995)

Q.8. In a soil sample, dia. of 60% size = 0.0060 mm and dia of 10% size = 0.0005 mm. Its uniformity coefficient will be
(a) 12
(b) .83
(c) 0.08
(d) none of these

Q.9. Data for a given soil sample is: liquid limit = 49.1%; Plastic limit = 26.5 % and natural water content is 45.6%. Consistency index of the soil would be
(a) 0.845
(b) 0.1545
(c) 6.45
(d) none of these

Q.10. A sample of soil has the following properties:
Liquid limit = 45%
Plastic limit = 25%
Shrinkage Limit = 17%
Natural Moisture Cont. = 30%
The consistency index of soil is
(a) 15/20
(b) 13/20
(c) 8/20
(d) 5/20 (IES 1994)

Answer:

1. b

2. d

3. b

4. c

5. c

6. d

7. c

8. a

9. b

10. b

(Author is associated with www.amiestudycircle.com)

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Soil Mechanics - Basic Concepts

Q.1. On flow curve, liquid limit is water content corresponding to
(a) 10 blows
(b) 15 blows
(c) 25 blows
(d) 50 blows

Q.2. The following data were obtained from a liquid limit test conducted on a soil sample.

Liquid limit would be
(a) 63.1
(b) 62.8
(c) 61.9
(d) 60.6 (GATE 2002)

Q.3. $\frac{{{w_2} - {w_1}}}{{{{\log }_{10}}{N_1} - {{\log }_{10}}{N_2}}}$ is called
(a) toughness index
(b) liquidity index
(c) consistency
(d) flow index
Where N stands for the number of blows and w stands for water content.

Q.4. $\frac{{{w_n} - {w_p}}}{{{I_p}}}$ is called
(a) liquidity index
(b) flow index
(c) liquidity index
(d) consistency index
Where wn is natural water content.

Q.5. $\frac{{{w_1} - {w_n}}}{{{I_p}}}$ is called
(a) toughness index
(b) liquidity index
(c) consistency index
(d) flow index
where Ip is plasticity index. wl is water content at liquid limit. (GATE 1997)

Q.6. ${w_n} - {w_p}$ is called
(a) plasticity index
(b) toughness index
(c) flow index
(d) none of these
Where wn is natural water content. wp is water content at plastic limit.

Q.7. A soil sample contains wn = 62%, wl = 24% and wp = 28%. Plasticity index will be
(a) 34%
(b) -0.12
(c) 1.48
(d) none of these

Q.8. A soil sample contains wn(natural water content) = 62%, wl(water content at liquid limit) = 24% and wp(water content at plastic limit) = 28%. Liquidity index will be
(a) 34%
(b) -0.12
(c) -0.24
(d) +0.12

Q.9. A soil has a liquid limit of 40% and plasticity index of 20%. The plastic limit of the soil is
(a) 20%
(b) 30%
(c) 40%
(d) 60% (IES 2000)

Q.10. The Atterberg limits of a clay are 38%, 27% and 24.5%. Its natural water content is 30%. The clay is in
(a) solid state
(b) semi solid state
(c) liquid state
(d) plastic state (GATE 1994)

Answers

1. c

2. c

3. d

4. c

5. c

6. a

7. a

8. b

9. a

10. d
(Author is associated with www.amiestudycircle.com)

Friday, March 11, 2016

Soil Mechanics - Basic Concepts

Q.1. The standard plasticity chart to classify fine-grained soils shown in the given figure:

The area marked �X� represents
(a) silt of low plasticity
(b) clay of high plasticity
(c) organic soil of medium plasticity
(d) clay of intermediate plasticity (IES 1996)

Q.2. Water content at the boundary between plastic state and liquid state of a given soil sample is called
(a) liquid limit
(b) plastic limit
(c) shrinkage limit
(d) none of these

Q.3. The moisture content of a clayey soil is gradually decreased from a large value. What will be the correct sequence of the occurrence of the following limits?
1. Shrinkage limit
2. Plastic limit
3. Liquid limit
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1,2 and 2
(b) 1,3 and 2
(c) 3,2 and 1
(d) 3,1 and 2 (IES 1997)

Q.4. In a liquid state, shear strength of a soil is
(a) infinite
(b) 1
(c) <1
(d) 0

Q.5. The soil can be moulded in any shape in
(a) liquid state
(b) solid state
(c) plastic state
(d) natural state

Q.6. The soil loses its plasticity in
(a) liquid state
(b) solid state
(c) semi-solid state
(d) natural state

Q.7. At shrinkage limit, when water content is further reduced in a soil sample, volume of soil
(a) decreases
(b) increases
(c) remains unaltered
(d) first increases then decreases (GATE 1998)

Q.8. When a graph is plotted between number of blows(N) on log scale on x-axis and water content on y-axis, we get
(a) plasticity index curve
(b) toughness index curve
(c) consistency index curve
(d) flow curve

Q.9. Plasticity index divided by Flow index is called
(a) toughness index
(b) liquidity index
(c) flow index
(d) consistency index (GATE 1999)

Q.10. The relative ease with which a soil can be deformed is called
(a) liquidity
(b) plasticity
(c) consistency
(d) none of these

Answers

1. c

2. a

3. c

4. d

5. c

6. c

7. c

8. d

9. a

10. c

(The author is associated with www.amiestudycircle.com)

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Soil Mechanics - Basic Concepts

Q.1. In a soil sample, at a certain point, there is no reduction in volume even by reducing water content. Water content at this point is called
(a) shrinkage ratio
(b) saturation limit
(c) liquidity limit
(d) shrinkage limit (AMIE Winter99)

Q.2. In a soil sample, at a certain point, there is no reduction in volume even by reducing water content. In this situation, space left behind due to reduction of water content is filled by
(a) water
(b) air
(c) both air and water
(d) none of these

Q.3. Shrinkage limit(ws) is
(a) $\frac{{({W_1} - {W_d}) - {\gamma _w}({V_1} - {V_d})}}{{{W_d}}}x100\%$
(b) $\frac{{{\gamma _w}}}{{{\gamma _d}}} - \frac{1}{G}$
(c) e/G
(d) all these
Where W1 is weight of ordinary soil, Wd is weight of dried sample, V1 is original volume, V2 = Vd is volume of sample at shrinkage limit and ${\gamma _d}$ is dry unit weight.

Q.4. A soil sample has a shrinkage limit of 10% and specific gravity of soil solids as 2.7. The porosity of the soil at shrinkage limit is
(a) 21.2%
(b) 27%
(c) 73%
(d) 78.8% (IES 1995)

Q.5. A clay sample has a void ratio of 0.50 in dry state and specific gravity of solids = 2.70. Its shrinkage limit will be
(a) 12%
(b) 13.5%
(c) 18.5%
(d) 22% (IES 1996)

Q.6. The ratio of given change in volume expressed as percentage of dry volume, to the corresponding change in water, is called
(a) Degree of saturation
(b) shrinkage limit
(c) submerged unit weight
(d) shrinkage ratio

Q.7. Water content at the boundary between solid state and semi solid state of a soil sample is called
(a) liquid limit
(b) plastic limit
(c) shrinkage limit
(d) none of these

Q.8. Water content at the boundary between semi-solid state and plastic state in a soil sample is called
(a) liquid limit
(b) plastic limit
(c) shrinkage limit
(d) none of these

Q.9. The equation of A-line in plasticity chart is
(a) Ip = 0.73(wL - 20)
(b) Ip = 0.93(wL - 20)
(c) Ip = 1.73(wL - 20)
(d) none of these (GATE 1995)

Q.10. The values of liquid limit and plasticity index for soils having common geological origin in a restricted locality usually define
(a) A zone above A-line
(b) A straight line parallel to A-line
(c) A straight line perpendicular to A-line
(d) points may be anywhere in the plasticity chart (GATE 1999)

Answers

1. d

2. d

3. d

4. a

5. b

6. d

7. c

8. b

9. a

10. b

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Soil Mechanics - Basic Concepts

Q.1. If a soil sample of weight 0.18 kg having a volume of ${10^{ - 4}}$ ${m^3}$ and dry unit weight of 1600 kg/ ${m^3}$ is mixed with 0.02 kg of water then the water content in the sample will be
(a) 30%
(b) 25%
(c) 20%
(d) 15% (IES 1999)

Q.2. The void ratio and specific gravity of a soil are 0.65 and 2.72 respectively. The degree of saturation in % corresponding to water content is
(a) 65.3
(b) 20.9
(c) 83.7
(d) 54.4 (GATE 2001)

Q.3. Given that W1 is the weight of empty Pycnometer, W2 is the weight of Pycnometer and dry soil, W3 is the weight of Pycnometer, soil and water and W4 is the weight of Pycnometer and water. The specific gravity of the solids is given by
(a) $\frac{{{W_2}}}{{({W_4} - {W_2})}}$
(b) $\frac{{({W_2} - {W_1})}}{{({W_3} - {W_4}) - ({W_2} - {W_1})}}$
(c) $\frac{{{W_2}}}{{({W_3} - {W_4})}}$
(d) $\frac{{({W_2} - {W_1})}}{{[({W_2} - {W_1}) - ({W_3} - {W_4})]}}$ (IES 1995)

Q.4. Relative density of a natural granular soil is
(a) $\frac{{{e_{\max }} - e}}{{{e_{\max }} - {e_{\min }}}}x100\%$
(b) $\frac{{{e_{\max }} + e}}{{{e_{\max }} + {e_{\min }}}}x100\%$
(c) $\frac{{{e_{\max }} - e}}{{{e_{\max }}}}x100\%$
(d) $\frac{{{e_{\max }}}}{{{e_{\max }} - {e_{\min }}}}x100\%$
Where emax is void ratio of soil in densest condition, emin is void ratio of soil in loosest condition, e is in place void ratio.

Q.5. Relative density of a natural granular soil is
(a) $\frac{{{\gamma _d}_{,\max }}}{{{\gamma _d}}}x\frac{{{\gamma _d} - {\gamma _d}_{,\min }}}{{{\gamma _{d,\max }} - {\gamma _{d,\min }}}}x100\%$
(b) $\frac{{{\gamma _d}_{,\max }}}{{{\gamma _d}}}x\frac{{{\gamma _d}}}{{{\gamma _{d,\max }} - {\gamma _{d,\min }}}}x100\%$
(c) $\frac{{{\gamma _d}_{,\max }}}{{{\gamma _d}}}x\frac{{{\gamma _d}_{,\min }}}{{{\gamma _{d,\max }} - {\gamma _{d,\min }}}}x100\%$
(d) $\frac{{{\gamma _d}_{,\max }}}{{{\gamma _d}}}x\frac{{{\gamma _d} - {\gamma _d}_{,\min }}}{{{\gamma _{d,\max }}}}x100\%$
Where ${\gamma _{d\max }}$ is dry unit weight of soil in densest condition, ${\gamma _{d\min }}$ is dry unit weight of soil in loosest condition, ${\gamma _d}$ is in place dry unit weight.

Q.6. The natural void ratio of a sand sample is 0.6 and its density index is 0.6. If its void ratio in the loosest state is 0.9, then the void ratio in the densest state will be
(a) 0.2
(b) 0.3
(c) 0.4
(d) 0.5 (IES 2001)

Q.7. Which one of the following represents relative density of saturated sand deposit having moisture content of 25%, if maximum and minimum void ratio of sand are 0.95 and 0.45 respectively and specific gravity of sand particles is 2.6?
(a) 40%
(b) 50%
(c) 60%*
(d) 70% (IES 2002)

Q.8. The void ratios at the densest, loosest and the natural states of a sand deposit are 0.2, 0.6 and 0.4, respectively. The relative density of the deposit is
(a) 100%
(b) 75%
(c) 50%
(d) 25% (GATE 2002)

Q.9. Water content at the boundary of semi-solid state and solid state in a soil element is called
(a) shrinkage ratio
(b) saturation limit
(c) liquidity limit
(d) shrinkage limit*

Q.10. Which one of the following phase diagrams represents a clay at its shrinkage limit?
(a)

AIR

WATER

SOLIDS

(b)

WATER

SOLIDS

(c)

AIR

SOLIDS

(d)

WATER

AIR

SOLIDS

(IES 2001)

Answers:
1. b
2. c
3. d
4. a
5. a
6. c
7. c
8. c
9. d
10. b

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Soil Mechanics - Basic Concepts

Q.1. Submerged(buoyant) unit weight of soil element is
(a) $\frac{{G - 1 - e(1 - S)}}{{1 + e}}{\gamma _w}$
(b) $\frac{{G - 1}}{{1 + e}}{\gamma _w}$
(c) $\gamma - {\gamma _w}$
(d) (a) and (c)
G is specific gravity, e is void ratio, S is degree of saturation, ?w is unit weight of water, ? is bulk unit weight.

Q.2. Submerged(saturated soil) unit weight is
(a) $\frac{{G - 1 - e(1 - S)}}{{1 + e}}{\gamma _w}$
(b) $\frac{{G - 1}}{{1 + e}}{\gamma _w}$
(c) $\gamma - {\gamma _w}$
(d) (a) and (c)
G is specific gravity, e is void ratio, S is degree of saturation, ?w is unit weight of water, ? is bulk unit weight.

Q.3. Water content of a saturated soil mass is
(a) e/Gs
(b) Gs/e
(c) e = wGs/S
(d) 1 (AMIE Winter99)
Where e is void ratio, Gs is specific gravity of solids and S is degree of saturation.

Q.4. A soil sample is having a specific gravity of 2.60 and a void ratio of 0.78. The water content in percentage required to fully saturate the soil at that ratio would be
(a) 10
(b) 30
(c) 50
(d) 70 (IES 1996)

Q.5. Saturated unit weight of saturated soil mass is
(a) $\frac{{{\gamma _w}(G + e)}}{{1 + e}}$
(b) $\frac{{{W_w} + {W_s}}}{{{V_v} + {V_s}}}$
(c) $\frac{{(e + {G_s})}}{{(1 + e)}}.{\gamma _w}$
(d) both (b) and (c)
Where G is specific gravity, Gs is specific gravity of solids, Ws is weight of solids, Ww is weight of water, Vs is volume of solids and Vv is volume of voids.

Q.6. For a soil of bulk density 21 kN/ ${m^3}$ , water content of 17% and specific gravity of soil solids of 2.8, the value of the void ratio of the soil will be
(a) 0.63
(b) 1.53
(c) 1.63
(d) 0.53 (AMIE Summer2000)

Q.7. The specific gravity of a soil sample is 2.7 and its void ratio id 0.945. When it is fully saturated, moisture content of the soil will be
(a) 2.8%
(b) 25.5%
(c) 35%
(d) 95%* (IES 1994)

Q.8. The dry density of a soil is 1.5 g/cc. If the saturation water content were 50% then its saturated density and submerged density would, respectively be
(a) 1.5 g/cc and 1.0 g/cc
(b) 2.0 g/cc and 1.0 g/cc
(c) 2.25 g/cc and 1.25 g/cc
(d) 2.50 g/cc and 1.50 g/cc (IES 1997)

Q.9. A saturated sand sample has a dry unit weight of 18 kN/ ${m^3}$ and a specific gravity of 2.65. If ${\gamma _w}$ = 10 kN/ ${m^3}$ , the water content of the soil is
(a) 0.10
(b) 0.178
(c) 0.187
(d) none of these (GATE 1991)

Q.10. The saturated and dry densities of a soil are respectively 2000 kg/m3 and 1500 kg/ ${m^3}$ . The water content(in percentage) of the soil in the saturated state would be
(a) 25
(b) 33.33
(c) 50
(d) 66.66 (IES 1999)

Answers:
1. d
2. d
3. a
4. b
5. d
6. d
7. d
8. c
9. c
10. b