M. H. S. S.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Department of Civil Engineering
First Half of 2010, VI Semester
Assignment No.: 1
Topic: Stability of slopes, Lateral Earth Pressure and earth retaining structures.
Q.1 (a) A canal having side slopes 1 to 1 is proposed to be constructed in a cohesive soil to a depth of 5 m
below ground surface. The soil properties are given below:
Φ = 150 c = 12 kN/m2, e = 1.0 and G = 2.65. Using Taylor’s stability charts. Find the factor of safety with
respect to cohesion against failure of the bank slopes,
(i) When the canal is full of water and
(ii) When there is a sudden draw down of water in the canal.
(b) A cutting 10 m deep, is to be made in a soil having the properties: γ = 19.5 kN/m3, c = 20 kN/m2 and
Φ = 150. What is the maximum angle of the slope that will have a factor of safety against failure of 1.5?
© A slope is to be made of a granular soil having a saturated density of 1.98 gm/cm3 and an angle internal
friction of 300. If the safety factor is to be 1.25, determine the safe angle of slope (i) when the slope is dry
or submerged, and (b) if seepage occurs at and parallel to the surface of slope.
Q.2 (a) A retaining wall 6 m high, vertical back, supports a clay soil with a horizontal surface. The
properties of backfill are:
Φ = 00 c = 35 kN/m2, γ = 17 kN/m3. Assuming the back of wall to be smooth, determine:
(i) the depth of tension crack (ii) the critical depth of a vertical cut (iii) the total active thrust against the
wall and its point of application, if cracks are formed in the tension zone (iv) what will be the depth of
tension cracks, if any, if the backfill carries a uniform surcharge of 30 kN/m 2 over the backfill surface?
What will be the position of total active thrust?
(b) The section of a cantilever retaining wall along with other relevant details is shown in Figure No. 1.
The backfill slopes away at 100 to the horizontal. The soil is in a submerged state below a depth of 3 m
from top. Determine maximum and minimum base pressures of the wall and the factor of safety against
overturning and sliding.
Q. 3 (a) The retaining wall as shown in Figure No. 2 retains a backfill with the following properties:
Φ = 380 c = 0, γ = 18.5 kN/m3 and δ = 220
Determine the active thrust on the wall by Culmann’s graphical construction, when (i) no surcharge load
is acting (ii) a line load of 125 KN/m is acting parallel to the back of wall on the soil surface.
(b) Explain with diagram provision of weep holes and selection of backfill material for retaining wall.
Q. 4. 9 (a) What are the different types of sheet pile wall.
(b) For the anchored sheet pile system as shown in Figure No. 3, determine the depth of embedment and
force in the rod. A safety factor of 2 is applied to the passive resistance.
Q. 5 An anchored sheet pile wall is constructed by driving a line of piling as shown in figure. The rods are
spaced at 2.5 m centre to centre, 1.5 m below the surface of backfill. The water level in front of the wall
and water table behind the wall are both 3 m below the surface of backfill. Determine the design depth
considering a factor of safety of 2.0 with respect to passive resistance. Also find the force on the anchor
rod. Use fixed earth support method.

Course Incharge

Mohammad Rafi Khan

 M. H. S. S. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Department of Civil Engineering
First Half of 2010, VI Semester
Assignment No.: 1 Topic: Lateral Earth Pressure
Q.(a) Explain Rankine’s earth pressure theory to estimate active and passive earth pressure
behind a retaining wall.
(b) Describe the construction of imperfect ditch conduit.
Q.2 (a) Compare Coulomb and Rankine’s earth pressure theory.
(b) An 8 m retaining wall supports a 3.0 m deep sand [γ =18.2 KN/m3, φ = 250] overlying a
gravelly soil [γ =21.8 KN/m3, φ = 330]. Sketch the distribution of active pressure on the wall
giving the principal values. Compute the thrust per m length of wall neglecting cohesive and
frictional forces on the back of wall.
Q.3 (a) The pressure surface of a retaining wall slopes up and away from the backfill with a
batter of 1 in 10. The backfill is a non cohesive soil with a density of 19.2 KN/m 3 and angle
internal friction 350. The angle of surcharge is 40, the angle of wall friction is estimated to be 20o,
and the vertical height of wall is 12 m. Compute the maximum active thrust on the wall. Use
Culmann’s method.
(b) A dock side retaining wall10 m high retains a non cohesive backfill with a horizontal surface
level with the top of wall. The properties of the backfill material are G = 2.65, e = 0.55, and φ =
320. An additional superimposed load of 20 KN/m2 is induced at the surface of the backfill due to
construction of warehouses and dockyard traffic. Compute the lateral thrust on the wall when the
water table is (i) 2 m below the level surface, (ii) 5 m below the level surface, and (iii) at the
bottom of the wall. Neglect the wall friction.
Q.4. (a) For the retaining wall as shown in figure, compute the lateral active force per meter
length of the wall using Rehbann’s Construction. Check the value using Culmann’s Graphical
method.
(b) A vewrtical wall 10 m high retains two horizontal layers of a saturated cohesive backfill with
a level surface. The top 4 m of backfill has an undrained cohesion of 18.2 KN/m2 and bulk unit
weight of 18.6 KN/m3. The bottom clay layer has a bulk unit weight and an undrained cohesion
of 22 KN/m3 and 23.6 KN/m2, respectively. Estimate the likely depth of tension cracks develop,
and also locate the application of the resultant lateral force.
Q.5 (a) Write a programe to calculate the active and passive earth pressure for cohesion less soil.
Use the same programe to calculate the total active and passive force per m length of retaining
wall for the given data.
[Given Data: γ =18 KN/m3, φ = 340, Height = 8 m, Surcharge = 20 KN/m2]
(b) Examine the stability of a R. C. C. cantilever retaining wall as shown in figure with respect to
bearing failure, sliding and overturning. The relevant properties are: γc (concrete) =23.5 KN/m3,
γ (soil) = 17 KN/m3, φ = 380 , c = 0, δ (at base) = 30o, safe bearing capacity = 200 KPa.
Q. 6. A retaining wall with a smooth vertical back has to retain a backfill of c- φ soil upto 5 m
above GL. The surface of backfill is horizontal and it has the following properties:
γ = 1.8 t/m3, c = 1.5 t/m2, φ = 120
(1) Plot the distribution of active earth pressure on the wall.
(2) Determine the magnitude and point of application of active thrust.
(3) Determine the depth of zone of tension cracks.

Course Incharge

Mohammad Rafi Khan

 M. H. S. S. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Department of Civil Engineering
First Half of 2010, VI Semester
Assignment No.: 2
Topics: Bearing capacity, Pile foundation, Underground conduits, Open cuts and reinforced earth.
Q. 1 (a) Derive an expression for general bearing capacity equation for shallow
foundation and then explain the various factors influencing the bearing capacity.
(b) Calculate the net ultimate bearing capacity of a rectangular footing 2m × 4 m in plan,
founded at a depth of 1.5 m below the ground surface. The load on footing acts at an
angle of 150 to the vertical and is eccentric in the direction of width by 15 cm. The
saturated unit weight of the soil is 18 kN/m3. The rate of loading is slow and hence
effective stress shear strength parameters can be used in the analysis. c’ = 15 kN/m2 and
φ’ = 250. Natural water table is at a depth of 2 m below the ground surface. Use IS code
method.
Q. 2 (a) A chimney with a rigid base 2.5 m square, is placed at a depth of 1 m below the
ground surface. The soil is clay with an unconfined compressive strength of 60 kN/m2
and unit weight of 20 kN/m3. The weight of chimney is 60 kN. The chimney has a
resultant wind load of 19.5 KN acting parallel to the one of the sides of the chimney base
at a height of 1.5 m above the ground surface. Determine the factor of safety with respect
to bearing capacity. Make use of Meyerhof’s recommendations. [Note: IS: 6403-1981 has
adopted the Meyerhof’s recommendations for eccentric problems]
(b) The following data was obtained from a plate load test carried out on a 60 cm square
test plate at a depth of 2 m below ground surface on a sandy soil which extend up to a
large depth. Determine the settlement of a foundation 3 m × 3 m carrying a load of 110
tons and located at a depth of 3 m below ground surface.
Load intensity t/m2 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Settlement mm 2.0 4.0 7.5 11.0 16.3 23.5 34 45
Water table is located at a depth of 3 m below ground surface.
Q. 3 (a) Classify the piles on the basis of displacement of soils during their installation.
(b) 200 mm diameter, 8 m long piles are used as foundations for a column in a uniform
deposit of medium clay (qu = 100 kN/m2). The spacing between piles is 500 mm. there
are 9 piles in the ground arranged in a square pattern. Calculate the ultimate pile load
capacity of the group. Assume adhesion factor = 0.9.
Q.4 (a) The bracing system provided in a trench in sandy soil experiences an uniform
lateral pressure of 30 KPa. Spacing of bracing system in plan is 3.3 m and depth of trench
is 5.2 m. compute the loads on the struts, if the struts are provided at 1.0 m, 2.40 m and
4.0 m from ground surface.
(b) What is apparent pressure diagram? Explain procedure to construct the apparent
pressure diagram. Draw average pressure diagram for sand and soft clays.
Q. 5 (a) Explain the method of construction of imperfect ditch conduit. How load
carrying capacity is determined? Explain with necessary chart.
(b) Write use of reinforced soil in civil engineering.

Course Incharge

Mohammad Rafi Khan