Book 6
Book 6
Book 6
Soil Mechanics:
45. Origin of soils, soil structure and fabric; Three-phase system and phase relationships,
index properties; Unified and Indian standard soil classification system;
46. Permeability - one dimensional flow, Darcy’s law; Seepage through soils - two-
dimensional flow, flow nets, uplift pressure, piping;
47. Principle of effective stress, capillarity, seepage force and quicksand condition;
48. Compaction in laboratory and field conditions; One-dimensional consolidation, time
rate of consolidation;
49. Mohr’s circle, stress paths, effective and total shear strength parameters, characteristics
of clays and sand.
Foundation Engineering:
50. Sub-surface investigations - scope, drilling bore holes, sampling, plate load test,
standard penetration and cone penetration tests;
51. Earth pressure theories-Rankine and Coulomb;
52. Stability of slopes - finite and infinite slopes, method of slices and Bishop’s method;
53. Stress distribution in soils - Boussinesq’s and Westergaard’s theories, pressure bulbs;
54. Shallow foundations - Terzaghi’s and Meyerhoff’s bearing capacity theories, effect of
water table; Combined footing and raft foundation; Contact pressure; Settlement
analysis in sands and clays;
55. Deep foundations - types of piles, dynamic and static formulae, load capacity of piles in
sands and clays, pile load test, negative skin friction.
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
Few Typical Questions with Solutions given module wise list for reference:
SOIL MECHANICS
MODULE -45
1) Match List-I (type of soil) with List-II (mode of transportation and deposition) and
select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List – I
A) Lacustrine soils
B) Alluvial soils
C) Aeolian soils
D) Marine soils
List-II
1) Transportation by wind
2) Transportation by running water
3) Deposited at the bottom of lakes
4) Deposited in sea water
Codes:
A B C D
A) 1 2 3 4
B) 3 2 1 4
C) 3 2 4 1
D) 1 3 2 4
Ans: B
2) The water content of a saturated soil and the specific gravity of soil solids were found
to be 30% and 2.70, respectively. Assuming the unit weight of water to be 10 ,
the saturated unit weight and the void ratio of the soil are
Ans: A
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
Solution:
3) In a wet soil mass, air occupies one-sixth of its volume and water occupies one-third
of its volume. The void ratio of the soil is
Ans: C
Solution:
Ans: 96.6
Solution:
5) The liquid limit and plastic limit of samples are 65% and 29% respectively. The
percentage of clay fraction with grain size finer than 0.002 mm is 24. The activity
ratio of the soil sample is
Ans: C
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
Solution:
6) Data from a sieve analysis conducted on a given sample of soil showed that 67% of
the particles passed through 75 micron IS sieve. The liquid limit and plastic limit of
the finer fraction was found to be 45 and 33 percents respectively. The group symbol
of the given soil as per IS: 1498-1970 is
A) SC B) MI C) CH D) MH
Ans: B
Solution:
As more than 50 % of the total soil is finer than 75 the given soil is fine-grained
soil
Ans: A
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
MODULE – 46
8) The soil profile below a lake with water level at elevation = 0 m and lake bottom at
elevation=-10 m is shown in the figure, where k is the permeability coefficient. A
piezometer (stand pipe) installed in the sand layer shows a reading of +10 m
elevation. Assume that the piezometric head is uniform in the sand layer. The quantity
of water (in ) flowing into the lake from the sand layer through the silt layer per
unit area of the lake bed is:
Ans: D
Solution:
9) In a falling head permeability test the time taken for the head to fall from 27cm to
3cm is 10min. If the test is repeated with same initial head i.e. 27 cm, what time (min)
would it take for the head to fall to 9cm.
Ans: 5
Solution:
( )
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
( )
( )
( )
( )
10) In a falling head permeability test, the time interval noted for the head to fall from
to and from to have been found to be equal. Relation between ?
A) √ B) √ C) √ D) √
Ans: B
Solution:
( ) ( )
11) A bed of sand consists of three horizontal layers of equal thickness. The value of
Darcy’s ‘k’ for upper and lower layers is cm/sec and the middle layer is
cm/sec. The ratio of the permeability of the bed in the horizontal direction
to that in the vertical direction is
Ans: B
Solution:
= 0.04
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
12) Find the ratio of average permeability in the horizontal direction to that in the vertical
direction for a soil deposit of three layers with thickness in the ratio 1: 2: 3. The
permeability of the second layer is twice that of the first and of the third is twice that
of the second.
Ans: 1.3
Solution:
13) The flow net around a sheet pile wall is shown in the sketch. The properties of the soil
are: permeability coefficient = 0.09 m/day (isotropic), specific gravity = 2.70 and void
ratio = 0.85. The sheet pile wall and the bottom of the soil are impermeable.
The seepage loss (in per day per unit length of the wall) of water is
Ans: B
Solution:
Q 0.09
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
14) A soil mass under seepage has a downward flow of water. Which of the following
statements are correct with regard to stresses at any point in the soil mass?
1. Effective stress is decreased by an amount equal to the seepage force
2. Effective stress is increased by an amount equal to the seepage force
3. Total stress will change
4. Total stress will be unaltered
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
A) 1 and 3 B) 2 and 3 C) 1 and 4 D) 2 and 4
Ans: D
MODULE – 47
15) The specific gravity and in-situ void ratio of a soil deposit are 2.71 and 0.85
respectively. The value of the critical hydraulic gradient is
Ans: C
Solution:
16) A 10m thick clay layer is underlain by a sand layer of 20m depth (see figure below).
The water table is 5 m below the surface of clay layer. The soil above the water table
is capillary saturated. The value of is 19kN/m3. The unit weight of water is . If
now the water table rises to the surface, the effective stress at a point P on the
interface will
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
A) Increase by 5
B) Remain unchanged
C) Decrease by 5
D) Decrease by 10
Ans: C
Solution:
Before:
̅
After:
Ans: D
18) Compute the total, effective and pore water pressure at a depth of 20m below the
bottom of a lake 6m deep. The bottom of lake consists of soft clay with a thickness of
more than 20m. The average water content of the clay is 35% and specific gravity of
the soil may be assumed as 2.65.
Ans: A
Solution:
( )
255.06
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
̅ 169.14
MODULE – 48
19) A compaction of an embankment is carried out in thick horizontal layers. The rammer
used for compaction has the foot of area 0.05 sq.m. The energy developed per drop of
the hammer is 40 kg-m. Assuming 50% more energy in each pass due to overlap,
calculate the number of passes required to develop compactive energy equivalent to
Indian standard (light compaction for each layer).
A) 16 B) 12 C) 8 D) 4
Ans: A
Solution:
Volume 0.3
Energy required 0.015
Energy per pass 40
No of passes
20) Match List-I (Equipment) with List-II (Purpose) and select the correct answer using
the codes given below the lists:
List-I
A. Sheep foot rollers
B. Frog hammer
C. Vibratory roller
List-II
1. To densify cohesion less soils to relatively larger depths
2. To compact lumpy cohesive soil fills
3. To compact soils at corners and places which bigger rollers cannot access
4. To compact cohesion less soils of shallow depth
Codes:
A B C
A) 4 1 2
B) 2 1 4
C) 4 3 2
D) 2 3 4
Ans: D
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
21) In a compaction test, G, W, S, and e represent the specific gravity, water content,
degree of saturation and void ratio of the soil sample respectively. If represents
unit weight of water and represents the dry unit weight of the soil, the equation for
zero-air voids line is
A) B) C) = D)
Ans: B
Explanation:
Zero air void means, 100 % saturation state. In that state void ratio e becomes .
22) A normally consolidated clay layer settled by 20 mm when the effective stress was
increased from 25 KN/ to 50 KN/ . What will be the settlement when the
effective stress is increased from 50 KN/ to 100 KN/
A) 20 mm B) 30 mm C) 40 mm D) 50 mm
Ans: A
Solution:
23) Find the settlement in mm in over consolidated soil from the following data:
Ans: 30
Solution:
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
( )
24) For a certain loading condition, a saturated clay layer undergoes 40% consolidation in
a period of 178 days. What would be the additional time required for further 20%
consolidation to occur?
Ans: B
Solution:
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
MODULE – 49
25) The stresses on a failure plane in a drained test on a cohesion less soil are as follows:
Normal stress
Shear stress
Determine the angle of shearing resistance and the angle of failure plane makes with
the major principal plane. Also find major principal stress and minor principal stress?
Ans: 159, 73
Solution:
26) In a tri-axial test carried out on cohesion-less soil sample with a cell pressure of 20
kPa, the observed value of applied stress at the point of failure was 40 kPa. The angle
of internal friction of the soil is
Ans: D
Solution:
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
27) A sample of saturated cohesion-less soil tested in a drained tri-axial compression test
showed an angle of internal friction of 30 . The deviatoric stress at failure for the
sample at a confining pressure of 200 kPa is equal to
Ans: B
Solution:
Deviator stress
28) In the consolidated drained test on a saturated soil sample, pore water pressure is zero
during
Ans: C
Ans: 0.0106
Solution:
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
30) In a triaxial test, a soil sample was consolidated under a cell pressure of
and a back pressure of 350 . There after with drainage not allowed, the cell
pressure was raised to 800 resulting in the increased pore water pressure
reading of 445 . The axial load was then increased to give a deviator stress of
575 (while the cell pressure remained at 800 ) and a pore pressure
reading of 640 . Calculate the pore pressure coefficients B and A.
Ans: A
Solution:
FOUNDATION ENGINEERING
MODULE – 50
31) In a plate load test on sandy soil, the test plate of 60cm 60cm undergoes a
settlement of 5mm at a pressure of 12 N/ . What will be the expected
settlement of 3m 3m footing under same pressure?
Ans: D
Solution:
{ }
{ }
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
32) The number of blows observed in a Standard Penetration Test (SPT) for different
penetration depths are given as follows
Penetration of sampler Number of blows
0-150 mm 6
150-300 8
300-450 mm 10
The observed N value is
A) 8 B) 14 C) 18 D) 24
Ans: C
Solution:
SPT value = number of blows for last 30 cm
8 + 10 = 18
33) Match the items of List-I with List-II and select the correct answer.
List I
P. Modulus of subgrade reaction
Q. Relative density and strength
R. Skin friction and point bearing resistance
S. Elastic constants
List II
1) Cyclic pile load test
2) Pressure meter test
3) Plate load test
4) Standard penetration test
5) Dynamic cone penetration test
Codes:
P Q R S
A) 1 3 2 5
B) 1 2 4 3
C) 2 5 1 3
D) 3 4 1 2
Ans: D
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
Solution:
Plate load test : modules of sub grade reaction
SPT : Relative density and strength
Cyclic pile load test : Skin friction and point bearing resistance.
Pressure meter test : Elastic constants
MODULE – 51
A) B) C) √ D) √
Ans: D
Solution:
√
√
A) 1, 2 and 3 only
B) 1 and 2 only
C) 1 and 3 only
D) 2 and 3 only
Ans: A
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
36) Assertion (A): The safe height (2Z0) to which an unsupported vertical cut in clay can
be made is 4c/ .
Reason (R): Active earth pressure of cohesive backfill shows that the negative
pressure (tension) is developed at top level. This tension decrease to zero at depth Z0
and total net pressure up to a depth 2Z0 is zero.
Codes:
A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R in not a correct explanation of A
C) A is true nut r is false
D) A is false but R is true
Ans: A
37) The lateral earth pressure coefficient of a soil, ka for active state, kp for passive state
and k0 for at-rest condition, compare as
A) B) C) D)
Ans: B
38) In a cohesion-less soil deposit having a unit weight of 1.5 t/m2 and an angle of
internal friction of 300, the active and passive lateral earth pressure intensities (in
t/m2) at a depth of 10 m will, respectively, be
Ans: B
Solution:
= H 1/3 1.5 10 5
= H 3 1.5 10 45
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
MODULE – 52
39) A long slope is formed in a soil with shear strength parameters: and .
A firm stratum lies below the slope and it is assumed that the water table may
occasionally rise to the surface, with seepage taking place parallel to the slope. Use
and . The maximum slope angle (in degrees) to
ensure a factor of safety of 1.5, assuming a potential failure surface parallel to the
slope, would be
A) B) C) D)
Ans: D
Solution:
40) The infinite sand slope shown in the figure is one the verge of sliding failure. The
ground water table coincides with the ground surface. Unit weight of water =
9.81 .
The value of the effective angle of internal friction (in degrees up to one decimal
place) of the sand is _________
Ans: 34.3
Solution:
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
41) Taylor’s stability number Sn is given by which one of the following expressions? (c is
cohesion, Fc is factor of safety, is density of soil and H, the height of the slope).
A) B) C) D)
Ans: C
42) The factor of safety of an infinite soil slope shown in the figure having the properties
c = 0, φ , = 16 kN/ and = 20 is approximately equal to
Ans: A
Solution:
43) Find the factor of safety of an infinite slope constructed with a sandy soil having
. The soil is in dry state and the thickness of layer is 5m and
inclination is .
Ans: 2.716
Solution:
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
MODULE – 53
44) A 25 kN point load acts on the surface of an infinite elastic medium. The vertical
pressure intensity in kN/m2 at a point 6.0 m below and 4.0 m away from the load will
be
A) 132 B) 13.2 C) 1.32 D) 0.132
Ans: D
Solution:
⁄
[ ]
( )
⁄
[ ]
( )
45) Two columns A and B are situated 6m apart. Column A transfers a load of 500
and column B, a load of 250 . Determine the resultant vertical stress on a
horizontal plane 20m below the ground surface at points A and B
Ans: A
Solution:
⁄
a) [ ] 59.77
( )
⁄
b) [ ]
( )
46) Stresses obtained from Boussinesq’s theory are considered reasonably satisfactory in
foundation engineering because
Ans: D
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
47) A strip footing 2m wide is loaded on the ground surface with a pressure of 150
kN/ . A 4m thick soft clay layer exists at a depth of 10m below the foundation. Find
the average increase in vertical stress at the centre of clay layer below the centre line
and at the edge of footing.
Ans: C
Solution:
a) 2 ( ) 0.166
15.83 kN/
b)
15.59 kN/
48) The figure given below represents the contact pressure distribution underneath a
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
MODULE – 54
49) A square footing of size 2.5 m m is resting on a soil at a depth of 2.0 m. The
value of c’ and of the soil are 15 kPa and 25 respectively. Assume general shear
failure. The bearing capacity coefficients for are 25.1, 12.7 and
9.7. Find ultimate bearing capacity of the soil? Given unit weight of soil is 18
Ans: 1121
Solution:
50) A circular footing of size 2.5 m is resting on a soil at a depth of 2.0 m. The
value of c’ and of the soil are 15 kPa and 25 respectively. Assume general shear
failure. The bearing capacity coefficients for are 25.1, 12.7 and
9.7. Find net ultimate bearing capacity of the soil? Given unit weight of soil is
18
Ans: 1042
Solution:
Ans: A
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
Solution:
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
52) A strip footing of width 2.5 m is resting on a soil at a depth of 2.0 m. The value of c’
and of the soil are 15 kPa and 0 respectively. Assume general shear failure. Find
ultimate bearing capacity of the soil? Given unit weight of soil is 18
Ans: B
Solution:
Ans: A
Solution:
( )( )
( )( )
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
MODULE -55
54) A precast concrete pile is driven with a 50kN hammer falling through a height of
1.0m with an efficiency of 0.6. The set value observed is 4mm per blow and the
combined temporary compression of the pile, cushion and the ground is 6mm. As per
Modified Hiley’s Formula, the ultimate resistance of the pile is
Ans: B
Solution:
55) A 500 mm diameter concrete pile is to be driven in a clayey soil. The design capacity
of the pile is 500 kN. The soil conditions are shown in figure. Determine the length
required for the pile for the above design capacity. (Assume (CS-2016-1)
Ans: 5.88
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
Solution:
56) For the soil profile shown in figure below, the minimum number of precast concrete
piles of 300 mm diameter required to safety carry the load for a given factor of safety
of 2.5 (assuming 100% efficiency for the pile group) is equal to
A) 10 B) 15 C) 20 D) 25
Ans: C
Solution:
Q=
No. of Piles =
57) A 3.3 m 2.2 m group consists of 9 m long piles. It carries a load of 1500 kN. The
piles penetrate a sand layer (bulk unit weight = 16 ), 1 m thick and rest in a
normally consolidated clay having a saturated unit weight of 19 , specific
gravity of 2.7 and liquid limit of 50. Clay extends to a depth of 12 m below the top of
the sand layer. Ground water is at a depth of 1 m below the ground surface. Bulk unit
weight of sand is . Compute the settlement in the clay, if the pile cap rests
on the top of sand. Use 2:1 stress distribution to estimate the average increase of stress
in the clay layer.
Ans: 200 mm
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MVS ACADEMY CIVIL ENGINEERING GATE – 2019
Solution:
58) Match List-I (type of foundation) with List-II ( type of soil) and select the correct
answer using the codes given below the lists:
List-I
A. Floating piles
B. Micro piles
C. Combined footing
D. Under-reamed piles
List-II
1. Closed spaced columns resting on compressible soil
2. Expansive soils
3. Deep soft clays
4. Loose sands
Codes:
A B C D
A) 2 1 4 3
B) 2 4 1 3
C) 3 1 4 2
D) 3 4 1 2
Ans: D
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