EXAMPLE PROBLEM

TUTORIAL MID-TERM EXAMINATION

INTRODUCTION OF GEOLOGY AND SOIL MECHANICS (TSI-204)

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTEMENT

ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCES FACULTY
BAKRIE UNIVERSITY
ODD SEMESTER AY 2014/2015
HELD BY
HIMPUNAN MAHASISWA TEKNIK SIPIL UNIVERSITAS BAKRIE 2014/2015

Tutorial Mid-Term Examinations of Introduction of Geology and Soil Mechanics

Civil Engineering Bakrie University, Odd Semester AY 2014/2015

Problem 1
For a soil in natural state, given e = 0.8, w = 24%, and Gs = 2.68.
1. Determine the moist unit weight, dry unit weight, and degree of saturation?
2. If the soil is completely saturated by adding water, what would its moisture content be at
that time? Also find the saturated unit weight.
Problem 2
For a given soil, the in situ void ratio is 0.72 and Gs = 2.61. Calculate the porosity, dry unit
weight (kN/m3), and the saturated unit weight. What would the moist unit weight be when the
soil is 60% saturated?
Problem 3
A cylindrical soil sample, 7.3 cm in diameter and 16.8 cm long, is tested in a constant-head
permeability apparatus. A constant head of 75 cm is maintained during test. After 1 minute of
testing a total of 945.7 g of water was collected. The temperature was 20oC. The void ratio of the
soil was 0.43. Determine the coefficient of permeability in centimeter per second.
Problem 4
A laboratory falling-head permeability test is performed on a light-gray gravelly sand (SW), and
the following data is obtained:
Area of standpipe is 6.25 cm2, soil sample area is 10.73 cm2, the length of soil sample is 16.28
cm, initial head of water stand pipe is 160.2 cm, final head of water in stand pipe is 80.1 cm and
the time for standpipe head to decrease from h1 and h2 is 90 s. Determine the coefficient of
permeability in cm/s if the water temperature is 20oC.
Problem 5
The soil profile as shown in figure below.

Based on the soil profile above,

a. Determine the total and effective stress at point A?
b. Plot the total, neutral, and effective stresses with depth for the entire soil profile!
c. Plot the total, neutral, and effective stresses with depth if the ground table rises to the
ground surface!
Problem 6
From granular distribution diagrams in three sample of soil. The granular distributions data as
follow :
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Tutorial Mid-Term Examinations of Introduction of Geology and Soil Mechanics

Civil Engineering Bakrie University, Odd Semester AY 2014/2015

a. Soil A, D10 = 0.02 mm, D30 = 0.60 mm, D60 = 8.5 mm

b. Soil B, D10 = 0.021 mm, D30 = 0.04 mm, D60 = 1.0 mm
c. Soil C, D10 = 0.35 mm, D30 = 0.65 mm, D60 = 0.80 mm
Determine the uniformity coefficient and gradation coefficient for each sample soil.
Problem 7
A layer of saturated clay 4m thick is overlain by sand 5m deep, the water table being 3m below
the surface. The saturated unit weights of the clay and sand are 19 and 20 kN/m3, respectively;
above the water table the unit weight of the sand is 17 kN/m3. Plot the values of total vertical
stress and effective vertical stress against depth. If sand to a height of 1m above the water table
is saturated with capillary water, how are the above stresses affected?

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