383 SAMPLE FINAL EXAM – SPRING 2016

CE 383: GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING I

Purdue University – Spring 2016
Prof. Marika Santagata
SAMPLE FINAL EXAM

NAME:____________________________
Work through the problems carefully.
Attempt every problem.
Be tidy.
ASK if you are in doubt.
If you are running out of time explain what you would do.
JUSTIFY ANY ASSUMPTION

PART I: EFFECTIVE STRESSES, MOHR CIRCLE AND 1D FLOW

22 pts
1.1) Calculate total and effective vertical and horizontal stresses at points A and
B assuming hydrostatic groundwater conditions and K0 = 0.45. Assume
same unit weight applies to clay both above and below water table.
Groundwater conditions are hydrostatic.

SAND
2m
A γd=16 kN/m3
1m
CLAY
3m
B
γsat=21 kN/m3

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 383 SAMPLE FINAL EXAM – SPRING 2016

1.2) Determine the discharge velocity through the clay layer. What is the pore
pressure at P? Is the vertical effective stress at point P smaller or greater
than under hydrostatic conditions? Explain what has to happen for the soil
to reach a quick condition (no calculations required for this last part of the
question).

1.5 m

2m Lake

CLAY

4m k = 10-9 m/s
γsat=21 kN/m3

1.3) Draw Mohr circle for state of stress shown. Identify on graph origin of
planes and minor and principal stresses. Show how you would determine
stresses on the horizontal plane. Indicate your sign convention.
graphical constructions only – no calculations required but be neat

10 kPa
50 kPa
20 kPa
45°

τ 20 kPa

50 kPa
10 kPa

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 383 SAMPLE FINAL EXAM – SPRING 2016

PART II 12 pts

2.1) A sample of soil is weighs 153 g before being placed in the oven and 123 g
after being oven dried. What is its water content? Assuming that the soil is
saturated and that Gs = 2.7 what is its void ratio?

(σ1 − σ3)/2

2.2) Sketch stress strain curves and curves of

volume change versus axial strain for two
triaxial tests conducted at the same
consolidation stress on a loose and dense εa
sand, respectively (mark sketches clearly). Expansion

ΔV
εa

Compression

2.3) An oedometer test conducted on soil sampled from B in problem 1.1

indicates that the preconsolidation pressure at B is 130 kPa. What is the
Overconsolidation Ratio (OCR) of the soil at B. List two soil properties that
vary depending on its OCR (indicate how they vary)?

2.4) Provide reasonable estimates (with appropriate units) for the quantities
listed below. If unitless, clearly state so.
Value Units

Specific gravity of clay:

Compression ratio (Δε[%]/Δlogσʹv) in NC region:

Friction angle of a very dense sand:

Dry unit weight of sand deposit:

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 383 SAMPLE FINAL EXAM – SPRING 2016

PART III 28 pts

An embankment (3 m high, γt = 19 kN/m3) has been built at the site shown below
which includes a 6m layer of normally consolidated clay underlain by an imperable
layer.
Following construction of the embankment , the pore pressure at the mid-point of
the clay layer (P) is monitored employing a piezometer.
At a given time t the piezometer measures a value of the pore pressure u equal
to 63.6 kPa.

a) How long has it been since the embankment was built (i.e. what is t)?
Express t in days.
b) What is the effective stress at P at time t?
c) What is the final settlement caused by the construction of the
embankment?
d) What is the thickness of the clay layer at time t?
e) Sketch pore pressure and effective stress trend with depth of the clay layer
at time t (no calculations required).

EMBANKMENT
Pore pressure sketch Effective stress sketch

3m CLAY
6m
P e0 = 0.953
cv = 4x10-3 cm2/s
γt = 20 kN/m3
cc = 0.32

IMPERMEABLE ROCK

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 383 SAMPLE FINAL EXAM – SPRING 2016

U(%) T U(%) T

0 0 51 0.204
1 0.00008 52 0.212
2 0.00030 53 0.221
3 0.00071 54 0.230
4 0.00126 55 0.239
5 0.00196 56 0.248
6 0.00283 57 0.257
7 0.00385 58 0.267

Average degree of consolidation, U= S(T )/Sinfinity

8 0.00502 59 0.276
9 0.00636 60 0.286
10 0.00785 61 0.297
11 0.0095 62 0.307
12 0.0113 63 0.318
13 0.0133 64 0.329
14 0.0154 65 0.344
15 0.0177 66 0.352
16 0.0201 67 0.364
17 0.0227 68 0.377
18 0.0254 69 0.390
19 0.0283 70 0.403
20 0.0314 71 0.417
21 0.0346 72 0.431
22 0.0380 73 0.446
23 0.0415 74 0.461
24 0.0452 75 0.477
25 0.0491 76 0.493
26 0.0531 77 0.511
27 0.0572 78 0.529
28 0.0615 79 0.547
29 0.0660 80 0.567
30 0.0707 81 0.588
31 0.0754 82 0.610
32 0.0803 83 0.633
33 0.0855 84 0.658
34 0.0907 85 0.684
35 0.0962 86 0.712
36 0.102 87 0.742
37 0.107 88 0.774
38 0.113 89 0.809
39 0.119 90 0.848
40 0.126 91 0.891
41 0.132 92 0.938
42 0.138 93 0.993
43 0.145 94 1.055
44 0.152 95 1.129
45 0.159 96 1.219
46 0.166 97 1.336
47 0.173 98 1.500
48 0.181 99 1.781
49 0.188 100 Infinite
50 0.197

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 383 SAMPLE FINAL EXAM – SPRING 2016

PART IV SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOILS 38 pts

PROBLEM 4.1

a) A triaxial consolidated drained test is performed on a NC clay with σc = 700

kPa and u0 = 200. The additional axial stress applied through the piston
during the shear phase is 1130 kPa. What is the angle of internal friction of
the clay (assume c’=0)? Draw total and effective stress Mohr circles for
pre-shear and failure conditions. Indicate position of failure plane.

b) A duplicate specimen is tested undrained following identical consolidation

procedure (i.e. at the end of consolidation σc = 700 kPa and u0 = 200).
Shear is performed increasing the axial stress while σ3 = σc is kept fixed. At
failure the pore pressure u=355 kPa. What is value of (σ1 - σ3)/2 at failure?
Draw total and effective stress Mohr circles for pre-shear and failure
conditions. Indicate position of failure plane.
NOTE: do not go crazy with geometry……. Read problem carefully, understand what is
happening to various stresses, make use of basic effective stress principle and of
expressions linking σ1’, σ3’ and φ’.

USEFUL EXPRESSIONS:

( )
sin ϕ ' = (σ ' + σ ' )
− (1 + sin ϕ ')
1

σ' σ'
3
σ ' = σ ' (1 − sin ϕ ')
1 3
1 3

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 383 SAMPLE FINAL EXAM – SPRING 2016

1000

800

600
τ (kPa)

400

200

-200
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
σ (kPa)

1000

800

600
τ (kPa)

400

200

-200
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
σ (kPa)

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 383 SAMPLE FINAL EXAM – SPRING 2016

c) Briefly explain why the effective stress failure envelope cannot be derived
from UU test results. What would be the inclination of the failure plane if a
UU test was conducted on the soil from parts a and b.

PROBLEM 4.2

State whether the following statements pertaining to the shear strength of soils are
true (T) or false (F)

(i) Normally consolidated clays usually generate positive excess pore

T F
pressure during undrained shear.

T F (ii) In the direct shear test the directions of the principal stresses at failure
are not known.

T F (iii) UU tests typically underestimate the shear strength that can be

mobilized in the field.

T F (iv) The friction of sands is typically greater than that of clays.

(v) In a triaxial test, it is possible to control the three principal stresses

T F independently (i.e. they can be different from each other).

T F (vi) The greater the relative density the smaller the tendency of a sand to
contract during shear.

T F

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 383 SAMPLE FINAL EXAM – SPRING 2016

PROBLEM 4.3

Consider the following triaxial tests conducted on the same normally consolidated
soil:
Test A: σc=400 kPa u0=300 kPa sheared drained increasing the axial stress with
chamber pressure constant
Test B: σc=300 kPa u0=200 kPa sheared undrained increasing the axial stress with
chamber pressure constant
Test C: σc=300 kPa u0=200 kPa sheared drained increasing the axial stress with
chamber pressure constant

a) Rank the 3 tests in terms of σ1-σ3 at failure (use 1 for greatest) - clearly
indicate ties
TEST A ________ TEST B ________ TEST C _________

b) Rank the tests in terms of σ1 at failure (use 1 for greatest) - clearly

indicate ties
TEST A ________ TEST B ________ TEST C _________

c) Rank the tests in terms of the friction angle at failure (use 1 for greatest) -
clearly indicate ties
TEST A ________ TEST B ________ TEST C _________

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