Code No: R05320101 Set No.

1
III B.Tech Supplimentary Examinations, Aug/Sep 2008
GEO TECHNICAL ENGINEERING
(Civil Engineering)
Time: 3 hours Max Marks: 80
Answer any FIVE Questions
All Questions carry equal marks
⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

1. (a) What is meant by weathering? Describe its agents, process and effects on
rocks.
(b) A natural soil deposit has a bulk unit weight of 19 kN/m3 and water content
of 5%. Estimate the amount of water required to be added to 1 m3 of soil to
raise the water content to 15%. Assume the void ratio to remain constant.
The specific gravity of solids is 2.67. [8+8]

2. (a) Write the notes on Indian Standard Classification of coarse grained soils.
(b) Describe the hydrometer method of particle size analysis of soils. [6+10]

3. (a) Distinguish between:

i. discharge velocity and seepage velocity
ii. coefficient of permeability and coefficient of percolation.
(b) Explain the phenomenon of capillary rise in soil and develop an expression for
the capillary rise.
(c) Indicate approximate range of values of coefficient of permeability for gravel,
sand, silt and clays. [6+6+4]

4. (a) What is quick sand condition? Derive the expression for the critical hydraulic
gradient.
(b) Explain the graphical procedure of drawing the phreatic line in a homogeneous
earth dam provided with a toe drain. [6+10]

5. (a) Derive the equation for calcuting vertical pressure under a uniformly loaded
circular area.
(b) Write the assumptions made in Wester gaard?s stress analysis. [10+6]

6. In the construction of a levee, the compaction specification required was 95% of

proctor maximum dry density at a field moisture content within 2% of the opti-
mum moisture content. The maximum dry density and optimum moisture content
obtained in the laboratory from the proctor test were 1.94 gm/cm3 and 13.5%
respectively. A field supervisor conducted sand-cone tests at two locations and ob-
tained the results presented below. The sand in the sand bottle was found to have
a density of 1.87 gm/cm3 . Check whether the specification was satisfied. [16]

1 of 2
Code No: R05320101 Set No. 1
Location No Mass of soil removed (g) Mass of sand used (g)
wet Dry
1 42.86 38.46 39.61
2 37.18 32.12 32.19

7. (a) How do you estimate the field e-p curve of an over ? consolidated clay?
(b) Settlements computed are normally higher than the actual settlements. Dis-
cuss this statement critically. [8+8]

8. Two consolidated ? undrained triaxial tests are performed on undisturbed silty clay
samples. One sample is consolidated under a all-round pressure of 170 KN/m2 , and
when subjected to shear, it fails at an added axial stress of 126 KN/m2 . The pore
water pressure at the time of failure is found to have a positive value of 110 KN/m2 .
The second sample is consolidated under a pressure of 420KN/m2 and fails at an
added axial stress of 320 KN/m2 . The corresponding pore water pressure at the
time of failure is 272 KN/m2 . Find the total and effective shear strength parameters
of the soil. [16]

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

2 of 2
Code No: R05320101 Set No. 2
III B.Tech Supplimentary Examinations, Aug/Sep 2008
GEO TECHNICAL ENGINEERING
(Civil Engineering)
Time: 3 hours Max Marks: 80
Answer any FIVE Questions
All Questions carry equal marks
⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

1. (a) Explain adsorbed water and relative density of soil. Also determine an ex-
pression for relative density in terms of maximum, minimum, and insitu unit
weights.
(b) An undisturbed sample obtained from field weighed 18 N, with volume 1×10−3
m3 . The dry unit weight of the sample was 15.4 kN/m3 and its specific gravity
was 2.70. Determine:
i. water content,
ii. void ratio, and
iii. saturated unit weight of the sample. [8+8]

2. (a) Briefly describe the procedure to determine the liquid limit of a soil.
(b) The sieve analysis and consistency limit tests conducted on a soil sample gave
the following results:
Percent passing 4.75 mm sieve = 82; Percent passing 75 micron sieve = 9; D10
= 0.11 mm; D30 = 0.45 mm; D60 = 1.12 mm; Liquid limit = 22%; Plastic
limit =12%.
Classify the soil by Indian Standard Classification. [10+6]

3. (a) Define the coefficient of permeability and explain the various factors that affect
the permeability of soil.
(b) A falling head test was performed on a soil specimen having a diameter of 100
mm and height 120 mm. The stand pipe had a diameter of 12 mm and the
water level in it dropped from 550 mm to 410 mm in 2 hours. Determine the
time required for the water level in the stand pipe to come down to 200 mm.
Also determine the height of water level in the stand pipe after a period of 24
hours from the beginning of the test. [8+8]

4. (a) Define: total stress, effective stress and neutral stress as applied to soils.
(b) What are the corrections to be made to the phreatic line? And how the same
is carried out.
(c) What is a flow net? State its properties and applications. What is the quantity
of seepage between two successive flow lines and equipotential lines? [4+4+8]

5. A 200 KN load in transferred through a steel stanchion. Compute the vertical

stresses beneath the stanchion at depths of 1, 3 and 9m. Estimate the depth at
which the load is 25% of the applied load. Adopt Westergaard’s theory (µ = 0).
[16]

1 of 2
Code No: R05320101 Set No. 2
6. Explain why soils are compacted when

(a) Preparing a subgrade

(b) Constructing an embankment
Describe how quality control is maintained in a rolled fill dam. [4+4+8]

7. Describe the consolidometer test. Show how the results of this test are used to
predict the rate of settlement and the magnitude of settlement. [16]

8. Triaxial compression tests were conducted on a specimen from a large sample of

undisturbed day. Tests 1 to 4 were run slowly, permitting complete drainage, and
tests 5 to 8 were run without permitting drainage. Plot Mohr’s modified strength
envelope, and determine the shear strength parameters for both kinds of tests.[16]

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
(σ1 − σ3 ) at 447 167 95 37 331 155 133 119
failure KN/m2
σ3 (KN/m2 246 89 36 06 481 231 131 53

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

2 of 2
Code No: R05320101 Set No. 3
III B.Tech Supplimentary Examinations, Aug/Sep 2008
GEO TECHNICAL ENGINEERING
(Civil Engineering)
Time: 3 hours Max Marks: 80
Answer any FIVE Questions
All Questions carry equal marks
⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

1. (a) What is meant by weathering? Describe its agents, process and effects on
rocks.
(b) A natural soil deposit has a bulk unit weight of 19 kN/m3 and water content
of 5%. Estimate the amount of water required to be added to 1 m3 of soil to
raise the water content to 15%. Assume the void ratio to remain constant.
The specific gravity of solids is 2.67. [8+8]
2. (a) With the help of sketches explain the following:
i. well graded soil,
ii. uniformly graded soil,
iii. gap graded soil.
(b) The Atterberg limits of a soil sample are: liquid limit = 50%, plastic limit =
30% and shrinkage limit = 15%. If the specimen of this soil shrinks from a
volume of 10 cm3 at liquid limit to 5.94 cm3 when oven dried, calculate the
shrinkage ratio and specific gravity of soil solids. [8+8]
3. (a) Define the coefficient of permeability and explain the various factors that affect
the permeability of soil.
(b) A falling head test was performed on a soil specimen having a diameter of 100
mm and height 120 mm. The stand pipe had a diameter of 12 mm and the
water level in it dropped from 550 mm to 410 mm in 2 hours. Determine the
time required for the water level in the stand pipe to come down to 200 mm.
Also determine the height of water level in the stand pipe after a period of 24
hours from the beginning of the test. [8+8]
4. (a) Define: total stress, effective stress and neutral stress as applied to soils.
(b) What are the corrections to be made to the phreatic line? And how the same
is carried out.
(c) What is a flow net? State its properties and applications. What is the quantity
of seepage between two successive flow lines and equipotential lines? [4+4+8]
5. (a) Explain stress distribution in soils for concentrated loads by Boussinesq?s
theory.
(b) Find the intensity of vertical pressure at a point 4.5m below a 20 kN point
load acting at a horizontal ground surface. What will be vertical pressure at a
point 2m horizontally away from the axis of loading but at the depth of 5m?
[8+8]

1 of 2
Code No: R05320101 Set No. 3
6. Explain why soils are compacted when

(a) Preparing a subgrade

(b) Constructing an embankment
Describe how quality control is maintained in a rolled fill dam. [4+4+8]

7. (a) How do you estimate the field e-p curve of an over ? consolidated clay?
(b) Settlements computed are normally higher than the actual settlements. Dis-
cuss this statement critically. [8+8]

8. (a) A triaxial compression test on a cohesive sample cylindrical in shape yields

the following effective stresses:
Major Principal stress = 9 MN/m2
Minor Principal stress = 3 MN/m2 .
Angle of inclination of rupture plane is 600 to the horizontal. Find the cohesion
and angle of internal friction.
(b) Two drained tests are performed on the material. In the first test, the all-
round pressure is 200 KNm2 and failure occurs at an added axial stress of 600
KN/m2 . In the second test all-round pressure is 350KN/m2 and failure occurs
at an added axial stress of 1050 KN/m2 . What values of C1 and φ1 correspond
to these results? [8+8]

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

2 of 2
Code No: R05320101 Set No. 4
III B.Tech Supplimentary Examinations, Aug/Sep 2008
GEO TECHNICAL ENGINEERING
(Civil Engineering)
Time: 3 hours Max Marks: 80
Answer any FIVE Questions
All Questions carry equal marks
⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

1. (a) What is meant by weathering? Describe its agents, process and effects on
rocks.
(b) A natural soil deposit has a bulk unit weight of 19 kN/m3 and water content
of 5%. Estimate the amount of water required to be added to 1 m3 of soil to
raise the water content to 15%. Assume the void ratio to remain constant.
The specific gravity of solids is 2.67. [8+8]

2. (a) State Stoke’s law and explain its limitations as applicable to the sedimentation
analysis.
(b) The following results were obtained from the liquid limit test:
Number of blows 55 46 32 22 15
Water content (%) 24 30 35 41 49
Find the liquid limit. Also determine plasticity index, liquidity index, and con-
stituency index if plastic limit and natural water content of soil were 24% and 32%
respectively. [6+10]

3. (a) Distinguish between:

i. discharge velocity and seepage velocity
ii. coefficient of permeability and coefficient of percolation.
(b) Explain the phenomenon of capillary rise in soil and develop an expression for
the capillary rise.
(c) Indicate approximate range of values of coefficient of permeability for gravel,
sand, silt and clays. [6+6+4]

4. (a) Define: total stress, effective stress and neutral stress as applied to soils.
(b) What are the corrections to be made to the phreatic line? And how the same
is carried out.
(c) What is a flow net? State its properties and applications. What is the quantity
of seepage between two successive flow lines and equipotential lines? [4+4+8]

5. (a) Explain stress distribution in soils for concentrated loads by Boussinesq?s

theory.
(b) Find the intensity of vertical pressure at a point 4.5m below a 20 kN point
load acting at a horizontal ground surface. What will be vertical pressure at a
point 2m horizontally away from the axis of loading but at the depth of 5m?
[8+8]

1 of 2
Code No: R05320101 Set No. 4
6. (a) Write a brief note on ?Proctor’s needle”.
(b) Define “Optimum moisture content of the soil” and state on what factors it
depends. [8+8]

7. The following readings were obtained in a consolidation test

Pressure (kpa) 0 50 100 200 400 800

Thickness of 19 18.98 18.95 18.80 18.31 17.76
sample after 24
hours (mm)

The final water content was 30.1% and G=2.75, plot a graph of void ratio versus
effective pressure, and from the curve find the coefficient of compressibility when
the pressure is 300 kN/m2 . If the coefficient of permeability is 20 ×10−6 mm / sec,
find the coefficient of consolidation of the soil. [16]

8. Explain the principle of the direct shear test, what are the advantages and limita-
tions of this test. [16]

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

2 of 2