Soil mechanics short questions

1. Define soil mechanics?

Soil mechanics is a branch of Civil Engineering concerned with the study of soil and
its behavior under different types of loads using the principles of engineering
mechanics, fluid mechanics, mechanics of dynamics ,thermal dynamics ,etc.
2. Define geotechnical engg ?
Geotechnical engineering deals with the application of soil mechanics to civil
engineering field problems. Soil mechanics is a science, but its application is an art.
3. Define weathering.
Weathering is a process whereby an intact rock mass is decomposed or broken into
a loose material by the action of various atmospheric agents.(like wind ,air,
temperature)

4. Define physical weathering

Physical weathering is a term used in science that refers to the geological process of
rocks breaking into smaller parts. Agent (wind ,
Define chemical weathering

5. Define residual soil.

Residual soil are those soil which are deposited at the place of decomposition. Define
6;-transported soil.
Transported soil are those soil which are moved and deposited at other places.

6. Give example of organic soil.

1:-peat(partially decomposed organic matter)
2:- Muck (completely decomposed organic matter)
7. Give example of residual and transported soil.
Residual soil:- i. Coarse grained ii. Fine grained
Transported soil:- i. Alluvial deposits ii. Aolean deposits iii. Colluvial deposits iv. Glacial deposits v.
Lucastrine deposits vi. Marine deposits vii. Pyroclastic deposits
8. How these soils are transported. Galcial,alluvial,lacustrine,marine,aeolian,colluvial, pyroclastic soil
1. Glacial soils: formed by transportation and deposition of glaciers. 2. Alluvial soils :transported by
running water and deposited along streams. 3. Lacustrinesoils: formed by deposition in quiet lakes. 4.
Marinesoils: formed bydepositionin the seas. 5. Aeolian soils :transported and deposited by the wind.
6. Colluvial soils: formed by movement of soil from its original place by gravity ,such as during
landslide. 7. Pyroclastic soils: materials ejected from volcanoes, and transported through gravity and
wind
9. Define soil fabric
Geometric arrangement of soil particles is called soil fabric.
10. Define soil structure.
Geometric arrangement +inter-particle forces is called soil structure.
11. What are the forces present in soil.
1. Weight of soil particles,( force of gravity) 2. (Particle surface forces,) cohesion force
12. What is single grained structure.
Formed by the suspension of coarse-grained particles in a soil-fluid suspension. • Generally formed by
cohesionless particles (e.g.sands) • In loose form soils may be weak and unstable but quality can be
improved by compaction.
13. What is honey combed structure.
Formed by the particles having inter-particular attraction (cohesion)greater than their weight. •
Structure having large voids inside. • Meta-stable structure. • May be stable under static loads but can
fail upon vibrations or dynamic load application.
14. What is flocculent structure.
• Formed by very small sized particles(<5x10-4cm) • Soil particles floating at the surface join together
and form flocs. Settling down of flocs give rise to flocculent structure. • Double-honey combed
structure.
15. Give example of single grained, honeycombed and flocculent structure.
single grained:- course grained
honey comb:-fine grained
fluculent:- (silt , clay)
16. Write down the names of clayey mineral present in clayey soils
1. Kaolinite 2. Illite 3. Montmorillonite
17. What are 3 phases of soil.
Three phase of soil consist of (solid particles,liquid particles,voids) and draw the diagram of 3 phase
system.
18. Define the void ratio,porosity,air porosity, degree of saturation, moisture content, unit weight,dry unit
weight,saturated unit weight,submerged unit weight,specific gravity
1:-Void ratio:- e=Vv/Vs 4:-degree of saturation:- s= Vw/Vv X100%
2:-porosity:- n=Vv/Vt 5:-moisture content W= Ww/Ws X100%
3:-air porosity:- na=Va/Vt 6:-unit weight:- in slide three phase diagram
19. Write the formulas of weigh-volume relationship.
In slide three phase system
20. Define sieve analysis?
A sieve analysis is a practice or procedure used to assess the particle size distribution of a granular
material .or distribution of soil particles is called sieve analysis.
21. Define hydrometer analysis.
A hydrometer analysis is the process by which fine-grained soils, silts and clays, are
graded. Hydrometer analysis is performed if the grain sizes are too small for sieve analysis.
22. What is the size of Sieve#4, #100 and #200 ?
Sieve no 4:- 4.75mm
Sieve no 100: -0.150 mm
Sieve no 200:- 0.075mm
23. What is wet sieving.
 Wet sieving is a method to separate the coarse material with water or another type of liquid
before drying, identifying and analysing.
24. Define gradation curve.
A dense gradation will result in an even curve on the gradation graph. The curve is called
gradation curve.

25. Define Cu and Cc and its formula in sieve analysis?

Cu and Cc gives us idea about particle size distribution of a soil.
the ratio of D60 to D10 is called cu.
Cc It is the parameter estimated using the gradation curve through sieve analysis.

26. What is the value of Cu of uniformly graded soil.

The value of uniformly graded soil is 1.
27. Values of Cc and Cu for well graded soils.
1:-Value of cc for well graded is more than 1.
2:- A value of Cu greater than 4 to 6 classifies the soil as well graded.
28. Define Atterberg limits.
The Atterberg limits are a basic measure of the critical water contents of a fine-grained soil:
its shrinkage limit, plastic limit, and liquid limit.
29. What is shrinkage, plastic and liquid limit.
Shrinkage limit:-the moisture content below which there is no change in volume in this soil is called
shrinkage limit.
Plastic limit:-the moisture content in which the thread of soil of size 3mm to start crumble is called
plastic limit.
Liquid limit:-it is the moisture content required to close a 2mm wide grove in soil pat at a distance of
12.7mm along the bottom of grove after 25 blows.
30. How to determine liquid limit using one point and 3-point method?
One point method:-using empirical formula to fined liquid limit with the help of casagrandey
apparatus.
3 point method:-graphical method by using casagrandey apparatus. It is most accurate method.
31. Define flow curve.

32. How to determine plastic limit.

The plastic limit test is simple and is performed by repeating rolling of an ellipsoidal sized soil mass by
hand on a ground glass plate . the moisture content in which the thread of soil of size 3mm to start
crumble is called plastic limit.

33. Define liquidity index and its values for different soil state.
The relative consistence of a cohesive soil in the natural state can be defined by a ratio called the
liquidity index. Which is given by IL= Wn-PL/Pi
Value:-IL= 1 (Soil is at liquid limit)
 =0(soil is at semi /solid state
=1>(soil is at liquid state)
34. Define toughness index and its values of different soil states.
It is defined as the ratio of plasticity index to the flow index.
IT=IP/IF

35. What is active clay.

36. Define fine and coarse soil a/c to USCS.

Fine soil:- when soil sample is passing from sieve no 200 is greater than 50% the soil is called fine
grained soil.
Coarse soil: when soil sample is passing from sieve no 200 is less than 50% the soil is called coarse
grained soil.

37. Define fine and coarse soil a/c to AASHTO.

Fine soil:- when soil sample is passing from sieve no 200 is greater than 35% the soil is called fine
grained soil.
Coarse soil: when soil sample is passing from sieve no 200 is less than 35% the soil is called coarse
grained soil.

38. USCS naming Convention.

Unified soil classification system.
39. Define Clay,silt,sand and gravel a/c to USCS.
1:-Clay (C): Soil passing No. 200 (0.075 mm) sieve that exhibits plasticity. It has PI ≥ 4 and plot of PI and
LL falls on or above “A” line.
2:- Silt (M): Soil passing No. 200 (0.075 mm) sieve that is non plastic or very slightly plastic and that
exhibits little or no strength when air dry. It has PI < 4 or the plot of PI versus LL falls below “A” line.
3:- Sand (S): Particles of rock that will pass No. 4 (4.75 mm) sieve and retained on No. 200 (0.075 mm)
sieve.
4:- Gravel (G): Particles of rock that will pass 3 in. (76.2 mm) sieve and retained on No. 4 (4.75 mm)
sieve.
40. Ration of oven dry liquid limit and air dry liquid limit for organic soil?
41. For subgrade soil, which classification system is used.
For subgrade soil aashto classification system is used.

42. How many groups are in AASHTO.

8 groups are in aashto.
43. Organic soil are in which group of AASHTO.

44. Required tests for soil classification.

1:-sieve analysis
2:-atterberg limit
45. What is fine and coarse soil a/c to AASHTO.
46. Fine soil is in which group of AASHTO
47. Coarse soil is in which group of AASHTO.
48. Define group index and how it represented.
49. How group index shows the quality of soil.