kN/m2.

Determine the resultant stress on the failure plane,

the angle of internal friction of the soil and the angle of
1. Determine the neutral and effective stress at a depth of 16 m inclination of the failure plane to the major principal plane.
below the ground level for the following conditions: Water a. 10.77 kN/m2; 55°54’ c. 10.77 kN/m2; 111°48’
table is 3 m below ground level ; G = 2.68; e = 0.72; average b. 17.20 kN/m ; 68°11’
2 d. 17.20 kN/m2; 124°06’
water content of the soil above water table is 8%.
a. 127.5 kPa; 174.1 kPa c. 107.9 kPa; 105.4 kPa 12. Calculate the potential shear strength on a horizontal plane
b. 157.0 kPa; 153.24 kPa d. 301.6 kPa; 127.5 kPa at a depth of 3 m below the surface in a formation of
cohesionless soil when the water table is at a depth of 3.5
2. Compute the total, effective and pore pressure at a depth of m. The degree of saturation may be taken as 0.5 on the
15 m below the bottom of a lake 6 m deep. The bottom of average. Void ratio = 0.50; grain specific gravity = 2.70;
the lake consists of soft clay with a thickness of more than angle of internal friction = 30°. What will be the modified
15 m. The average water content of the clay is 40% and the value of shear strength if the water table reaches the ground
specific gravity of soils may be assumed to be 2.65. surface ? Use γ = 10 kN/m3
a. 206.0 kPa; 117.9 kPa c. 265.1 kPa; 117.9 kPa a. 34 kN/m2; 19.6 kN/m2 c. 34 kN/m2; 10.4 kN/m2
b. 371.1 kPa; 165.1 kPa d. 301.6 kPa; 165.1 kPa b. 37 kN/m2; 19.6 kN/m2 d. 37 kN/m2; 10.4 kN/m2

3. Estimate the coefficient of permeability for a uniform sand 13. The following results were obtained in a shear box text.
where a sieve analysis indicates that the D10 size is 0.12 Determine the angle of shearing resistance and cohesion
mm. intercept:
a. 1.44 x10-1 cm/s c. 0.0144 cm/s
b. 0.0144 mm/s d. 1.44 x10-1 mm/s
a. 30° c. 29°
4. The discharge of water collected from a constant head b. 31° d. 28°
permeameter in a period of 15 minutes is 500 ml. The
internal diameter of the permeameter is 5 cm and the 14. A particular soil failed under a major principal stress of 300
measured difference in head between two gauging points 15 kN/m2 with a corresponding minor principal stress of 100
cm vertically apart is 40 cm. Calculate the coefficient of kN/m2. If, for the same soil, the minor principal stress had
permeability. been 200 kN/m2, determine what the major principal stress
If the dry weight of the 15 cm long sample is 4.86 N and would have been if (a) φ = 30° and (b) φ = 0°.
the specific gravity of the solids is 2.65, calculate the a. 600 kPa; 400 kPa c. 200 kPa; 600 kPa
seepage velocity. Use γ = 10 kN/m3 b. 400 kPa; 600 kPa d. 600 kPa; 200 kPa
a. 0.0106 mm/s; 0.075 mm/s c. 0.106 cm/s; 0.750 cm/s
b. 0.106 mm/s; 0.750 mm/s d. 0.0106 mm/s; 0.075 cm/s 15. In an unconfined compression test, a sample of sandy clay 8
cm long and 4 cm in diameter fails under a load of 120 N at
5. In a falling head permeability test, head causing flow was 10% strain. Compute the shearing resistance taking into
initially 50 cm and it drops 2 cm in 5 minutes. How much account the effect of change in cross-section of the sample.
time required for the head to fall to 25 cm ? a. 8.60 N/cm2 c. 9.55 N/cm2
a. 94.8 min. c. 84.9 min. b. 4.30 N/cm2 d. 4.77 N/cm2
b. 1.58 hr. d. 1.40 hr.
16. In a triaxial shear test conducted on a soil sample having a
6. A horizontal stratified soil deposit consists of three layers cohesion of 12 kN/m2 and angle of shearing resistance of
each uniform in itself. The permeabilities of these layers are 36°, the cell pressure was 200 kN/m2. Determine the value
8 × 10–4 cm/s, 52 × 10–4 cm/s, and 6 × 10–4 cm/s, and of the deviator stress at failure.
their thicknesses are 7, 3 and 10 m respectively. Find the a. 817 kPa c. 616 kPa
effective average permeability of the deposit in the b. 508 kPa d. 816 kPa
horizontal and vertical directions.
a. 1.36x10-3; 7.7x10-3 cm/s c. 13.6x10-3; 7.7x10-3 mm/s 17. A sample of dry sand is subjected to a triaxial test. The
b. 1.36x10-3; 7.7x10-3 mm/s d. 13.6x10-3; 7.7x10-3 cm/s angle of internal friction is 37 degrees. If the minor principal
stress is 200 kN/m2, at what value of major principal stress
7. Determine the order of magnitude of the composite shape will the soil fail ?
factor in the Poiseulle’s equation adapted for flow of water a. 804.56 kPa c. 1004.56 kPa
through uniform sands that have spherical grains and a void b. 604.56 kPa d. 884.56 kPa
ratio of 0.9, basing this determination on Hazen’s
approximate expression for permeability. 18. The shearing resistance of a soil is determined by the
a. 0.2657 c. 0.02657 equation s = c′ + σ′ tan φ′. Two drained triaxial tests are
b. 0.002657 d. 26.5679 performed on the material. In the first test the all-round
pressure is 200 kN/m2 and failure occurs at an added axial
8. Permeability tests on a soil sample gave the following data: stress of 600 kN/m2. In the second test all-round pressure is
350 kN/m2 and failure occurs at an added axial stress of
1050 kN/m2. What values of c′ and φ′ correspond to these
results?
a. 12 kPa; 36°30’ c. 0; 36°30’
Estimate the coefficient of permeability at 27°C for a void b. 12 kPa; 36°52’ d. 0; 36°52’
ratio of 0.90.
19. Given the following data from a consolidated undrained test
with pore water pressure measurement, determine the total
a. 1.063x10-3 mm/s c. 1.010x10-3 mm/s and effective stress parameters:
b. 0.942x10-3 mm/s d. 1.002x10-3 mm/s

9. The D10 size of a soil is 0.01 mm. Assuming (1/5) D10 as the a. 13°; 39° c. 15°; 41°
pore size, estimate the height of capillary rise assuming b. 14°; 40° d. 12°; 38°
surface tension of water as 75 dynes/cm.
a. 15.3 m c. 15.3 km 20. A vane, 10.8 cm long, 7.2 cm in diameter, was pressed into
b. 3.05 m d. 10 m a soft clay at the bottom of a bore hole. Torque was applied
and the value at failure was 45 Nm. Find the shear strength
10. The effective sizes of two soils are 0.05 mm and 0.10 mm, of the clay on a horizontal plane.
the void ratio being the same for both. If the capillary rise in a. 42 kPa c. 41 kPa
the first soil is 72 cm, what would be the capillary rise in the b. 39 kPa d. 38 kPa
second soil ?
a. 54 cm c. 36 cm 21. A retaining wall, 6 m high, retains dry sand with an angle of
b. 90 cm d. 144 cm friction of 30° and unit weight of 16.2 kN/m3. Determine the
earth pressure at rest. If the water table rises to the top of
11. The stresses at failure on the failure plane in a cohesionless the wall, determine the increase in the thrust on the wall.
soil mass were: Shear stress = 4 kN/m2; normal stress = 10
 Assume the submerged unit weight of sand as 10 kN/m3.
a. 142.2 kN/m run c. 124.4 kN/m run
b. 142.4 kN/m run d. 124.2 kN/m run

22. A gravity retaining wall retains 12 m of a backfill, γ = 17.7

kN/m3 φ = 25° with a uniform horizontal surface. Assume
the wall interface to be vertical, determine the magnitude
and point of application of the total active pressure. If the
water table is a height of 6 m, how far do the magnitude and
the point of application of active pressure changed?
a. +120.6 kN; -0.38 m c. -120.6 kN; -0.38 m
b. +120.6 kN; -0.40 m d. -120.6 kN; -0.40 m

23. A smooth backed vertical wall is 6.3 m high and retains a

soil with a bulk unit weight of 18 kN/m3 and φ = 18°. The top
of the soil is level with the top of the wall and is horizontal. If
the soil surface carries a uniformly distributed load of 4.5
kN/m2, determine the total active thrust on the wall per lineal
metre of the wall and its point of application.
a. 383.6 kN; 2.65 m c. 338.6 kN; 2.56 m
b. 338.6 kN; 2.56 m d. 383.6 kN; 2.65 m

24. The Rankine formula of active earth pressure for a vertical

wall and a level fill is much better known than the general
form and sometimes it is used even when it does not apply.
Determine the percentage error introduced by assuming a
level fill when the angle of surcharge actually equals 20°.
Assume a friction angle of 35° and the wall vertical.
Comment of the use of the erroneous result.
a. 14.85% c. 14.58%
b. 15.48% d. 15.84%

25. A retaining wall, 7.5 m high, retains a cohsionless backfill.

The top 3 m of the fill has a unit weight of 18 kN/m3 and φ =
30° and the rest has unit weight of 24 kN/m 3 and φ = 20°.
Determine the pressure distribution on the wall.
a. 256.41 kN; 2.424 m c. 256.41 kN; 2.244 m
b. 265.14 kN; 2.424 m d. 265.14 kN; 2.244 m