THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING

SEMESTER 2 ASSESSMENT – NOVEMBER 2014

ENEN20002 EARTH PROCESSES FOR ENGINEERING

Exam Duration: 2 hours

Reading Time: 15 minutes

This paper has 11 pages

Authorised Materials:
• Electronic calculators approved by the School of Engineering may be used.
• Drawing instruments including scale rules, compasses and protractors may be used.

Instructions to Invigilators:
• Two 14 page script books are to be provided to each candidate; each candidate should attempt
questions 1 to 3 and questions 4 to 6 in two SEPARATE SCRIPT BOOKS.

Instructions to Students:
• Candidates should attempt questions 1 to 3 and questions 4 to 6 in two SEPARATE SCRIPT
BOOKS. On the front cover (top left hand corner) of each script book, tick the numbers of
questions that have been attempted.
• Candidates should attempt ALL SIX questions.
• Maximum possible marks are 120 in 120 minutes of examination. Note that these are NOT
percentage marks.
• Questions are NOT of equal weight. The number in parentheses at the end of each question
indicates the marks allocated to that question.
• Candidates need to ensure that the relevant student enrolment number is provided at the top
right hand corner of the graph on page 11 when it is submitted as part of your answer for
Question 6.

Paper to be lodged with Baillieu Library

 ENEN20002 Earth Processes for Engineering
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***** ATTEMPT QUESTIONS 1 TO 3 IN A SEPARATE SCRIPT BOOK *****

Question 1

(a) Which one or more of the following three statements provides information about climate (as
opposed to weather)?
A. Melbourne’s average daily maximum temperature in March is 23.9ºC.
B. The maximum daily temperature in Melbourne on the 15th of March 2002 was 23.9ºC
C. The month with the most rainfall on average in Melbourne is October.
(2 marks)

(b) Draw a diagram of the vertical global atmospheric circulation cells, name the cells and explain
how the circulation works.

(7 marks)

(c) The following graph shows the saturation vapour pressure-temperature relationship, with two
parcels of air, A and B.
i. Which of A or B is likely to be experiencing condensation? Explain your answer.
(3 marks)
ii. What is the dew-point temperature for the air at B?
(1 marks)
8
Saturation Vapour Pressure (kPa)

5
A
4
B
3

0
-20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50
Temperature (degC)

(Question 1 continued on the next page)

 ENEN20002 Earth Processes for Engineering
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(d) With reference to the processes that lead to precipitation, explain why Darwin has a high annual
average rainfall (1700 mm), while Alice Springs has a low annual average rainfall (280mm).
To help answering this question you should note that Darwin is in the tropics and located where
there is generally rising air and Alice Springs is in the mid-latitudes where there is generally
descending air.

(6 marks)

(e) Calculate the net radiation for a surface with the following properties.
Incoming (i.e. downward) shortwave radiation: 800 W/m2
Temperature: 35°C (308 K)
Albedo: 0.2
Emissivity: 0.9

The Stephan-Boltzman Equation is: Thermal radiation emitted = εσT 4

σ = 5.672 ×10−8 Wm-2K-4
(5 marks)

(f) The group of gases that includes Carbon Dioxide, Methane, water vapour and various other
gases affects the surface temperature of the Earth.

i Name the phenomenon involved and explain how it works.

(4 marks)

ii Explain why engineers have an important role in addressing the above phenomena.

(2 marks)

(Total marks for Question 1 = 30)

 ENEN20002 Earth Processes for Engineering
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Question 2

(a) Draw a diagram of the catchment water cycle and label the important fluxes and stores of
water.
(6 marks)

(b) For the last 5 years, the average annual rainfall for Five Mile Creek catchment was 600mm, the
average annual potential evapotranspiration was 1200mm and the average annual runoff from
the catchment is 30,000Ml. Frog Hollow catchment area is 1,000km2.

i. What was the annual average runoff depth?

(2 marks)
ii. Estimate the annual average actual evapotranspiration in mm.

(2 marks)
iii. What assumption did you make in answering ii?

(1 marks)

(Question 2 continued on the next page)

 ENEN20002 Earth Processes for Engineering
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(c) You have a two store catchment model that includes baseflow, evapotranspiration and surface
runoff due to saturation excess (see diagram below). The following information is available.

• The initial soil water storage, S, (i.e. at the start of the day) is 100mm.
• The soil water storage capacity, Smax, is 150mm.
• 15% of the catchment is saturated.
• You may assume that the only event runoff process is saturation excess runoff and
the saturated area does not change over the day.
• The precipitation for the day is 20mm.
• The potential evapotranspiration (PET) for the day is 3 mm.
• The actual evapotranspiration can be calculated as AET = PET*S/Smax
• The field capacity (F) is 75mm and drainage in mm from the soil storage to the
groundwater store can be calculated as (S-F) * 0.10.
• The baseflow for the day is 0.5mm.
• The initial groundwater storage is 25mm.
• The catchment area is 10km2.

i. Estimate the actual evapotranspiration for the day.

(1 marks)
ii. Estimate the surface runoff depth for the day.

(2 marks)
iii. Estimate the total runoff volume for the day.

(2 marks)
iv. Estimate the soil water storage and the groundwater storage at the end of the day.

(4 marks)

AET = PET*S/Smax

Smax
S

(S-F)*0.20

(Total marks for Question 2 = 20)

 ENEN20002 Earth Processes for Engineering
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Question 3

(a) The majority of the earth’s crust is composed of rocks made up of silicate minerals. Name the
two groups of silicate rocks based on their chemical composition and give one example rock
type for each group. Describe the characteristics (e.g. physical attributes, responses to
weathering) of each group that have important geotechnical implications.
(5 marks)

(b) Name four different agents of erosion. For each agent, give an example of a natural process or
human activity that may result in increased rates of erosion.
(5 marks)

(Total marks for Question 3 = 10)

 ENEN20002 Earth Processes for Engineering
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***** ATTEMPT QUESTIONS 4 TO 6 IN A SEPARATE SCRIPT BOOK *****

Question 4

(a) Clay minerals can have a 1:1 or a 2:1 structure. Give a brief explanation of the differences in
these structures and how the two different structures deal with wetting.
(3 mark)

(b) A sample of a clay soil deposit, upon which a structure is to be constructed, has the following
properties:
Total Volume = 100 cm3
Total Mass = 170 grams
Moisture Content (mass basis) = 16%
Specific Gravity of Solids = 2.70

i. Calculate the relative proportions, on a volume basis, of solid, water and air in the
sample.
(9 mark)

ii. The sample was then soaked for a day and the total volume increased to 105cm3, with a
corresponding increase in moisture content (mass basis) to 32%. Is the sample now
fully saturated? You have to justify your answer with relevant calculations.
(3 marks)

Note: In your calculation, you can assume density of water = 1 g/cm3

(Total marks for Question 4 = 15)

 ENEN20002 Earth Processes for Engineering
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Question 5

(a) In the context of soil mechanics, soil water can be described as “free” water and “adsorbed”
water. Explain briefly the difference between the two types of water that appear in soil.
(3 marks)

(b) Explain why a sand castle is most stable when the sand is kept moist but would collapse when
the sand is dried under the sun or when the sand is saturated by rain.
(3 marks)

(c) The table below shows the properties of three different types of soil, i.e. SM, CH and CL.
They have been labelled as A, B and C as shown in column 1. Suggest with brief explanation
which soil type that A, B and C each represents.

Soil Plastic Limit Liquid Limit Shrinkage Limit Coefficient of

(%) (%) (%) Permeability (m/s)
A 10 15 16 5.5x 10-5
B 22 65 4 1.5 x 10-9
C 18 32 11 3.0 x 10-8

Note: USCS denotations – S (sand), M (silt), C (clay), H (high plasticity) and, L (low plasticity)

(4 marks)

(Total marks for Question 5 = 10)

 ENEN20002 Earth Processes for Engineering
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Question 6

The diagram below shows the vertical cross-section of a proposed excavation to be conducted for a
basement construction in a saturated clay deposit. Representative soil samples have been collected
from the clay deposit and laboratory tests have been conducted which provided the following
results:
• ρsat = 2000 kg/m3
• At rest earth pressure coefficient k0 = 0.5
• c' = 10 kPa and φ' = 28o

Original ground surface

3m
σ1
σ3

3m
Saturated
Proposed clay
excavation Water
table

Not-to-scale

(a) Prior to excavation, calculate the pore water pressure u, σ1, σ3, σ1' and σ3' acting on the soil
element at 3m below ground surface. In you calculation, you can assume g = 10 m/s2.
(10 marks)

(b) Immediately after excavation, it can be assumed that no drainage will take place in the saturated
clay within this short period of time due to a very low soil permeability. The change in ∆σ3 on
the soil element will be -25 kPa (caused by a horizontal stress relief associated with the
excavation); the change in pore water pressure (∆u) will be -10 kPa (as monitored using
instruments installed in the field); and ∆σ1 can be assumed to remain unchanged (as no
additional vertical load will be applied). Calculate the total pore water pressure u, σ1, σ3, σ1' and
σ3' acting on the same soil element immediately after excavation.
(10 marks)

(Question 6 to be continued on next page)

 ENEN20002 Earth Processes for Engineering
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(c) Using the information obtained in (a) and (b) above, plot the total and effective stress Mohr
circles representing the stresses acting on the soil element, both prior to and immediately after
the unloading caused by excavation. Also draw the corresponding total stress path and effective
stress path. Clearly mark on your diagram (use different colours) which circles are total and
which are effective.
(8 marks)

(d) Superimpose the failure envelope based on the shear strength parameters obtained from the
laboratory tests onto your Mohr circle graph drawn in (c), and provide an assessment of the
stability of the soil element immediately after excavation.
(2 marks)

(e) Explain briefly why there will be a progressive deterioration in stability as drainage in the
saturated clay slowly takes place.
(2 marks)

(f) Assuming the excavation will fail as stability deteriorates, explain briefly by drawing a sketch
on your answer book how the orientation of the failure plane, and the corresponding normal
stress and shear stress acting on the failure plane can be determined graphically. You do not
have to draw your sketch on graph paper as a graphical/numerical solution is not expected.
(3 marks)

Important notes –

• The graphical solutions for (c) and (d) are to be presented in the graph provided on page 11.

• Make sure you write down your student enrollment number on the top right hand corner of the
graph on page 11 before submitting it with the relevant script book.

(Question 6 to be continued on next page)

 ENEN20002 Earth Processes for Engineering
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Student No________________

100
90
80
70
60
σ (kPa)
50
40
30
20
10
50

0
40

30

20

10

τ (kPa)

(Total marks for Question 6 = 35)

Total marks for examination = 120

-END OF EXAMINATION-