CONFIDENTIAL

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

KAMPUS PULAU PINANG

TEST 2: CEG461 (SOIL MECHANICS)

NAME : ……………………………………………………………………………….…

STUDENT NUMBER :………………………………………………………………....

PROGRAM CODE : EC221 COURSE CODE : CEG461

GROUP : ……………………………… SEMESTER : SEP 2020-JAN 2021

DATE OF TEST : 02/02/2021 LECTURER : ……………………………

TIME TAKEN : 2 HOURS OPEN TEST: 9.00 – 11.00 AM

QUESTION MARKS CO1PO1 CO2PO1 CO3PO2

Q1 4

Q1 6

Q1 8

Q2 2

Q2 10

TOTAL 30 /6 /16 /8

Instruction to Students
1. Answer all questions.
2. All answers must be written in pen.
3. All written answers must be scanned clearly into a pdf format. If it
is not clear will be rejected. Only one file can be uploaded as an
answer.
4. Action will be taken for those students who are found to copy their
answer in any manner. Please write the declaration together
30 with your signature (as stated in page 1) at the end of your
answer sheet.
5. Please name your file as this format ‘group_subject_test_name’
(e.g: PEC2212A1_CEG461_TEST_ALYA BT ALI)
PREPARED BY:
CHECKED BY: VETTED BY:
27/1/21 27/1/21
………………….. ……………… 1/2/21
(Nor Hafizah Hanis Bt (Roziah Keria) 1/2/21
Abdullah) …………… …………………
(Roziah Keria) (Siti Fatimah Sadikon)
CC CEG461 RP CEG461
27/1/21
27/1/21 ………………
(Siti Fatimah Sadikon) (Badrul Nizam Ismail)
Student Declaration

“I hereby declare that this submission is based on my original efforts, not plagiarized from any
source(s), nor attempting to or communicating with any other person during the online assessment
period. I am fully aware that candidates who are suspected of violating this pledge are liable to be
referred to the Disciplinary Committee of the Faculty.”

Signature : ___________________________________________

Date : _______________________________________________
QUESTION 1

a) Explain TWO (2) differences of primary settlement and secondary settlement.

(CO1-PO1) (C1-C2)
(4 Marks)

b) In an oedometer test, an increment of 100 kN/m2 of total vertical pressure was applied to a
saturated clay specimen initially 20 mm thick. After 24 hours, the thickness of the sample was
reduced to 19.70 mm. Then, the applied pressure was released (unloading) from the specimen
and allowed to swell for another 24 hours. The final thickness was 19.75 mm and the moisture
content 32%. If the specimen was saturated throughout the test and the specific gravity of the
particles was 2.75, calculate the following:
i) the initial void ratio
ii) the coefficient of compressibility, mv when pressure applied raised 100kN/m2.
(CO2-PO1) (C3-C4)
(6 Marks)

c) During one of the loading stages in a consolidation test for 2-way drainage, the following
changes in thickness were recorded.

Time (min) 0.00 0.15 0.25 0.50 1.00 2.25 4.00 6.25 9.00
Dial gauge (mm) 8.25 7.96 7.94 7.82 7.71 7.49 7.28 7.11 6.99

Time (min) 16.0 25.0 36.0 49.0 64.0 81.0 100 300 1440
Dial gauge (mm) 6.87 6.79 6.74 6.71 6.68 6.66 6.65 6.60 6.52

At the end of the last stage (1440 min), the thickness of the specimen was 17.40 mm.
Determine:
i) The coefficient of consolidation, cv by using Casagrande Method.
(Note: Tv50 = 0.197)
ii) The coefficient of permeability, k if the coefficient of volume compressibility, mv is
0.714 x 10-3 m2/kN.
(CO3-PO2) (C3-C4)
(8 marks)
QUESTION 2

a) List TWO (2) advantages of shear box test.

(CO1-PO1) (C1-C2)
(2 Marks)

b) Table Q2b shows data obtained from series of Consolidated-Drained (CD) triaxial test.
Assuming the failure envelope is linear,
i) Determine the effective shear strength parameter by using the data of
sample 1 and sample 2.
ii) Based on the failure envelope from question (i), determine the deviator
stress at failure for Sample 3.
iii) Using the same failure envelope, determine the effective cell pressure for
Sample 4.

Table Q2b
Sample 1 2 3 4
Effective cell
pressure [kPa] 100 200 300 ?

Effective
deviator stress 187 343 ? 250
at failure [kPa]

(CO2-PO1) (C3-C4)
(10 marks)

End of Question
 APPENDIX
LIST OF FORMULA