Soil Practice Set-4

1. A core cutter 12.6cm in height and 10.2 cm in diameter weights 1071gm when empty.
It is used to determine the in-situ unit weight of an embankment. The weight of core
cutter full of soil is 2970gm.if the water content is 6% what are the in-situ dry unit
weight and porosity? If the embankment gets fully saturated due to heavy rains what
will be the increase in water content and bulk unit weight, if no volume change occurs?
The specific gravity of the soil solids is 2.69.
IAS-1999, 20-MARKS

2. A highly sensitive volcanic clay was investigated in the laboratory and found to have
the following properties:
i. Ywet=12.65kN/m3
ii. G= 2.75
iii. e=0.9
iv. W%=311%
In rechecking the above values, one was found to be inconsistent with the rest. Find the
inconsistent value and report it correctly.
IAS-2001, 12-MARKS

3. The results of laboratory tests conducted on two soils A and B are as follows:
4.
% passing
Characteristic 0.75mm 4.75mm D10 D30 D60 W%LL W%PL
Soil A 14 92 0.14 0.33 1.0 16 8
Soil B 75 100 - - - 58 14

Classify the soil as per Indian standards.

IAS-2002, 20-MARKS

5. The soil in borrow pit has a void ratio of 0.9. a fill of volume 20,000m 3 is to be
constructed with as in-situ dry unit weight of 19.2kN/m3 . if the owner of borrow pit is
to be compensated at 2.5rs per cubic meter of excavation then determine the cost of
compensation. Take G=2.68.. Yw=9.81kN/m3 .
IAS-2003, 12-MARKS

6. Discuss the I.S. classification based on grain size and classify the following soils.

% passing Atterberg limit

S.NO. 4.75mm 0.075mm 0.002mm Llimit Plimit
1 95 93 20 20 10
2 98 8 - Non plastic Uniformly
graded
3 93.2 72 - Non plastic
4 96 94 24 40 18
IAS-2003, 12-MARKS
7. The laboratory tests on a soil sample reported to value of Liquid limit, Plastic limit and
Shrinkage Limit as 60%, 30%, and 20% respectively. If the sample of the soil at liquid
limit has a volume of 40cc and its volume measured at shrinkage limit was 23.5cc,
determine specific gravity of the solids. What is the shrinkage ratio?
IAS-2005, 12-MARKS

8. The weight of a specimen immediately after removal from sampler was 35.20gm and
the same specimen after overdrying weighed 20.20gm. the volume of the sample before
drying was found by immersing in mercury to be 25cc. if the specific gravity of soil
solids was 2.70. what were the moisture content, void ratio, degree of saturation, bulk
density and drying density of the specimen?
IAS-2006, 12-MARKS

9. A soil sample has wet density of 20kN/m3 and dry density of 18kn/m3. If the specific
gravity of soil is 2.67. calculate void ratio.
IAS-2007, 12-MARKS

10. An earth embankment is to be constructed. The soil is to be compacted at maximum

dry density of 18kN/m3 at optimum moisture content=15%. The in-situ bulk density
and water content in borrow pit are 17kn/m3 and 8% respectively. How much
excavation should be carried out in the borrow pit for each cubic meter of embankment?
Assume G=2.7; Yw=10kN/m3.
IAS-2007, 20-MARKS

11. The liquid limit of clay soil is 66% and its plastic index is 25%.
I. In what state of consistency is this clay, if its natural moisture content is
45%?
II. The void ratio of clay on drying to minimum volume is 0.88. what is its
shrinkage limit if the limit specific gravity of clay is 2.71?
IAS-2008, 12-MARKS