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EVALUATION EXAMINATION – GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING (Set A)

INSTRUCTION: Select the best answer to each of the
following questions. Mark only one answer for each item by
shading the box corresponding to the letter of your choice on
the answer sheet provided. STRICTLY NO ERASURES
ALLOWED. Use pencil no. 2 only
DO NOT WRITE ANYTHING ON THIS PAPER. DO NOT FOLD
OR MUTILATE.
10. Determine the N-Value for Medium Sand.
A. 4-10 B. 30-50 C. 10-30 D. Over 50
Situation: A dense silt layer has the following properties: void ratio
= 0.40, effective diameter d10 = 10 μm, capillary constant C =
0.20cm2. Free ground water level is 8.0 m below the ground
surface. Assumed unit weight of solids = 26.487 kN/m 3. If the
capillary zone is at 80% saturation.

Situation: The soil below has a specific gravity of 2.67 and 11. What is the effective stress 3m below the ground (just below
effective size of particle is 0.01mm. Using the net flow below; the capillary rise)?
A. 17.5 kPa B. 105.80 kPa C. 56.8 kPa D. 96 kPa

12. What is the effective stress 2m below the ground?

A. 38.70 kPa B. 37.80 kPa C. 30.30 kPa D. 33 kPa

13. The maximum specific energy in a rectangular channel is 9

feet. The critical velocity, in ft/sec, is most nearly:
A. 225.63 kPa C. 185.27 kPa
B. 186.40 kPa D. 224.51 kPa

14. Foundations for all buildings where the surface of the ground
slopes more than _____ shall be level or shall be stepped so that
both top and bottom of such foundation are level.
A. 10 % B. 20 % C. 5 % D. 15 %

15. Which of the following contains the information for Field

borehole log?
I. Project Location
1. Determine the permeability coefficient using Hazen’s formula II. Depth of Borehole
in cm/s. Overestimate the flow by using C = 15. III. Ground Elevation
A. 0.015 B. 0.0015 C. 0.15 D. 1.5 IV. Ground water table elevation
V. Date Started and Finished
2. Using Forheimer’s equation, determine the seepage VI. Name of Client
underneath the 1000-foot wide concrete dam in ft3/s. VII. Size of Boreholes.
A. 155 B. 1845 C. 1548 D. 185 A. I,II,III,IV C. I,II,III,IV,V
B. I,II,IV,VI,VII D. All of the above
3. Determine the velocity at point “a” in ft/hr.
A. 0.019 B. 0.0019 C. 0.0097 D. 0.097 Situation: In a specific gravity test, the following are recorded:
Mass of pycnometer jar = 40 grams
Situation: A road embankment needs 130 000cu.m. to be
Mass of pycnometer jar when full of water = 674 grams
completed. DPWH requires 96% compaction and the contractor is Mass of pycnometer jar containing soil = 485 grams
to provide soil from a borrow site. If the optimum moisture content Mass of pycnometer jar containing soil and topped with water =
is 17% and the maximum dry density is 19.20kN/m3. 946 grams
4. Determine the weight of dry soil in the embankment. 16. Compute the specific gravity of solid.
A. 2,200,000 C. 2,400,000 A. 2.50 B. 2.57 C. 2.64 D. 2.71
B. 2,300,000 D. 2,500,000
17. Find the void ratio of the soil if the dry unit weight is 1.55 grams
5. How much borrowed soil is required per cubic meter if the per cm3.
moisture content of the borrowed material is 14% and the moist A. 0.42 B. 0.66 C. 0.58 D. 0.82
unit weight of the borrow is 17kN/m3.
A. 140,950 C. 146,823 18. The slope of cut surfaces as per NSCP 2010 shall be no
B. 160,684 D. 167,378 steeper than ______ slope unless a geotechnical engineering
report stating that the site has been investigated and a cut at a
6. How many truckloads of borrow material are needed if the soil steeper slope will be stable and not create a hazard to public or
would have a specific gravity 2.6 and void ratio of 0.70 and the private property is approved.
capacity of each truck is 9cubic meter. A. 33.33% B. 50% C. 66.67% D. 100%
A. 17,746 B. 15,667 C. 18,598 D. 17,854
19. Which of the following statements is TRUE for the relation
7. How many cu.m of water are needed? between discharge velocity and seepage velocity?
A. 7327.71 B. 7.33 C. 3354.62 D. 3.35 A. Seepage velocity is always smaller than discharge velocity
B. Seepage velocity is equal to the discharge velocity
8. A process by which water-saturated soil sediment temporarily C. Seepage velocity can never be smaller than discharge velocity
loss strength and acts as a fluid. D. No relation between seepage velocity and discharge velocity
A. Consolidation C. Plasticity can be established
B. Settlement D. Liquefaction
20. The ratio of the difference between the void ratios of a
9. The process opposite to consolidation which involves an cohesionless soil in its loosest state and existing natural state to
increase in volume of voids is called ______________. the difference between its void ratio in the loosest and densest
A. Expansion C. Water Absorption states.
B. Swelling D. Thixotropy
A. Void Index C. Density Relation 28. A pumping well of 25 cm diameter was fully penetrated into a
B. Void Ratio D. Density Index 20m thick bed of sand which lies between two clay layers of
negligible permeability. Laboratory tests revealed that the sand
Situation: From the figure shown:
had a co-efficient of permeability of 0.03 cm/sec. A steady state
was reached when the drawdown in the test well was 4.3 m and
the corresponding discharge was 12 liters/sec. Estimate the
drawdown in an observation well sunk at a distance of 20m from
the pumping well.
A. 1.51m B. 1.15m C. 1.48 D. 1.84

29. The unconfined compressive strength of a saturated clay

sample is 54 KPa. The value of cohesion for the sand is?
A. 0 KPa B. 54 KPa C. 13.5KPa D. 27 KPa

Situation: Classify the soil according to the USDA textural

classification system. The soil has particle size distribution of:
Gravel 21%
Sand 12%
Silt 35%
Clay 32%

30. Determine the modified percentage of silt.

21. Determine the value of h. A. 18.99 % B. 15.19 % C. 40.51 % D. 44.30 %
A. 3.21 m B. 3.54 m C. 4.25 m D. 3.98 m
31. Determine the modified percentage of clay.
22. Determine the value of T. A. 18.99% B. 15.19% C. 40.51% D. 44.30%
A. 117 kN B. 1.22 kN C. 127 kN D. 132 kN
32. A layer of soft clay having an initial void ratio of 2.00 is 10 m
23. Determine the total active force. thick. Under a compressive load applied above it, the void ratio
A. 585 kN B. 608 kN C. 623 kN D. 638 kN decreased by one-half. Evaluate the reduction in the thickness of
the clay layer, in meter (m).
24. The sum of the vertical components of the forces developed at A. 3.33 B. 6.67 C. 7.50 D. 3.50
the points of contact of the solid particles per unit cross sectional
area of the soil mass. 33. The value of the average contact pressure between the
A. Effective Stress C. Partial Stress foundation and the soil which will produce shear failure in the soil.
B. Maximum Stress D. Total Stress A. Axial Capacity
B. Bearing Capacity
25. From the figure shown, determine the total head at point C. C. Combined Axial and Bending Capacity
D. Shear Capacity

Situation: Assume a buried stratum of clay 1.83 m thick will be

subjected to a stress increase of 33.6 KPa at the center of clay.
The magnitude of the pre-construction soil overburden pressure is
48 KPa at the center of the clay layer. A laboratory compression
test indicates that the clay has a pre-consolidation pressure of 72
KPa. Compression index is 0.3 and the value of swell index is 0.05.
Void ratio of clay is 1.5.

34. Compute the settlement due to primary compression of clay.

A. 16.5smm B. 17.6mm C. 18.4mm D. 19.8mm

35. If full consolidation settlement, primary compression settlement

requires approximately 8 years, compute the settlement due to
secondary compression of clay over a period of 20 years’ time
A. 22.250 cm C. 16.175 cm span. Assume secondary compression index is 0.008.
B. 18.250 cm D. 20.175 cm A. 1.85mm B. 2.40mm C. 3.21mm D. 2.78mm

26. When the effective stress of the soil is equal to zero, the soil is Situation: A square footing has a dimension of 1.3m by 1.3m
said to be in. with its bottom 0.9m below the ground surface. The ground water
A. Static Equilibrium C. Quicksand Condition table is located at a depth of 1.2m below the ground surface.
B. Plastic Equilibrium D. None of these Assume local shear failure.
Use: Nc=37.16 Nq=22.46 Nɣ=19.30
27. In a falling head permeameter, the sample used is 20 cm long ɣ=17.6 KN/m3 c=12.2 kPa, Ø=30°
having a cross-sectional area of 24 cm2. Calculate the time Ɣsat=19.7 KN/m3
required for a drop of head from 25 cm to 12 cm if the cross-
36. Compute the ultimate bearing capacity of the soil beneath the
sectional area of the stand pipe is 2 cm 2. The sample of soil is
column.
made of three layers. The thickness of the first layer from the top A. 1102 KPa C. 923 KPa
is 8 cm and has a value of k1= 2 x10-4 cm/sec, the second layer of B. 1062 KPa D. 866 KPa
thickness 8 cm has k2 = 5 x 10-4 cm/sec and the bottom layer of
thickness 4 cm has k3 = 7 x 10-4 cm/sec. Assume that the flow is 37. Compute the allowable load that the footing can carry based
taking place perpendicular to the layers. on soil bearing capacity using FS=2.7.
A. 75 min B. 62.9 sec C. 62.9 min D. 75 sec A. 598 KN B. 664 KN C. 542 KN D. 613 KN
Situation: A 300 mm diameter test well penetrates 27 m. below a depth of 18ft below the ground surface. Compute the shear
the static water table. After 24 hours of pumping at 69 liters/sec. strength of this soil at depth of 15 ft below the ground surface.
The water level in an observation well at a distance of 98 m. from A. 1291 lb B. 1354 lb C. 2473 lb D. 1147 lb
the test well is lowered 0.56 m. and the other observation well at a
distance of 34.5 m. from the test well, the drawdown is 1.10 m. 51. A certain soil has c = 12 KPa and Ø = 32°. The major total
principal stress at a point in this soil is 348 KPa and the pore water
38. What is the rate of flow in m3/day? pressure at this point is 96 kPa. Determine the total cell pressure
A. 6591.6 m3/day C. 5691.6 m3/day given.
B. 6691.5 m3/day D. 5961.6 m3/day a. 94 KPa b. 64 KPa c. 160 KPa d. 127 KPa

39. Compute the coefficients of permeability of the aquifer in Situation: A braced cut is shown in the figure. The struts are
m/day. placed at a spacing of 3m center to center. n = 0.75
A. 60.27 m/day C.60.72 m/day
B. 70.10 m/day D.70.01 m/day

40. Compute the transmissibility of the aquifer in m2/day.

A. 1834.4 m2/day C.1634.4 m2/day
2
B. 1843.4 m /day D.1643.4 m2/day

Situation: The soil has a specific gravity of 2.6 and porosity of

0.35.

41. Determine the dry unit weight.

A. 16.58 kN/m3 C. 20.01 kN/m3 First Layer Soil Properties
B. 18.89 kN/m3 D. 21.44 kN/m3 Sand 𝛾 = 16.20 kN/m3 Ø = 34O
Second Layer Soil Properties
42. Determine the relative density of emax = 0.75 and emin = 0.3. Clay 𝛾 = 17.50 kN/m3 qu = 68 kN/m2
A. 0.47 B. 0.89 C. 0.51 D. 0.74
52. Determine the strut load at A in KN.
Situation: A concrete pile having a diameter of 0.30 m is L meter A. 131.47 B. 129.20 C. 120.96 D. 137.34
long which is embedded through a layer of 4.2 m thick of clay into
a dense compact sand having a bearing capacity factor of 78. Unit 53. Determine the strut load at B in KN.
weight of clay is 12 KN/m3 and saturated unit weight of sand is A. 160.28 B. 158.95 C. 155.52 D. 166.72
18KN/m3. Water table is located at the top of the sand layer.
Lateral pressure factor for compression is 1.2 with coefficient of Situation: A square footing carries an allowable load of 59130 kg
friction of concrete pile is 0.42 and cohesion of 95 KPa. Allowable including its own weight. The bottom of the footing is 1.0 m below
capacity of pile is 300KN and factor of safety of 3. the ground surface. Assume ρs = 1846 kg/m3, c = 1605 kg/m2, ø =
30O and ρsat = 1965 kg/m3. Use Nc = 35, Nq = 22 and N = 19.
43. Determine the point bearing capacity.
A. 61 KN B. 549 KN C. 215 KN D. 390 KN 54. Compute the effective surcharge at the bottom of the footing.
A. 18 kPa b. 16 kPa c. 22 kPa d. 20 kPa
44. Determine the ultimate skin frictional capacity of the pile.
A. 685 KN B. 511 KN C. 840 KN D. 351 KN 55. Compute the value of B using a gross factor of safety of 3.
Assume general shear failure.
45. Determine the total length of the pile. A. 1.20 m B. 1.35 m C. 1.12 m D. 1.27 m
A. 20.18m B. 16.48m C. 23.44m D. 13.11m
56. Compute the net factor of safety.
Situation: The major and minor principal stresses acting at a point A. 3.30 B. 3.75 C. 2.94 D. 2.55
in a stressed material are 80 KPa compression and 20 KPa
tension. Situation: A 9m high cut slope has unit weight of soil equal to
17kN/m3. Friction angle and cohesion along the rock surface 20°
46. Determine the maximum shear stress? and 24 kN/m2 , respectively. Slope angle that the cut makes with
A. 30 kPa B. 45 kPa C. 40 kPa D. 50 kPa horizontal = 30° and the failure plane makes with horizontal = 15°.
47. Determine the value of the normal stress acting on the plane
57. Compute the force tending to cause sliding.
that is 30 degrees counterclockwise from the major principal plane.
A. 356 KN B. 370 KN C. 297 KN D. 402 KN
A. 35 kPa B. 55 kPa C. 45 kPa D. 50 kPa
58. Compute the resistance to sliding force in KN.
48. The foundation soil at the toe of a masonry dam has a porosity
A. 1317.20 B. 1073.00 C. 1039.50 D. 1286.40
of 40% and the specific gravity of grains is 2.70. To assure safety
against piping, the specifications state that the upward gradient
59. Compute the factor safety against sliding.
must not exceed 25% of the gradient at which a quick condition
A. 2.90 B. 3.20 C. 3.50 D. 3.70
occurs. What is the maximum permissible upward gradient?
A. 0.500 B. 0.522 C. 0.255 D. 0.200
60. It is the amount of water content at which the soil is just starts
to flow but have a little shear strength.
49. A sample of clean sand was retrieved from 7 m below the
A. Moisture Content B. Shrinkage Limit
surface. The sample had been under a vertical load of 150 KN/m2,
C. Plastic Limit D. Liquid Limit
a horizontal load of 250 KN/m2, and a shear stress of 86.6 KN/m2.
What is the angle of friction of the sample?
A. 50° B. 46.32° C. 60° D. 30°

50. A certain soil has a unit weight of 121 lb/ft above the
groundwater table and 128 lb/ft below. lt has an effective cohesion “Don’t stop when you’re tired, STOP when
of 200 lb/ft, an effective friction angle of 31°, and extends from the you are DONE.”
ground surface down to a great depth. The groundwater table is at