EXAMS OFFICE, — — USE ONLY hrs 15 bok | University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg Course of topic No(s) = a 7 CIVN3004 Course or topic name(s) ee Paper Number & title : GEOTECHNICAL Examination / * to be held during month(s) of (delete as applicable) \ OCTOBER Lecce Year of Study (Arts & Science leave blank) THIRD Degree/Diplomas for which == this course is prescribed [ vl (BSc Eng) should indicate which branch) _| BS¢ (Eng) (Civil) a Facultyfies presenting candidates -— —— ———, [ENGINEERING AND THE BUILT ENVIRONME! Prof. F LEGGE DrI LUKER Internal examiner(s) and telephone extension number(s) Extemal examiner(s) Special materials required (graph/music/drawing paper, maps, GRAPH PAPER diagrams, tables, computer cards, ete.) Lmours [3 qmeer) Time Allowance Instructions to candidates (Examiners may wish to use this space to indicate, inter alia, the contribution ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS made by this examination or test towards NOTE THE MARKS ALLOCATION the year mark, if appropriate)CIVN 3004 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING OCTOBER 2008 PAGE 1 of 6 Question 1 ‘The owner of a small swimming pool accidentally confuses the valves on the pump and filter unit and leaves one of them open so that water drains out of the pool through the filter, as shown schematically in the figure below. When he returns a day later he finds the pool water level has dropped by 0,5m. If the sand filter is a 0,5m cube in shape, what is the permeability of the sand? (20) PLAN AREA oF Poot + SOme SAD FuLTER, OSm cose.CLVN 3004 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING OCTOBER 2008 PAGE 2 of 6 Question 2 The retaining wall shown below has been accidentally built on plastic sheeting whi reduces to a negligible amount the friction between the wall’s base and the soil. Initially a prop force P = 30 kN/ (m run of the wall) holds the wall stationary, but then the prop force is slowly reduced, allowing the wall to move. a) What is K, for the retained soil in the initial condition? (4) b) What is the minimum prop force? Derive from first principles any equation that you use. (8) ©) Draw a graph showing the shape of the relationship between the prop force and the wall’s movement. BI Total [15] RETAINED Sores 25m B= PP AN/n® e+ ze" oeCIVN 3004 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING OCTOBER 2008 PAGE 3 of 6 Question 3 @ The figure below shows a typical borehole log for a site where a tower is to be constructed. The tower is supported by four widely spaced columns, each carrying 4000 KN, Determine the size of the square foundation footing for each column using the Terzaghi equation for net ultimate bearing capacity given below. ur = 1,30N: +Po(Ne-l) +0.4YBNy Take the cohesion at the foundation level to be 50 KN/m?, @ for the soil to be 30° and use a factor of safety of 3 in your calculations. (0) nepth | strnta |Description of strata | Remark: sn Skty sand Y=I9 sana SUPE clay Yeat=t@ KS | on lisvet-ot 25 fh Coarse grovel end send Base _aftusetdaberssnno = 3 (b) The following data were obtained from a compaction test on a cement stabilized soil having a specific gravity of 2,65. { Water content elas 10 B 16 20 |) Dry density 1640 | 1780 | 1850 1890 1840 1700 (kgim’) (i) Plot these data and on the same axes plot the zero air voids line. Indicate on your plot the OMC and MDD. 65) Gi) What percentage of air voids exists in the sample at the optimum moisture content? (31 Give a description of an appropriate field control test which will be useful in monitoring the compaction. a Total [25]CIVN 3004 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING OCTOBER 2008 PAGE 4 of 6 Question 4 a) Calculate and plot on a clear diagram the vertical effective stresses on the vertical centreline through the foundation shown below, before the foundation is, a b) Calculate and tabulate the additional vertical effective stresses imposed by the foundation on the same vertical line at Im intervals down to 4,0m: [lo €) Immediately after the foundation load is applied, assuming no rise in pore pressure in the sand but no drainage in the clays. (ii) After all excess pore pressures induced by the loading have dissipated. . t Fo y= 10m? 3m, K=062 2. i Yi ys02 Fug ity Y= 185 KN SM 7CIVN 3004 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING OCTOBER 2008 PAGE 5 of 6 Question 5 The following data was obtained from three drained triaxial tests: Test Confining Deviator Stress Number Stress Difference (kPa) (kPa) 100 84 2 200 159 3 400 319 ) Determine the values of c' and ¢ 8] +b) Determine the orientation to the horizontal of the failure plane in test No. 1 and the magnitudes of the associated shear and normal stresses, Show clearly on a diagram how your answers are obtained, (12)CIVN 3004 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING OCTOBER 2008 PAGE 6 of 6 . a= as Ng a se No i | ge + & fi iN|\ : Esl N, [90 05 12 "25 50 97 197 424 100 298