NPTEL Course

Geotechnical Engineering-II
Instructor: Prof. D N Singh
Assignment- 02 (Week-2)
Total Marks: 15
1. The shear strength of a material is its response to compression [1]
(a) True
(b) False
Answer: False
2. The drained shear test allows: [1]
(a) the pore-pressure to build-up
(b) the pore-pressure to become steady
(c) the pore-pressure to dissipate
(d) the pore-pressures to remain constant
Answer: the pore-pressure to dissipate
3. Which of the following is incorrect: [2]
(a) Clay seam sandwiched between two sand layers acts as a double drainage
system
(b) Clay seam with a sand layer on the top and rock at the bottom will represent an
undrained condition
(c) Shear strength parameters are useful for the analysis of foundations, bracings,
struts, slope stability
(d) Undrained conditions in the triaxial test can be achieved by fast shearing
Answer: (b) Clay seam with a sand layer on top and rock at the bottom will
represent an undrained condition
4. The plane between the two halves of the sample in a direct shear test is known as
[1]
(a) Perforated plane
(b) Shear plane
(c) Corrugated plane
(d) Drainage plane
Answer: (b) Shear plane
5. (i) Which Points in the figure correspond to peak and residual shear strength,
respectively? [1]
 (a) 3 and 4
(b) 1and 3
(c) 2 and 4
(d) 3 and 1
Answer (c) 2 and 4
5. (ii)At Point 4 what would remain constant? [1]
(a) volume
(b) critical voids ratio
(c) dilation
(d) compression
Answer (b) critical voids ratio

6. Vertical deformation of the specimen in a Direct Shear Test can be measured by

the following(s) : MSQ [1]

(a) LVDTs
(b) Sensors
(c) Dial gauges
(d) Proving ring

Answer: (a), (b), and (c)

Answer: LVDTs, / sensors, /Dial gauges

7. Cohesion in sands is possible due to the following(s) MSQ [1]

(a) Interlocking
(b) Dilation
(c) Flocculation
(d) Cementing agents (calcareous)

Answer: (a) and (d)

Answer: Interlocking, /Cementing agents (calcareous)

8. During the direct shear test on dense sands, shearing stress of 6 kN/m2 was
recorded at failure. If the friction angle of the soil is 38º:

(a) What was the normal stress acting on the failure plane (in kN/m2)?
[1]
Answer: 7.68 range: 7-8

(b) A triaxial test on an identical sample of this sand was conducted at a cell pressure
of 8 kN/m2. Calculate the major principal stress (in kN/m2) at failure?
[1]
Answer: 33.63 range: 32-34

(c) At what additional deviator stress (in kN/m2) failure of the sample would occur?
[1]
Answer: 25.63 range: 24-26

9. Match the entries in Columns A and B. [2]

A B

1 Direct Shear test (i) Field

2 Triaxial test (ii) Lab

3 Vane Shear test (iii) Both Field and lab

4 Flat Jacks

a. 1(ii)/2(iii)/3(i)/4(iii)
b. 1(ii)/2(ii)/3(iii)/4(i)
c. 1(iii)/2(ii)/3(ii)/4(i)
d. 1(i)/2(iii)/3(ii)/4(ii)
 Answer: (b) 1(ii)/2(ii)/3(iii)/4(i)

10. The Over Consolidation Ratio (OCR) of the soil would depend upon [1]

a. Depositional history
b. The rate of shearing
c. Both of these
d. None of these

Answer: (a) Depositional history