Soil Mechanics

1. Clay minerals are very active elcrochemically, which impart plasticity and cohesion in soils, and play a
crucial role in the engineering behaviour of soils. Explain different types of commonly available clay
minerals in terms of their atomic structures, electrical charges, and physical characteristics.

2. Calculation of seepage along a stratified deposit of different permeabilites requires computing average values
of permeabilities parallel to the bedding planes (kh) and normal to the bedding planes (kv). (a) Derive
expressions for average coefficient of permeabilities (kh and kv) in such layered soils and (b) also prove that
kh is greater than kv.

3. Flow net consists of a network of contours of flow function (ψ(x,z)) and contours of potential function
(ϕ(x,z)) and its shape is governed by the particular boundary conditions. (a) Define these functions first and
prove that they intersect at right angles to each other. (b) Calculate the seepage discharge per meter length
through the foundation of a concrete dam. The results of flow net gave number of flow channels (Nf)=5 and
number of equipotential drops (Nd)=16. The head difference between upstream and downstream water levels
is 4m. The coefficient of permeability of the soil is k=4x10-5 m/min.

4. A ring foundation is designed to support a circular water tank which has outer diameter of 8m and inner
diameter of 6m. The total weight of the water tank is 4000kN. Determine the increase in vertical stress in the
soil at a depth of 4m, using (a) Boussinesq’s equation and (b) Westergaard’s equation. Take Poisson’s ratio,
μ=0.

5. You want to design an infinite slope made of a cohesive soil (c=15kN/m2, ϕ=22o, Gs=2.7, e=0.52) at a slope
angle of 30o with the horizontal. A hard soil layer is located at a depth of 4m parallel to the ground surface.
Determine the factor of safety when (a) the slope is dry (b) the slope is submerged with seepage parallel to the
surface.

6. (a) Rewrite Darcy’s law in terms of seepage velocity. What is the role of hydraulic head in seepage flow
condition?
(b) Draw pressure diagrams of total, effective and pore water pressures, respectively for Downward seepage
flow and Upward seepage flow conditions.
(c) If saturated unit weight of the soil is known, how do you obtain critical hydraulic gradient? What happens
if the hydraulic gradient of the soil is smaller than or equal to the critical hydraulic gradient?

7. (a) What is effective stress and what is its role in soil mechanics? How does consolidation affect engineering
properties of soil?
(b) What is the resemblance between Terzaghi’s Spring Analogy theory with real field consolidation?
(c) How do you find maximum past pressure of the soil? Briefly describe from using graph.
(d) Distinguish excess pore water pressure from hydrostatic pressure. As shown in Fig. 1, surcharge load is
applied on the soil ground. Assuming fully saturated clay layer, draw the pressure diagrams with depth
from the ground surface to the lower boundary to clay layer under following conditions: (i) immediately
after loading, (ii) after a very long time, and (iii) at any time, t. For any intermediate time between t=0
and t=, approximate pressure is okay.

8. (a) How do you distinguish excess pore water pressure from normal hydrostatic pore water pressure?
(b) Define degree of consolidation in terms of settlement, excess pore water pressure and effective stress.
(c) Derive Terzaghi’s one dimensional consolidation equation and write down the boundary conditions
required to solve that equation.
(d) A H (m) thick saturated clay layer has compression index, Cc and coefficient of permeability, k (mm/sec).
If the initial void ratio is ei at vertical stress of i (N/mm2), calculate the void ratio when the vertical
stress is increased to f (N/mm2). Also, compute the settlement due to change in the void ratio due to
 above stress increment. Finally, estimate the time required to complete 40% degree of consolidation.
Assume one-way drainage condition.

9. (a) What kind of stresses should be applied to the soil so that it fails at particular stress condition?
(b) Let us assume that the soil specimen fails when its stresses acting on its orthogonal planes reach R1 (y
and xy) and R2 (x and yx), respectively. Here, y and x are compressive stresses and the direction of
rotation due to yx and xy are in clockwise and anticlockwise directions, respectively. Assume that the
soil fails at this stress condition. If strength parameters of this soil are known, then draw Mohr circle of
stresses for at this failure condition along with Mohr-Coulomb failure envelope. Show pole, stresses
acting on orthogonal planes and failure plane, failure angle and its direction and draw also major and
minor principal planes and failure plane.
(c) Briefly describe different tests done to find strength parameters of the soil both in the laboratory and
field.
(d) If the normal and shear stresses acting on a failure plane in a drained triaxial compression test on a
cohesionless soil are f kPa and f kPa, respectively. Find the angle of shearing resistance, failure angle,
direction of failure angle, major principal stress and minor principal stress.

10. What is soil mechanics and why the study of this subject is necessary?

11. (a) Draw phase diagrams of the soil at Compaction and Consolidation stages.
(b) Briefly explain Sand Replacement method and Core Cutter Method.
(c) A construction site has to be filled up by bringing the soil from a borrow pit. There are two borrow pits;
A (void ratio = 0.8 and water content=20%) and B (void ratio=0.7 and water content=15%). Compare the
volume of soils to be excavated from each borrow pit if the total volume, bulk unit weight and water
content of the Filling site are 20,000 m3, 18 kN/m3 and 20%, respectively. If the price per cubic meter of
excavation is same for both pits, comment on the economical borrow pit.

12. (a) How does sieving analysis differ from sedimentation analysis?
(b) Draw plasticity charts used in Unified Soil Classification System and Indian Soil Classification system.
(c) Following values are obtained from the Sieving and Consistency tests of a given soil. Classify this soil
using USC system. Also, write down group symbols and group names.
(d) Percentage passing No. 4 Sieve (4.75 mm) = 70, Percentage passing No. 200 Sieve (0.075 mm) = 30
Liquid limit = 33% and Plasticity Index = 21%.

13. (a) What do you understand by clay minerals? Briefly explain the basic structural units of clay minerals?
(b) Describe different types of soil structures.

14. (a) Define Relative compaction. How does compaction affect engineering properties of soil?
(b) A cohesive soil yields a maximum dry unit weight of 18 kN/m3 at an OMC of 16% during a standard
proctor test. If the value of specific gravity of soil solid is 2.65, determine degree of saturation and bulk
unit weight of this compacted soil.

15. (a) Distinguish seepage velocity and seepage pressure. How does seepage pressure affect effective stress
during Downward and Upward seepage flow conditions?
(b) Define and derive critical hydraulic gradient for upward seepage flow condition. If the hydraulic gradient
of the soil is smaller than or equal to the critical hydraulic gradient, then what happens in the soil?
(c) What is discharge velocity? Write down the tests done directly or indirectly to find the coefficient of
permeability of the soil.
16. (a) Write down Laplace Equations for homogeneous isotropic and anisotropic soils. Why transformation of
coordinate in carried out in the anisotropic soils?
(b) Draw Flow Net for the water flowing under sheet pile. How do you find the rate of discharge in this
condition? Assume that the flow is through an isotropic soil.
(c) What do you understand by exit gradient? What happens if exist gradient exceeds critical hydraulic
gradient?

17. (a) What are pressure bulbs and Isobar? Draw neat sketches for the distribution of stresses on horizontal plane
and vertical plane.
(b) What is equivalent point method and 2:1 method in vertical stress distribution calculation?
(c) How do you find a vertical stress at the point anywhere within, outside and at the edge of the uniformly
loaded rectangular loaded area.
(d) Concentrated load of 50 kN is allowed on the ground surface. How do you find the vertical stress below
2m from the ground surface along the same axis of the loading? What will be the difference in the
vertical stress at the radial distance of 2m on the same depth of 2m from the ground surface?
.
18. (a) How do you relate Tergazhi’s Spring Analogy with the real field consolidation process? Draw pressure
diagrams of total, effective and pore water pressures due to incremental surcharge load,  during
consolidation for the clay layer of thickness, H for the following conditions: (i) immediately after loading, (ii)
after a very long time, and (iii) at any time, t.
(b) How do you know whether the soil at certain depth is normally consolidated or over-consolidated?
Explain the experimental method of finding the maximum past pressure in the laboratory.

19. (a) What do you understand by excess pore water in relation with consolidation? How do you obtain the
degree of consolidation?
(b) A saturated clay layer of 10m thick has compression index of 0.25, recompression index of 0.03 and
coefficient of permeability 3.210-3mm/sec. The initial void ratio of the clay layer is 1.9 and its
effective vertical stress at the middle depth of the clay layer is 15 kPa. Void ratio changes with the
increase in surcharge load. If the effective stress at the middle of the clay layer at the end of
consolidation is 20 kPa, then find the followings;
(i) Final void ratio of the clay layer,
(ii) Final change in thickness of the clay layer, and
(iii) The time required to complete the degree of consolidation of 50% for two-way drainage
and one-way drainage conditions.

20. (a) What is deviatoric stress? Differentiate drained triaxial compression test from undrained triaxial
compression test.
(b) Find the relationship between major and minor principal stresses in terms of normal and shear stresses
acting at any failure plane with the soil.
(c) Find the relationship of major and minor principal stresses in terms of flow ratio for cohesive soil having
c and  strength parameters. Use Mohr-Coulomb strength envelope and Mohr-circle of stresses at failure
point. What happens to this relationship if the soil under consideration is cohesionless soil?
(d) Briefly explain stress path.

21. (a) What happens if stresses similar and different values keep on acting on the soil surfaces?
(b) What is Mohr circle of stresses and what is its use? How do you draw Mohr-circle in steps?
(c) In the Figures 2(a) and 2(b), stresses acting on the soil specimen in two-dimension are shown. Draw
Mohr circle of stresses for both the cases shown and show the stresses acting on the AA and BB planes,
respectively on each Mohr circle. Also, draw the major and minor principal planes in both cases.
(d) Briefly describe Unconfined Compression Test. Draw Mohr circle of stresses for this UC test and show
failure angle and failure plane.

22. (a) What is Vane shear test? Where and why do you conduct this test?
 (b) What is total and effective stress paths?
(c) The normal and shear stresses acting on a failure plane in a drained triaxial compression test on a
cohesionless soil are 90 kPa and 30 kPa, respectively. Find the followings:
(i) Determine the angle of shearing resistance and the failure angle that the failure plane makes
with major principal plane.
(ii) Find the major and minor principal stresses.

23. (a) What do you understand by slope and why do you necessary to conduct slope stability analysis?
(b) Briefly explain the types of slopes and name different slope stability analysis methods.
(c) A soil mass is resting on an inclined impermeable plane. There is a tendency of soil mass to slide along
that inclined plane. How do you obtain the factor of safety against sliding for this soil mass? Assume
necessary conditions.

24. (a) What causes slope to fail? Name different types of slope failures.
(b) Differentiate finite and infinite slopes. How do you calculate factor of safety for infinite slopes of dry and
under the effect of pore water pressure, respectively?
(c) Friction circle method and Bishop’s slicing methods are also used in slope stability analysis. What are the
basic differences in these methods?

1 y
 = 25 kN/m2
B
A xy
0m
Sand layer t=16 kN/m2
2m xy
Sand layer sat=18 kN/m
2
x x
3 3
yx
8m
Clay layer
xy B
sat=20 kN/m2 A
y y  x
14 m 1 1  3
Sand layer
Figure 2(a)
Figure 2(a)
Figure 1