ECE 3103: SOIL MECHANICS I CAT II 12/07/2023 DUE 5.

00 PM
1. A soil profile consists of 10-m-thick dense silt layer with a void ratio of 0.40, effective size of
10 µm and capillary constant C = 0.20 cm2. Groundwater level is at 8 m below the ground
surface.
(a) Find the height of capillary rise in the silt. [2 Marks]
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(b) Assuming that the unit weight of soil is 26.5 kN/m and the soil above capillary action
rise up-to the ground surface is partially saturated at 50%, find the vertical effective
stress at 5 m and 10 m depth. [8 Marks]
2. A stiff clay layer underlies a 12 m thick silty sand deposit. A sheet pile is driven into the sand
to a depth of 7 m, and the upstream and downstream water levels are as shown in the figure
below. Permeability of the silty sand is 8.6 × 10-4cm/s. The stiff clay can be assumed to be
impervious. The void ratio of the silty sand is 0.72 and the specific gravity of the grains is 2.65.
(a) Estimate the seepage beneath the sheet pile in m3/day per meter. [3 Marks]
(b) What is the pore water pressure at the tip of the sheet pile? [3 Marks]
(c) Is the arrangement safe against piping? [3 Marks]

3. At the toe of a dam, the foundation soil has a void ratio of 0.72. The specific gravity of the soil
solids is 2.65. To ensure safety against piping, the upward gradient must not exceed 30% of
the critical gradient at which quicksand conditions occur. Estimate the maximum permissible
upward gradient. [3 Marks]
4. Two railway wagon lines in a harbour yard are located at 6 m centre-to-centre. The average
loads per metre run in the lines are 100 and 80 kN/m. Find the vertical stress induced by this
loading at a depth of 2 m beneath each load and halfway between them. If a 100 kN crane is
installed exactly midway between the lines, what additional stress is caused below the crane at
the same depth. [7 Marks]
5. For a normally consolidated clay soil, the values in the table below were found after carrying
out the tests. Estimate the hydraulic conductivity of clay at void ratio of 1.2. [6 Marks]
Void ratio k (cm/sec)
1.1 0.302 x 10-7
0.9 0.12 x 10-7