Geotechnical Engineering Set 1

Civil Engineering

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This set of Geotechnical Engineering Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on Geotechnical Engineering Set 1

Q1 | Rise of water table above the ground surface causes
  • Equal increase in pore water pressure and total stress
  • Equal decrease in pore water pressure and total stress
  • Increase in pore water pressure but decrease in total stress
  • Decrease in pore water pressure but increase in total
Answer: Equal increase in pore water pressure and total stress
Q2 | If the material of the base of the Casagrande liquid limit device on which the cup containingsoil paste drops is softer than the standard hard rubber, then
  • The liquid limit of soil always increases
  • The liquid limit of soil always decreases
  • The liquid limit of soil may increase
  • The liquid limit of soil may decrease
Answer: The liquid limit of soil always increases
Q3 | A triaxial shear test is preferred to direct shear test, because
  • It can be performed under all three drainage conditions with complete control
  • Precise measurement of pore pressure and change in volume during test, is not possible
  • Stress distribution on the failure plane, is non uniform
  • None of these
Answer: It can be performed under all three drainage conditions with complete control
Q4 | The average coefficient of permeability of natural deposits
  • Parallel to stratification is always greater than that perpendicular to stratification
  • Parallel to stratification is always less than that perpendicular to stratification
  • Is always same in both directions
  • Parallel to stratification may or may not be greater than that perpendicular to stratification
Answer: Parallel to stratification is always greater than that perpendicular to stratification
Q5 | Pick up the correct statement from the following:
  • The dry density reduces by addition of water after attaining optimum moisture content
  • The line joining the peak of three moisture content graphs obtained by using three compactive energies, is called line of optimus
  • Well graded coarse grained soils can be compacted to a very high density as compared to fine grained soils
  • All the above
Answer: All the above
Q6 | The shear strength of a soil
  • Is directly proportional to the angle of internal friction of the soil
  • Is inversely proportional to the angle of internal friction of the soil
  • Decreases with increase in normal stress
  • Decreases with decrease in normal stress
Answer: Decreases with decrease in normal stress
Q7 | Pick up the correct statement from the following:
  • The object of classifying soils is to arrange them into groups according to their properties and behaviour
  • A soil classification system is meant to provide an accepted and systematic method of describing the various types of soils eliminating personal factors
  • The first category of soil classification is based on grain size of the soil
  • All the above
Answer: All the above
Q8 | The major principal stress in an element of cohesion-less soil within the backfill of a retaining wall is
  • Vertical if the soil is in an active state of plastic equilibrium
  • Vertical if the soil is in a passive state of plastic equilibrium
  • Inclined at 45° to the vertical plane
  • None of the above
Answer: Vertical if the soil is in an active state of plastic equilibrium
Q9 | A grillage foundation
  • Is provided for heavily loaded isolated columns
  • Is treated as spread foundation
  • Consists of two sets of perpendicularly placed steel beams
  • All the above
Answer: All the above
Q10 | Effective stress on soil
  • Increases voids ratio and decreases permeability
  • Increases both voids ratio and permeability
  • Decreases both voids ratio and permeability
  • Decreases voids ratio and increases permeability
Answer: Decreases both voids ratio and permeability
Q11 | Hydrometer readings are corrected for:
  • Temperature correction
  • Meniscus correction
  • Dispersing agent correction
  • Temperature, meniscus and dispersing agent corrections
Answer: Temperature, meniscus and dispersing agent corrections
Q12 | The ultimate consolidation settlement of a structure resting on a soil
  • Decreases with the increase in the initial voids ratio
  • Decreases with the decrease in the plastic limit
  • Increases with the increase in the initial voids ratio
  • Increases with the decrease in the porosity of the soil
Answer: Decreases with the increase in the initial voids ratio
Q13 | Select the incorrect statement.
  • In a direct shear box test, the plane of shear failure is predetermined
  • Better control is achieved on the drainage of the soil in a triaxial compression test
  • Stress distribution on the failure plane in the case of triaxial compression test is uniform
  • Unconfined compression test can be carried out on all types of soils
Answer: Unconfined compression test can be carried out on all types of soils
Q14 | The angle of internal friction, is least for
  • Angular-grained loose sand
  • Angular -grained dense sand
  • Round-grained loose sand
  • Clays
Answer: Clays
Q15 | Dispersed type of soil structure is an arrangement comprising particles having
  • Face to face or parallel orientation
  • Edge to edge orientation
  • Edge to face orientation
  • All of the above
Answer: Face to face or parallel orientation
Q16 | The neutral stress in a soil mass is
  • Force per neutral area
  • Force per effective area
  • Stress taken up by the pore water
  • Stress taken up by solid particles
Answer: Stress taken up by the pore water
Q17 | The coefficient of compressibility of soil, is the ratio of
  • Stress to strain
  • Strain to stress
  • Stress to settlement
  • Rate of loading to that of settlement
Answer: Strain to stress
Q18 | A clay subjected to pressure in excess to its present over-burden, is said to be
  • Pre-compressed
  • Pre-consolidated
  • Over-consolidated
  • All the above
Answer: All the above
Q19 | Physical properties of a permeant which influence permeability are
  • Viscosity only
  • Unit weight only
  • Both viscosity and unit weight
  • None of the above
Answer: Both viscosity and unit weight
Q20 | Pick up the correct statement from the following:
  • The range of water content between the liquid limit and plastic limit is called plasticity index
  • The ratio of the liquid limit minus the natural water content to the plasticity index of soils, is called consistency index
  • The ratio of natural water content minus its plastic limit to its plasticity index is called liquidity index
  • All the above
Answer: All the above
Q21 | Rankine's theory of active earth pressure assumes
  • Soil mass is homogeneous, dry and cohesionless
  • Ground surface is a plane which may be horizontal or inclined
  • Back of the wall is vertical and smooth
  • All the above
Answer: All the above
Q22 | For testing a saturated clay for shear strength, the test recommended, is
  • Direct shear test
  • Triaxial compression test
  • Unconfined compression test
  • All the above
Answer: Unconfined compression test
Q23 | Coefficient of permeability of soil
  • Does not depend upon temperature
  • Increases with the increase in temperature
  • Increases with the decrease in temperature
  • None of the above
Answer: Increases with the increase in temperature
Q24 | Pick up the correct statement from the following:
  • In soils, the flow index indicates variation in shear strength with water content
  • Liquid limit minus plastic limit, is known as plasticity index of the soil
  • Plastic limit minus shrinkage limit, is known as shrinkage index of the soil
  • All the above
Answer: All the above
Q25 | The triaxial apparatus is usually used for
  • Unconsolidated-undrained test
  • Consolidated-undrained test
  • Drained test
  • All the above tests
Answer: All the above tests
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