Office Use Only

Monash University
Semester 1
Examinations 2003
Faculty of Engineering

TITLE OF PAPER:

CIV2241 Introductory Geoengineering

EXAM DURATION:

3 hours

READING AND NOTING TIME:

10 minutes

THIS PAPER IS FOR STUDENTS STUDYING AT:( tick where applicable)

Berwick
Clayton
Malaysia
Distance Education
Caulfield
Gippsland
Peninsula
Enhancement Studies

Open Learning
Other (specify)

Candidates are reminded that they should have no books, notes, paper, calculators, pencil cases or other
material on their desks unless their use has been specifically permitted by the following instructions.
If additional space is needed, use the back of previous page with question number clearly placed.
You are expected to draw any graphs/sketches in the spaces provided (if an extra space needed, use back
of previous page).

AUTHORISED MATERIALS
CALCULATORS

YES

NO

OPEN BOOK

YES

NO

SPECIFICALLY PERMITTED ITEMS

if yes, items permitted are:

YES

NO

Scale Ruler, Protractor

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CIV2241 INTRODUCTION TO GEOENGINEERING

QUESTION 1 (30 minutes)

NOTE : ALL ANSWERS TO QUESTION 1 MUST BE 5 LINES OR (IN MANY CASES)

LESS. LINES IN EXCESS OF THIS WILL NOT BE READ.
(Each question is allocated 2 minutes)

(i)

What are the three main categories of rocks? Give a very brief statement describing the method of
formation of each type.
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(ii)

Describe briefly the difference between mechanical and chemical weathering of rocks, stating what
sort of soil particles result from each kind of weathering.
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(iii)

Explain why dense sand has a greater strength than loose sand. Use diagram to illustrate your
answer.
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(iv)

Define soil consistency limits. Is linear shrinkage a consistency limit?

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(v)

Define the following terms:

(a)

Net bearing pressure:

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(b)
Safe bearing pressure:
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(c)

Allowable bearing pressure:

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(vi)

Draw with neat sketches the following geological structures:

(a)

Normal fault:

(b) Anticline

(c) Fold

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(vii)

Define the terms; void ratio and porosity. Derive a relationship between these two parameters.
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(viii)

List five key information that a geological map can provide at an early stage of a civil engineering
project.
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(ix)

Explain the drained and undrained strength of saturated clay under loading in terms of short-term
(end of load application) and long-term conditions.
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(x)

What are the tests to be carried out in the field to classify a soil?
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(xi)

By means of a sketch illustrate the significant processes of the geological cycle.

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CIV2241 INTRODUCTION TO GEOENGINEERING

(xii)

Define the sensitivity of clay. When is clay defined as quick clay?

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(xiii)

In a triaxial test, the vertical principle stress is 150 kPa and the minor principle stress is 50 kPa.
Sketch these conditions on a Mohrs circle, and mark the maximum shear stress and the plane on
which this occurs.
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(xiv)

The differential settlement between the foundation of two braced columns, which are 20 m apart, is
50 mm. Is this settlement is permissible if the maximum tolerable differential settlement is 1 in
600?
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(xv)

Explain the different types of earth pressure coefficients used in the design of a bored pile and a
driven pile.
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QUESTION 2 (40 minutes)

(a) Field measurements of a sand backfill gave a density of 1.75 g/cm3. The water content at the time of
testing was 0.086 and specific gravity of solids (Gs) was 2.60. Void ratios in the loosest and densest
states were found to be 0.642 and 0.462, respectively. Determine the void ratio and relative density
of the fill. (20 minutes)
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(b) For the 6 m deep soil profile shown below, draw to scale the distribution of total, effective and pore
water pressure with depth. Show all calculations clearly in the table below:
(20 minutes)

2m

Sand, d=16.4kN/m3

6m
Sand, sat=18.6kN/m3
w=9.81 kN/m3

Clay
Depth, m
0
2
6

v (kPa)

u (kPa)

v (kPa)

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QUESTION 3 (52minutes)
(a) A direct shear box test, when conducted on a remoulded sample of sand, gave the following
observations at failure:
(10 minutes)
Normal load = 28.8 kg
Shear load=18.0 kg
The area of the sample was 36 cm2.

(i)
(ii)

Determine:
The angle of internal friction (),
Classify the sand in terms of: loose, medium-dense, dense, very dense.
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(b) A sieve analysis of a soil sample gave the following results:

Sieve size
(mm)
50
37.5
19
12.5
8
5.9
4.75
2.8

Mass retained
(gm)
0
15.5
17.0
10.0
11.0
33.0
33.5
81.0

% Finer

Sieve size (mm)

2.36
1.3
0.4
0.212
0.15
0.10
0.075

Mass retained
(gm)
18.0
31.0
32.5
9.0
8.0
5.5
5.0

% Finer

The total mass of the sample was 311.0 gm. Plot the particle-size distribution curve after
completing the % Finer column in the above Table, describe the soil, and classify in the Unified
system. Graphs and Unified System are given at the end of questions.
(20 minutes)
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(c) A borehole log shown below (not to scale) was drilled through sandstone bedrock for a feasibility
study of a road bridge in NSW. Estimate the RQD (Rock Mass Quality Designation) and CR (Core
Recovery) for this borehole. Also classify rock mass based on RMR classification. Assume UCS=25
MPa, dry and tight joint condition. A chart for RMR classification is given at the end of questions.
(10 minutes)
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700m

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900m
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m

3280mm

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80mm

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900m
m
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400m

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Loss
(300m
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m)
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CIV2241 INTRODUCTION TO GEOENGINEERING

(d)

When an undrained triaxial compression test was conducted on specimens of clayey silt, the
following results were obtained:
(12 minutes)
Specimen No
Cell pressure, 3 (kN/m2)
Axial stress, 1 (kN/m2)

1
16.67
154.00

2
43.16
200.12

3
54.94
220.72

Draw to scale the Mohr circles and determine the values of shear strength parameters (c and ).
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CIV2241 INTRODUCTION TO GEOENGINEERING

QUESTION 4 (35 minutes)

(a) Estimate the increase in vertical stress at depth 5 m beneath the centre of a flexible rectangular
footing of 10 m long and 6 m wide. A uniformly distributed stress of 100 kPa is applied on the
flexible loaded area. Fadums chart is given at the end of the paper.
(8 minutes)
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(b) A strip foundation is to be used to support a wall which imposes a vertical load of 500 kN/m at a
depth of 1 m below ground level in a soil having cu=90 kPa, u=0 and =17 kN/m3. How wide should
the footing be in order to safely carry the load? Design charts are given at the end of the paper.
Terzaghis bearing capacity equation for a strip footing, qult = c.Nc + .D.Nq + 0.5.B.N. Take =1.35
and =0.55 for the limit state design.
(14 minutes)
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(c)

A reinforced concrete slab foundation for a large warehouse is placed on the ground surface of a
deposit of firm clay, which is underlain by a dense incompressible gravel. The slab is 20 m x 20 m in
plan and has a uniform stress of 45 kPa applied on it. The clay layer is 10 m thick. Assuming the
foundation to be flexible, estimate the elastic (immediate) settlement of the slab at the centre using
Steinbrenner method (equations and graphs are given at the end of questions). Assume, Poissons
ratio () for clay is 0.45 and the elastic modulus (E) is 12MPa.
(13 minutes)
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CIV2241 INTRODUCTION TO GEOENGINEERING

QUESTION 5 (23 minutes)

A driven closed-ended pile, circular in cross section, is shown below.
a) Calculate the ultimate shaft and end bearing capacities (equations are given at the end of questions).
(18 minutes)
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300mm
diameter
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Loose sand
c = 0 kPa; = 32o
5m
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= 15.5 kN/m3
K/Ko=2; / =0.8
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Dense sand
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c = 0 kPa; = 380
5m
sat = 19.5 kN/m3
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w = 9.81 kN/m3
K/Ko=2; / =0.8
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Nbase = 140

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Nt=30

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b) If the base of above pile was driven on to a sandstone bedrock of UCS=25 MPa, what will be the
ultimate capacity of the pile? (5 minutes)
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END OF QUESTIONS

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USEFUL EQUATIONS, GRAPHS AND TABLES

q u cNc DNq 0.5 BN

R shaft A shaft K v tan

q base N base v 16MPa
R base A base .q base
L 15D
R base A base .UCS
cu = D60 / D10

Ko 1 sin
F < R
1 2
I

1 2
I p F1
F2
1

corner qB

0.1

0.2

Values of F1 (
0.3

0.4

) and F 2 (
0.5

)
0.6

0.7

0.8

L/B = 1

1 sin
1 sin

1 sin
Ka
1 sin
1 sin
Ka
e=Vv/Vs1 sin
n = Vv/V=e/(1+e)
s = Gsw
w = Mw/Ms

Depth factor d = H/B

Kp

2
L/B = 2
4
L/B = 5

F1
F2

6
L/B = 5
L/B = 10
8
L/B = oo

L/B = 2
L/B = 1

10

L/B = 10
L/B = oo

Influence values for settlement beneath the corner of a uniformly loaded

rectangle on an elastic layer (Depth D) overlying a rigid base

H = thickness of compressible layer below footing

B = width of footing; L=length of footing

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Fadums chart
0.26
I
0.24
0.22
0.20

Area covered
with uniform
normal load,
q

nz
mz

m = 3.0 m = oc
m = 2.5
m = 2.0
m = 1.8
m = 1.6
m = 1.2
m = 1.4
m = 1.0
m = 0.9

x
z

z =
q.I

0.18

m = 0.8
m = 0.7

0.16
0.14

m = 0.6

Note: m and n are interchangeable

m = 0.5

0.12

m = 0.4

0.10
m = 0.3

0.08
m = 0.2

0.06
0.04

m = 0.1

0.02
0
0.01 2 3 4 5

m = 0.0

0.1

2 345

1.0

2 3 45

10

VERTICAL STRESS BELOW A CORNER

OF A UNIFORMLY LOADED FLEXIBLE
RECTANGULAR AREA.
Geomechanics System of Rock Mass Rating
Parameter
Assessment of values and rating
>250
100-250
Intact rock UCS, MPa
15
Rating
75-90
RQD %
>90
20
Rating
Mean fracture spacing
>2m
0.6-2 m
20
Rating
Fracture conditions
rough tight
open < 1 mm
30
Rating
Groundwater state
dry
damp
15
Rating
Fracture orientation
v. favourable
favourable
0
Rating
Rock mass rating (RMR) is sum of the six ratings
Guideline Properties of Rock Mass Classes
I
Class
Description
very good rock
80-100
RMR
> 40
Q Value
> 45
Friction angle ()
Cohesion (kPa)
> 400
10
SBP (MPa)
> 70
Safe cut slope ()
Tunnel support
none
Stand up time for span
20 yr for 15 m

50-100

25-50

12

1-25

7
50-75

4
25-50

17

13
200-600 mm

15

8
60-200 mm

25

gouge < 5 mm
20

wet
10

10
4

-15

v. unfavourable
-25

unfavourable
-7

flowing

-2

gouge > 5 mm

dripping

fair

< 60 mm

10

weathered

1
< 25

Note that orientation ratings are negative

II

III

IV

good rock

fair rock

poor rock

very poor rock

60-80
10-40
35-45
300-400
4-6
65

40-60
4-10
25-35
200-300
1-2
55

20-40
1-4
15-25
100-200
0.5
45

< 20
<1
<15
< 100
< 0.2
< 40

spot bolts

pattern bolts
1 wk for 5 m

bolts + shotcrete
12 h for 2 m

30 min for 1 m

1 yr for 10 m

steel ribs

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END OF PAPER

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