Questions:

1. (a) Describe a suitable method of stability analysis of slope in (i) purely

saturated cohesive soil, (ii) cohesionless sand. (b) Under the conditions (i) a
base failure and (ii) a toe failure are expected? Explain. (c) Critically
discussed the basic assumptions made in the stability analysis of slopes.
2. A
clay slope has a height of 5m. assuming a toe circle failure starting 1m
from the edge of the slope (at the top), calculate the shear strength required
for the soil for a factor of safety of 1.5. (Hint: assume

. Also

since the existence of the hard layer is not mentioned, take Taylors N as
0.1817).

3. The unit weight of a soil of a

for the soil are

slope is

. The shear parameter

respectively. Given that the height

of the slope is 12 m and the stability number obtained from the chart for the
given slope and angle of internal friction is 0.025, compute the factor of
safety. What is the maximum depth of which a trench of vertical sides can be
excavated in a clay stratum with

? Assume the

clay to be saturated.
4. A cutting is to made in a soil with a slope of

to the horizontal and depth

of 15m. The properties of the soil are:

. Determine the factor of safety of the slope against slip, assuming

friction and cohesion to be mobilized the same proportion of their ultimate

values.
5. A earth dam of height of 20m is constructed of soil of which the properties
are:

. The side slopes are inclined at

to the horizontal. Find the factor of safety immediately after draw down.
6. A cutting of depth 10.5m is to be made in a soil for which the density is

and cohesion is

. There is a hard stratum under the clay

at 12.5m below the original ground surface. Assuming

and allowing the
factor of safety of 1.5, find the slope of cutting.
7. Write brief critical notes on tolerable settlement for buildings and other
structure.
8. Explain the recommended construction practices to avoid differential
settlement in large structures.
9. Differentiate between total settlement and differential settlement. What
are the harmful effects of differential settlement on structures? What are the
possible remedial measures?
10. How does the construction period affect the time rate of settlement of a
structure? What is the effective loading period?
11. (a) What is contact pressure? How does it depend on the type of structure and
type of soil? (b)What is active zone in soil? Explain it with reference to the
pressure bulb concept.
12. A reinforced concrete foundation, 20m x 40m, transmit a uniform pressure of

to a soil mass, with E value

. Determine the value of

immediate settlement of foundation.

13. The plan of proposed soil heap is shown in Fig. 11.18. the heap will stand on
a thick deposit of soft clay with E value
the soil maybe assumed as

. The uniform pressure on

. Estimate the immediate settlement

under the point mark X at the surface of the soil.

14. A boring indicates the existence of a 20m thick clay stratum above the sand.
The hydrostatic pressure at the top of the clay layer is

. The pore

pressure at the bottom of the clay layer is reduced permanently by

by pumping. If the void ratio of clay is reduced from 1.000 to 0.975 by

pumping, estimate the ultimate settlement due to this.
15. A clay layer 25m thick has a saturated unit weight of

. Ground

water level occurs at a depth of 5m. it is proposed to construct a reinforced

concrete foundation, 12.5m x 50m, on top of the layer, to transmit a uniform

pressure of

. Determine the settlement at its center, assuming that

the void ratio drops from 0.725 to 0.700 due to loading. E for the clay

16. The loading period for a building extended from Aug., 1962 to Aug., 1965. The
average settlement was found to be 100mm in Aug., 1968. The ultimate
settlement was expected to be 300mm.. Estimate the settlement in Aug.,
1972, if there is double drainage.
17. Preliminary settlement analysis for a building indicated a settlement of
50mm in four years and ultimate settlement of 250mm. the average pressure
increment in the clay stratum was

. If the following variation

occurred in the assumption, determine the revised value of ultimate

settlement and the settlement at the end of the loading period and that at 30
years after the completion of the building.
(i)
The loading period was two years, which was not considered in the
preliminary analysis.
(ii)
Borings indicated 25% more thickness for the clay layer than originally
assumed.
(iii) The water table got lowered permanently during construction by 1.5 m.

18. A bed of sand 12 m thick is underlain by a compressible stratum of normally

loaded clay, 6 m thick. The water table is at a depth of 5 m below the ground
level. The bulk densities of sand above and below the water table are 17.5
kN/m3 and 20.5 kN/m3 respectively. The clay has a natural water content of
40% and LL of 45%. G = 2.75. Estimate the probable final settlement if
the average increment in pressure due to a footing is 100 kN/m2.
19. If a representative clay specimen 20 mm thick, under double drainage, took
121 minutes for 90% primary compression, estimate the time required for
50% primary compression of a field layer 2 m thick, bounded by impervious
boundary at the bottom and sand at the top.
20. The thickness of a saturated specimen of clay under a consolidation pressure
of
of is 24 mm and its water content is 20%. On increase of the
consolidation pressure to

, the specimen thickness decreases by 3

mm. Determine the compression index for the soil if thespecific gravity of the
soil grains is 2.70.
21. A clay layer 5 m thick has double drainage. It was consolidated under a load
of
. The load is increased to
. The coefficient of
volume compressibility is 5.79 104 m2/kN and value of k = 1.6 108
m/min. Find total settlement and settlement at 50% consolidation. If the test
sample is 2 cm thick and attains 100% consolidation in 24 hours, what is the
time taken for 100% consolidation in the actual layer ?
22. In a consolidation test the following data was obtained:
Void ratio of the soil = 0.75
Specific gravity of the soil = 2.62
Compression Index = 0.1
Determine the settlement of a footing resting on the saturated soil with
properties as given above. The thickness of the compressible soil is 3 m. The
increase in pressure at the centre of the layer is
. The
preconsolidation pressure is
. If the coefficient of consolidation is 2
107 m2/s, determine the time in days for 90% consolidation.
Assume one-way drainage.
23. A saturated clay layer 4 m thick is located 6 m below GL. The void ratio of
the clay is 1.0. When a raft foundation is located at 2 m below GL, the
stresses at the top and bottom of the clay layer increased by 150 and
respectively. Estimate the consolidation settlement if the
coefficient of compressibility 0.002 cm2/N.
24. A clay stratum is 4.5 m thick and rests on a rock surface. The coefficient of
consolidation of a sample of this clay was found to be 4.5 108 m2/s in the
laboratory. Determine probable period of time required for the clay stratum
to undergo 50% of the ultimate settlement expected under a certain
increment of pressure.
25. A 30 mm thick oedometer sample of clay reached 30% consolidation in 15
minutes with drainage at top and bottom. How long would it take the clay
layer from which this sample was obtained to reach 60% consolidation ? The
clay layer had one-way drainage and was 6 m. thick.
26. A stratum of a clay 5 m thick is sandwiched between highly permeable sand
strata. A sample of this clay, 25 mm thick, experienced 50% of ultimate
settlement in 12 minutes after the application of a certain pressure. How long
will it take for a building proposed to be constructed at this site, and which is
expected to increase the pressure to a value comparable to that applied in the
laboratory test, to settle 50% of the ultimate value ?

27. Determine the amount of settlement given the following data: Thickness of
compressible medium= 3m. Coefficient of volume decreases= 0.002 cm2/N.
Pressure increment at the centre of the compressible medium=

28. A compressible stratum is 6 m thick and its void rato is 1.70. If the final void
rato after the construction of a building is expected to be 1.61, what will be
the probable ultimate settlement of the building?
30. Distinguish between normally consolidated and overconsolidated soil.

University of Eastern Philippines

University Town, Catarman N. Samar
College of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering

Take Home Exam

In
Geotechnical Engineering 2

Prepared by:
Babiano, Guadacris B.

Submitted by:
Engr, Celeste A. De asis

SY. 2014-2015