LUMBINI ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT AND SCIENCE COLLEGE

Betterment exam (2014)

Level: Bachelor

Full marks: 100

Program: BE Civil 5th

Pass marks: 40

Course: Soil Mechanics

1. a. A sample of dry soil coated with a thin layer of paraffin weighs 460 gms. It displaces
300 cc of water when immersed in it. The paraffin is peeled off and it is found to weigh 9
gm. The sp. gravity of paraffin is 0.9. Determine:
i.
The void ratio of soil, if the sp. gravity of soil particles is 2.65
ii.
Porosity of the soil
(8)
b. Define well graded poorly graded and gap graded soil, coefficient of
uniformity, coefficient of curvature, relative density and consistency
limits.
(7)
2. a. What are the purpose of soil classification? Describe the unified soil classification
system.
(7)
b. A soil in the borrow pit is at a dry density of 17 kN/m 3 with a moisture content of
10%.The soil is excavated from this pit and compacted in an embankment to a dry
density 18 kN/m3 with a moisture content of 15%. Compute the quantity of soil to be
excavated from the borrow pit and the amount of water to be added for 100 m 3 of
compacted soil in an embankment.
(8)

3. a. Differentiate between compaction and consolidation. Describe the factors affecting

Compaction.
(7)
b. A clay stratum 8.0 m thick is located at a depth of 6 m from a ground surface. The
natural moisture content of the clay is 56% and G = 2.75. The soil stratum between the
ground surface and the clay consist of fine sand of 6 m thick. The water table is located at
a depth 2m below the ground surface. The submerged unit weight of fine sand is 10.5
kN/m3 and the moist unit weight above the water table is 18.68 kN/m 3. Calculate the
effective stress at the centre of the clay layer.
(8)

4. a. Describe the laboratory test to determine the coefficient of permeability of fine grained
soils.
.
(7)
b. An earth dam is built on an impervious foundation with a horizontal filter at the base
near the toe. The permeability of the soil in the horizontal and vertical directions are
3*10-2 mm/s and 1*10-2 mm/s respectively. The full reservoir level is 30 m. A flow net
constructed for the transformed section of the dam consist of 4 flow channels and 16 head
drops. Estimate the seepage loss per meter length of the dam.
(8)

5. a. Define primary and secondary consolidation. Describe the procedure for the
determination of preconsolidation pressure.
(8)
b. There is a bed of compressible clay of 4 m thickness with pervious sand on top and
impervious rock at the bottom. In a consolidation test on an undisturbed specimen of clay
from this deposit 90% settlement was reached in 4 hours. The specimen was 20 mm
thick. Estimate the time in years for the building founded over this deposit to reach 90%
of its final settlement.
(7)
6. a. A ring foundation is of 3.60 m external diameter and 2.40 m internal diameter. It
transmits a uniform pressure of 135 kN/m 2. Calculate the vertical stress at a depth of
1.80 m directly beneath the center of the loaded area.
(7)
b. The following data were obtained in a direct shear test. Normal pressure = 20 kN/m 2
and shear pressure = 16kN/m2. Angle of internal friction is 20 0 and cohesion is 8
kN/m2.Represent the data by Mohr circle and compute the principal stresses and the
direction of principal planes.
(8)
7. Write short notes on (any two):
i.
Type of failures and remedies.
ii.
Types of clay minerals
iii.
Compaction curve and its use