1. Calculate the porosity of a soil sample that has a bulk density of 1.35 g/cm3.

Assume the particle density is 2.65

g/cm3.
a. 49%
b. 96%
c. 51%
d. 67%
2. Soil is classified as coarse grained soil if more than _____ percent retained on No. 200 sieve.
a. 40
b. 50
c. 60
d. 70
3. It is a soil of vegetable matter
a. Loam
b. Peat
c. Clay
d. Organic soil

SITUATION: A soil at a constant moisture content shows the following when compacted:

Degree of Saturation Dry Unit Weight

40% 14.50 kN/m3

70% 17.89 kN/m3

4. Which of the following most nearly gives the specific gravity of the soil
a. 2.73
b. 2.65
c. 2.54
d. 2.48
5. Which of the following most nearly gives the moisture content of the soil?
a. 12%
b. 29%
c. 23%
d. 18%
6. Which of the following is correct?
𝑛
a. 𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 = 𝛾𝑑 − 𝑒+1 𝛾𝑤
b. 𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 = 𝛾𝑑 + 𝑛𝛾𝑤
𝑛
c. 𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 = 𝛾𝑑 + 𝑒+1 𝛾𝑤
𝑛
d. 𝛾𝑠𝑎𝑡 = 𝛾𝑑 − 𝑛−1 𝛾𝑤
7. It is the distribution in the particle size of the soil.
a. Separation
b. Erosion
c. Gradation
d. Compaction
 SITUATION:
Size (mm) Percent Finer Size (mm) Percent Finer
0.425 100 0.0062 60
0.033 90 0.0035 50
0.018 80 0.0018 40
0.01 70 0.001 35
8. Using USDA system, determine the percentages of gravel, sand and silt and clay
a. 0%, 6%, 52%, 42%
b. 0%, 10%, 40%, 50%
c. 0%, 8%, 50%, 42%
d. 0%, 9%, 43%, 48%
9. Using AASHTO system. Determine the percentages of gravel, sand silt and clay.
a. 0%, 6%, 52%, 42%
b. 0%, 10%, 40%, 50%
c. 0%, 8%, 50%, 42%
d. 0%, 9%, 43%, 48%

SITUATION: Given the particle size distribution of the soil: Gravel =20%, Sand = 8%, Silt = 48%, Clay = 24%

10. Compute the modified percentage of sand using USDA Method

a. 11%
b. 12%
c. 10%
d. 9%
11. The quick condition occurs at a critical upward hydraulic gradient, when the seepage force is ____________ the
buoyant unit weight of an element of soil.
a. greater than
b. less than
c. equal
d. either equal or greater than
12. The ratio of the volume of voids and the volume of soil mass.
a. Porosity
b. Void ratio
c. Degree of Saturation
d. Volumetric Ratio
13. The effective unit weight is also known as
a. Submerged unit weight
b. Wet unit weight
c. Dry unit weight
d. Weight at zero air voids
 SITUATION:

SIEVE NO. DIAMETER SOIL SAMPLE

A B C
PERCENT PASSING
4 4.760 90 100 100
6 2.380 64 90 100
10 2.000 54 77 98
20 0.840 34 59 92
40 0.420 22 51 84
60 0.250 17 42 79
100 0.149 9 35 70
200 0.074 5 33 63
14. Calculate the Cu if soil sample A.
a. 12.73
b. 13.52
c. 11.54
d. 14.98
15. Calculate the Cc of soil sample A.
a. 1.25
b. 2.92
c. 2.65
d. 2.83

SITUATION: A saturated soil sample has the following properties:

Water content = 34%, void ratio = 0.92

16. Find the specific gravity of the soil.

a. 2.71
b. 2.92
c. 2.65
d. 2.83
17. Find the saturated unit weight of the soil in kN/m3.
a. 19.82
b. 2.92
c. 2.65
d. 18.55
18. Find the effective unit weight of soil in kN/m3.
a. 9.81
b. 7.98
c. 8.74
d. 10.55
 SITUATION: Following are the results from a liquid and plastic limit test for a soil

No. of blows (N) Moisture Content %

16 36.5
20 33.1
28 27.0
PL = 12.2%, w=25%

19. Describe the soil based on its plasticity index value.

a. Low plasticity
b. Slightly plastic
c. High plasticity
d. Medium plasticity
20. Determine the consistency index.
a. 0.660
b. 0.490
c. 0.332
d. 0.164

SITUATION: A laboratory test was conducted to determine the shrinkage limit of a soil sample. The following
data were obtained:

Mass of Dish = 12.78 g

Mass of Dish plus wet soil = 39.57 g

Mass of dish plus oven-dried soil = 34.71 g

Volume of shrinkage dish = 14.63 cc

Volume of oven-dried soil pat = 12.70 cc

21. Determine the shrinkage limit.

a. 13.36%
b. 14.47%
c. 11.21%
d. 15.37%
22. Determine the shrinkage ratio.
a. 1.64
b. 1.87
c. 1.73
d. 1.59

SITUATION: A 500 mm diameter test well penetrates 30m below the static water table. After 24 hrs of pumping
at 80 liters/sec. The water level in an observation well at a distance of 100m from the test well is lowered 0.5m
and the other observation well at a distance of 40m from the test well, the drawdown is 1.1m.

23. What is the rate of flow in cu. m per day?

a. 6129 m3/day
b. 6219 m3/day
c. 6912 m3/day
d. 9216 m3/day
24. Compute the coefficient of permeability of the aquifer in m/day
a. 53.57 m/day
 b. 55.37 m/day
c. 35.57 m/day
d. 57.53 m/day

SITUATION:
Given: H=3m, H1=2.5m, h=2.8m, S =25m, ∝=10°
and k=0.04 cm/s
25. Find the flow rate in m3/s/m length through the
permeable soil layer.
a. 1.04 x 10-4 m3/s/m
b. 1.09 x 10-4 m3/s/m
c. 1.02 x 10-4 m3/s/m
d. 1.20 x 10-4 m3/s/m
26. Find the discharge velocity.
a. 4.48 x 10 -3 m/s
b. 4.549 x 10 -3 m/s
c. 4.41 x 10 -3 m/s
d. 2.84 x 10-3 m/s
SITUATION:
A permeable soil layer is underlain by an impervious layer as shown in the figure. Knowing that k = 4.8 x 10-3
cm/sec for the permeable layer and
H=4.2:
27. If ∝=6°, , calculate the seepage through
this layer in m3/hr/m width.
a. 0.0574 m3/hr/m
b. 0.0754 m3/hr/m
c. 0.0457 m3/hr/m
d. 0.4057 m3/hr/m

28. The hydraulic conductivity of a sandy soil is 0.009 cm/sec at a room temperature of 28°C. What would be the
coefficient of permeability at 20°C?
a. 7.535 x 10-3 cm/s
b. 5.735 x 10-3 cm/s
c. 3.575 x 10-3 cm/s
d. 5.535 x 10-3 cm/s
 SITUATION:
A layered soil is shown in Figure
Given that:
• H1 =1m k1 =10-4 cm/sec
• H2 =2m k2 = 2.8 x 10-2 cm/sec
• H3 =2m k3 = 3.5 x 10-5 cm/sec
29. Find the equivalent horizontal permeability.
a. 0.1012 cm/s
b. 7.44 x 10-5 cm/s
c. 0.0112 cm/s
d. 4.74 x 10-5 cm/s
30. Find the equivalent vertical permeability
a. 0.1012 cm/s
b. 7.44 x 10-5 cm/s
c. 0.0112 cm/s
d. 4.74 x 10-5 cm/s

SITUATION:
The following data are for a falling-head permeability test:
• Length of the soil sample = 150 mm
• Area of the soil sample = 1964 mm2
• Area of the standpipe = 25 mm2
• At time t=0, head difference=400 mm
• At time t=8 min, head difference=200 mm
31. Determine the hydraulic conductivity of the soil (cm/sec).
a. 7.257 x 10-4 cm/s
b. 5.752 x 10-4 cm/s
c. 2.757 x 10-4 cm/s
d. 7.577 x 10-4 cm/s
32. What was the head difference at t= 6 min?
a. 237.85 mm
b. 273.85 mm
c. 723.85 mm
d. 752.85 mm

SITUATION:
33. Figure shows the cross section of a levee
that is 500 m long and is underlain by a 2-m-
thick permeable sand layer. It was observed
that the quantity of water flowing through
the sand layer into the collection ditch is 250
m3/day. What is the hydraulic conductivity
of the sand layer?
a. 3.125 m/day
b. 2.135 m/day
c. 5.132 m/day
d. 1.523 m/day
SITUATION:

Figure shows three layers of soil in a

tube that is 100 mm x 100 mm in cross
section. Water is supplied to maintain
a constant-head difference of 300 mm
across the sample. The hydraulic
conductivities of the soils in the
direction of flow through them are as
follows:

34. Determine the equivalent coefficient of permeability.

a. 2.21 x 10-3 cm/s
b. 2.11 x 10-3 cm/s
c. 1.11 x 10-3 cm/s
d. 1.21 x 10-3 cm/s
35. Find the rate of water supply in cm3/hr.
a. 920.4 cm3/hr
b. 290.4 cm3/hr
c. 492.0 cm3/hr
d. 204.9 cm3/hr

SITUATION:

A flow net for flow around a single row of sheet piles in a permeable
soil layer is shown in the figure. Given that kx =kz= k= 5 x10-3
cm/sec, determine

36. How high (above the ground surface) the water will rise if
piezometer is placed at point a
a. 2.765
b. 5.033
c. 3.053
d. 5.672
37. The total rate of seepage through the permeable layer per
unit length.
a. 8.5 x 10-5 m3/s
b. 5.8 x 10-5 m3/s
c. 6.5 x 10-5 m3/s
d. 5.6 x 10-5 m3/s
SITUATION:

38. Determine the number of flow

channels
a. 4
b. 5
c. 8
d. 9

39. Determine the number of

equipotential drops
a. 4
b. 5
c. 8
d. 9

SITUATION:

A soil profile is shown in the figure. Given:

H1= 1.83 m, H2 = 0.91 m, H3 = 1.83 m.
40. Determine the unit weight for saturated
clay.
a. 25.167 kN/m3
b. 17.66 kN/m3
c. 17.33 kN/m3
d. 18.97 kN/m3
41. Calculate the effective stress
immediately above point B.
a. 31.71 kN/m2
b. 36.17 kN/m2
c. 37.16 kN/m2
d. 11.37 kN/m2
42. Calculate the effective stress immediately below B.
a. 31.71 kN/m2
b. 36.17 kN/m2
c. 37.16 kN/m2
d. 11.37 kN/m2
43. For the evaluation of the quality of a soil as a highway subgrade material, a number called the ______________is
also incorporated with the groups and the subgroups of soil. This number is written in parentheses after the group
or subgroup destination.
a. Group index
b. Group factor
c. Safety index
d. Consistency Index
44. If greater than 50% is retained at No. 200 sieve, using AASHTO system, the soil is classified as?
a. Fine grained soil
b. Coarse grained soil
c. Peat
 d. Organic Soil
45. The moisture content at which the maximum dry unit weight is attained is generally referred to as the
______________.
a. Optimum moisture content
b. Maximum moisture content
c. Plastic Limit
d. Liquid Limit

Answer key
1. A
2. B
3. B
4. B
5. A
6. B
7. C
8. C
9. A
10. C
11. A
12. A
13. A
14. B
15. A
16. A
17. D
18. C
19. D
20. C
21. A
22. C
23. C
24. D
25. B
26. C
27. B
28. A
29. C
30. B
31. C
32. A
33. A
34. D
35. B
36. B
37. A
38. B
39. D
40. B
41. A
42. B
43. A
44. B
45. A