P a g e | 1/3

Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering

(Descriptive Questions )
1. What is the consistency of soil? What are the different consistency limits?
2. Classify soils on the basis of their method of formation? What factors control the soil
formation?
3. Is there any charge on the surface of clay particles? Describe the diffuse double layer
theory. What are the characteristic engineering behaviour of clayey soils containing
minerals kaolinite, illite and montmorillonite?
4. What is the purpose of soil classification? Is soil classification different from soil
description? Explain briefly. How does unified soil classification system differ from
Australian soil classification system? Draw the plasticity chart.
5. Derive major phase inter-relationships? How are cohesionless soils described? Define
coefficient of uniformity and coefficient of curvature.
6. Differentiate between porewater pressure and effective stress. What is effective stress
principle? Explain briefly.
7. How does a shift in the ground surface affect the effective stress? Justify your answer.
Explain the field situation of stress conditions within the ground.
8. State the assumptions implied in the use of Boussinesq’s stress distribution theory to
determine the vertical stress in a soil due to a point load? How will you calculate the
stress increase in soil mass due to a point load?
9. What is the most significant consequence of capillarity on soil behaviour? Explain
briefly.
10. What do you mean by head? What are the different types of head? What is the use of
Darcy’s law? Explain. What is the difference between discharge velocity and seepage
velocity? Explain briefly.
11. What is seepage force? How does it differ from seepage pressure? Obtain an expression
for the critical hydraulic gradient necessary for a quick condition to develop.
12. What are the differences between compaction and consolidation? Write the dimensions
of standard compaction mould and rammer. Enumerate the factors affecting compaction.
Compare the standard and modified compaction tests.
13. What is the ratio of the compactive energy in the heavy compaction test to that in light
compaction test? What types of soils are best compacted by the use of sheepsfoot rollers,
vibratory rollers, grid rollers and smooth wheel rollers?
14. How is consolidation different from compaction? How does a soil layer get compressed?
Describe the mechanics of one-dimensional consolidation test.
15. What do you understand by the terms: immediate settlement, primary consolidation
settlement and secondary consolidation settlement?
16. Draw a typical void ratio versus log of effective stress plot for saturated clayey soils.
Differentiate between coefficient of consolidation and degree of consolidation.
17. What are the assumptions of Terzaghi’s one dimensional consolidation theory? Write the
differential equation governing the primary consolidation. Differentiate between
coefficient of consolidation and degree of consolidation.
18. Define shear strength of a soil. How do we define failure in soils? Explain the Mohr-
Coulomb failure criterion for soils. What are the shear strength parameters? List a few
 P a g e | 2/3

important problems in geotechnical engineering where knowledge of shear strength is

essential.
19. Discuss the direct shear test results. What is the meaning of the following terms: (a) peak
and residual shear strength of clayey soils, and (b) peak and ultimate shear resistance of
sandy soil?
20. Which is the most common and versatile test used to determine the shear strength and
stress-strain properties of soils? Describe the basic concept of triaxial shear test. What
are the different types of triaxial shear test? What do you understand by: (a) UU test, (b)
CU test, and (c) CD test?
21. Draw a neat sketch of a retaining wall and label the major components. Clearly explain
the difference between the active earth pressure and the passive earth pressure.
22. Enumerate the assumptions made in Rankine’s active earth pressure theory? Explain the
Coulomb’s active earth pressure theory. For a clay backfill behind a retaining wall, what
is the depth of tension crack? How does tension crack in the clay backfill affect the active
earth pressure?
23. What are the different types of retaining walls? Explain with the help of neat sketches.
What are the steps involved in the design of retaining walls?
24. What are the probable types of failure of a slope? What is meant by infinite slope?
Explain with the help of a neat sketch. How does an infinite slope differ from the finite
slope? List the factors affecting the factor of safety of an infinite slope.
25. What are assumptions of the Taylor’s slope stability analysis? Define the Taylor’s
stability number. What is the Taylor’s stability number?
26. What are the main objectives of site investigation? Enumerate the stages of site
investigation. Draw a neat sketch of the sampling tool and explain the relevant terms.
Draw a neat sketch of the soil sampling tool and explain the relevant terms.
27. List the field tests commonly used in subsurface investigation. What are the corrections
that must be applied to the N-values for sand before they are used in design charts and
empirical correlations?
28. What is the basic principle of foundation design? Explain briefly. What is the difference
between shallow and deep foundations? What are the different types of shallow
foundations? Explain briefly.
29. What are the foundation requirements? What is the basic principle of foundation design?
Describe load-bearing capacity failure in soils. How does general shear failure differ
from local shear failure?
30. What are assumptions made in the Terzaghi’s bearing capacity theory? Describe the
Terzaghi’s bearing capacity theory with the help of a neat sketch. Write the Terzaghi
bearing capacity equation for the general shear failure.
31. Describe different types of mat foundations. Under what conditions mat foundations are
recommended?
32. Classify deep foundations. How does a pile foundation differ from a drilled pier?
33. What are the different components of pile capacity? Explain briefly. How will you
estimate the load-carrying capacity of the pile point? How will you estimate the
frictional resistance for pile foundation?
34. What is negative skin friction? Explain with the help of a neat sketch. Draw a neat sketch
to show a group of piles. Define pile group efficiency.
 P a g e | 3/3

35. What is the effect of temperature variation on geosynthetics? Can a geosynthetic have a
unit weight less than the unit weight of water/
36. What is the practical reinforcement pattern beneath a footing? What is the maximum
depth of geosynthetic reinforcement layer for increasing the load-bearing capacity of a
foundation soil?
37. Explain the wide-width strip tensile test. Draw a typical stress-strain curve for a
geotextile.
38. Does a geogrid-reinforced foundation perform better than a geotextile-reinforced
foundation? What is the most important aspect of construction with geomembranes?
39. List the different types of earth anchors.
40. What is the breakout factor? Explain an application of a vertical plate anchor.