GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING I – SOIL MECHANICS

QUIZ 1
Batch 2021-2022

INSTRUCTION(S): Select the correct answer for each of the following questions.
Mark only one answer for each item corresponding to the letter of your choice
on the answer sheet provided. Show also your complete solution(s) in separate
sheet(s) of clean bond paper.

Situation No.1 A dry sand is placed in a container having a volume of 0.0089

cm3. The dry weight of the sample is 0.014 g. Water is carefully added to the
container so as not to disturb the condition of the sand. When the container is
filled, the combined weight of soil plus water is 0.0174 g.
1. Determine the void ratio of the soil in the container.
a. 0.38 b. 0.62 c. 0.42 d. 0.65
2. Determine the dry unit weight of the soil sample.
a. 15.44 kN/m 3 b. 16.78 kN/m 3 c. 18.56 kN/m 3 d. 17.21 kN/m 3
3. Determine the saturated unit weight of the soil sample:
a. 15.44 kN/m 3 b. 16.78 kN/m 3 c. 19.20 kN/m 3 d. 17.21 kN/m 3

Situation No.2
4. The soil used in constructing an embankment is obtained from a borrow
area where the in-situ void ratio is 1.02. The soil at the embankment is
required to be compacted to a void ratio of 0.72. If the finished volume of
the embankment is 90,000 m 3, what would be the volume of the soil
excavated at the borrow area?
a. 105,697.67 m3 b. 124,962.22 m 3 c. 76,633.66 m 3 d. 88,742.30 m 3
Situation No. 3 For moist soil, the following are given: Volume =1.1 m 3, weight =
20.04 kN, water content = 8.6% and specific gravity, Gs = 2.63. Determine the
following:

5. Porosity
a. 0.54 b. 0.35 c. 1.54 d. 0.61
6. Degree of Saturation
a. 0.42 b. 0.65 c. 0.15 d. 0.37
7. Volume occupied by air
a. 1.44 b. 0.147 c. 0.186 d. 0.144
Situation No.4 The undisturbed soil at borrow pit has a bulk unit weight of 19.1
kN/m3and water content of 9.5%. The soil from this borrow will be used to
construct a compacted fill with a finished volume of 42,000 m 3. The soil is
excavated by machinery and placed in trucks, each load of soil weighs 67.5 KN.
In the construction process, the trucks dump the soil at the site, then the soil is
spread and broken up. Water then is sprinkled to bring the water content to
15%. Finally the soil is compacted to a dry unit weight of 17.1 KN/m 3.

8. Assuming each load is to the full capacity, how many truckloads are
required to construct the fill?
a. 10,567.25 b. 11,650.80 c. 12,178.95 d. 12,872.55
9. What would be the volume of the pit in the borrow area?
a. 37,602.09 m 3 b. 45,085.85 m 3 c. 34,339.81 m 3 d. 41,174.29
m 3

10. How many kilo Newton of water should be added to a truck load?
a. 3.71 kN b. 3.39 kN c. 4.05 kN d. 4.28 kN
Situation No.5
11. This is the diameter in the particle size distribution curve corresponding to
10% finer. It is used to measure the hydraulic conductivity and drainage
through the soil.
a. Percent Finer b. Effective size c. Average size d. Majority
size
12. It is a particle in the soil whose diameter ranges from 76.2 mm to 2 mm
(Use AASHTO classification)
a. Gravel b. Cobble c. Boulder d. Sand
13. It is a method of classification wherein the percentage of gravel is being
deducted to the total percentage of the soil.
a. AASHTO b. USCS c. USDA d. MIT
14. This test defined as the lowest moisture content at which the soil will flow
upon the application of very small shearing force.
a. Liquid Limit b. Plastic Limit c. Shrinkage Limit d. Plasticity
Index
15. The lowest moisture content in which the soil can be rolled into threads
1/8” or 3.2 mm in diameter without crumbling ______________.
a. Liquid Limit b. Plastic Limit c. Shrinkage Limit d. Plasticity
Index
16. The lowest moisture content in which further loss of water due to
evaporation does not result in reduction of volume.
a. Liquid Limit b. Plastic Limit c. Shrinkage Limit d. Plasticity
Index
17. Soils containing more than 35% passing 0.075 (#200) sieve are classified
under
a. Silt Clay
b. Granular
 c. Clayey
d. Boulder
18. He is the father of Soil Mechanics
a. Albert Mauritz Atterberg
b. Karl Von Terzaghi
c. Boussinesq
d. Darcy
19. The device used in testing for Liquid Limit?
a. Hydrometer
b. Casagrande Cup and Grooving Tool
c. Glass Plate
d. Mold and Rammer
e. Set of Sieves

Situation No.6 A sample of soft saturated clay has a volume of 100 cu.cm and
weighs 175 g. The oven-dry is 120 g.

20. Compute the void ratio of the clay

a. 1.27 b. 1.33 c. 1.22 d. 1.14
21. Determine the specific gravity of the clay.
a. 2.66 b. 2.77 c. 2.49 d. 2.90
Situation No.7: Given the laboratory results of the Atterberg Limits Test in Table
JM-24021228. Plot the water content versus number of blows.

TABLE JM-24021228
A.Liquid Limit
Test Number 1 2 3 4
Number of blows 35 28 20 15
Weight of Wet Soil + Container, 91.57 108.16 119.14 114.94
g
Weight of Dry Soil + Container, 73.78 85.04 89.56 84.10
g
Weight Container, g 21.45 22.56 20.78 19.86
Weight of Water, g
Weight of Dry Soil , g
Water content, %
B.Plastic Limit and Natural Water Content
Plastic Limit Liquid Limit
Test Number 1 2 3 4
Weight of Wet Soil + Container, 24.46 26.73 30.50 28.11
g
 Weight of Dry Soil + Container, 21.79 23.44 24.64 23.69
g
Weight Container, g 12.45 13.21 12.32 13.24
Weight of Water, g
Weight of Dry Soil , g
Water content, %
Average, %

22. Determine the nearest value to the Liquid Limit of the soil.
a. 35.6% b. 39.3% c. 42.5% d. 46.7%
23. Determine the nearest value to the plastic limit of the soil.
a. 30.36 b. 44.93 c. 35.24 d. 25.47
24. Determine the nearest value to the Liquidity Index of the soil.
a. 1.52 b. 1.34 c. 1.63 d. 1.21

Situation no. 8 The result of sieve analysis of three soils is given next. It is required
to classify these soils according to the AASHTO Classification System. Use the
attached AASHTO Figure A.
25. What is the classification of soil A?
a. A-2-4(0) b. A-2-6(0) c. A-2-7(0) d. A-2-5(0)
26. What is the classification of soil B?
a. A-4(2) b. A-5(2) c. A-7(2) d. A-6(2)
27. What is the classification of soil C?
a. A-2-4(2) b. A-2-6(2) c. A-2-7(2) d. A-2-5(2)

SIEVE ANALYSIS
Sieve No. Diameter (mm) Percent Passing
SOIL A SOIL B SOIL C
4 4.760 85 98 100
8 2.380 80 90 95
10 2.000 68 85 88
20 0.840 62 78 75
40 0.420 52 62 60
60 0.250 48 55 52
100 0.149 38 50 40
200 0.074 25 45 34

LL 42 45 38
PL 33 37 18
Situation no. 9 The result of sieve analysis of three soils is given next. It is required
to classify these soils according to the USCS. Use the attached USCS Chart.

SIEVE ANALYSIS
Sieve No. Diameter (mm) Percent Passing
SOIL A SOIL B SOIL C
4 4.760 90 100 100
8 2.380 65 92 100
10 2.000 54 78 97
20 0.840 34 58 90
40 0.420 21 51 83
60 0.250 16 41 78
100 0.149 9 35 71
200 0.074 4 33 63

LL - 46 46
PL - 28 23
28. Which of the following gives the nearest value for 60% finer D60, for Soil A?
a. 2.7 b. 3.6 c. 2.1 d. 1.5
29. Which of the following gives the classification of Soil B?
a. SC b. SM c. GM d. GC
30. Which of the following gives the classification of Soil C?
a. OL b. CH c. ML d. CL
“If you’re not willing to learn, no one can help you, If you’re determined to learn, no one can stop
you.” -anonymous
Prepared by:
SirJM2021