CSE 222

(University of Choice)

MASINDE MULIRO UNIVERSITY OF

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(MMUST)
MAIN CAMPUS

UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS
2015/2016 ACADEMIC YEAR

SECOND YEARSECOND SEMESTER EXAMINATIONS

FOR THE DEGREE

OF
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CIVIL AND STRUCTURAL
ENGINEERING

COURSE CODE: CSE 222

COURSE TITLE: SOIL MECHANICS I

DATE: 26TH OCTOBER 2016 TIME: 9.00 AM-11.00AM

INSTRUCTIONS:
• This paper contains FIVE (5) questions
• Answer ALLquestions in Section A and ANY THREE in Section B
• Duration: 2 hours

MMUST observes ZERO tolerance to examination cheating

This Paper Consists of 3 Printed Pages. Please Turn Over.

CSE 222SOIL MECHANICS I

 CSE 222

SECTION A: Answer ALL questions

Question 1
(a) Who are the first Four (4) important contributors to soil mechanics and state their theories and
impact in soil mechanics? [8 Marks ]
(b) List and explain seven (7) effects of ground water on soil properties and neighboring
structures? [7 Marks]
(c) Soil is a complex body composed of five (5) major components. Name and describe them?
[10 Marks]

SECTION B: Answer Any Three questions

Question 2
(a) Soil organic matter could be considered to consist of two (2) general groups. List and
describe them? [4 Marks]
(b) Explain the three (3) methods of soil classification. (Particle Size; Particle Size Distribution
and Atterberg Limits)? [9 Marks]
(c) State the differences between Bulk and Dry densities of soil? [2 Marks]

Question 3
(a) Describe the various phase parameters and their relationships? [9 Marks]
(b) State Three (3) phase relationship parameters with formulas? [6 Marks]

Questions 4
(a) Name three (3) principle terms used by civil engineers to describe soils? [3 Marks ]
(b) State the procedure adopted in the field to identify the soil as Corse Grain Soil or Fine Grain
Soil? [4 Marks]
(c) There are four field test that we can easily conduct on the field to describe or classify silt &
clay. List and describe them? [8 Marks].

Question 5

(a) The purpose of compaction is to improve the qualities of the soil used either as a sub-grade
materials for roads or in the fills of any project. There are four(4) principle reasons to compact
soil, namethem? [4 Marks].
(b) Describe using suitable sketches and formulas the total stress in soil in th7e following
circumstances?
(i) Total Stress in Homogenous Soil. [2 Marks]
(ii) Total Stress in Below a River or Lake. [3Marks]
(iii) Total Stress in Multi – Layered Soil. [3Marks]
(iv) Total Stress in Unsaturated Soil. [3Marks]

CSE 222SOIL MECHANICS I