EE No.

Republic of the Philippines

PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION
Manila

BOARD OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

CIVIL ENGINEER Licensure Examination

Friday, January 20, 2023 08:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
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HYDRAULICS AND PRINCIPLES OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING SET A

INSTRUCTION: Select the correct answer for each of the following questions. Mark only one answer
for each item by shading the box corresponding to the letter of your choice on the answer sheet
provided. STRICTLY NO ERASURE ALLOWED. Use pencil no. 2 only.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. What is the friction angle of the soil when the coefficient of passive resistance is 4?
A. 36.87º C. 41.57º
B. 32.27º D. 39.37º

2. Obtain the Rankines active pressure coefficient of a soil mass whose angle of friction ϕ is
18º.
A. 0.85 C. 0.76
B. 0.53 D. 0.42

3. A vertical retaining wall retains 26-ft deep of soil. The soil has a dry unit weight of 110
pcf above water table and 120 pcf below water table. The ground water table is 10 feet below
the ground surface. The angle of internal friction of the soil is 35º. Which of the following
is closest to the total active pressure acting on the wall in pounds per foot width.
A. 15,425 C. 16,245
B. 17,452 D. 14,553

4. Section 302.2.2 of the NSCP provides that the slope of cut surfaces shall be no steeper than
is safe for intended use and shall be no steeper than _____.
A. 1 to 2 C. 1 to 4
B. 1 to 3 D. 1 to 5

5. Evaluate the resisting capacity, in kN, against axial load due to skin friction of a concrete
pile embedded into a layer of plastic clay given the following conditions:
Size of pile: D = 0.4 m square
Depth of penetration into the clay layer: L = 25 m
Unconfined compression strength qu of the clay: qu = 210 kPa
A. 4800 C. 9600
B. 4200 D. 3300

6. A prestressed concrete pile 300 mm x 300 mm in cross-section and 20 m long is driven in

clayey soil with unconfined compression strength qu = 180 kPa. Compute the skin friction
resistance using an adhesion factor α = 1.
A. 2880 kN C. 860 kN
B. 960 kN D. 2160 kN

7. A prestressed concrete pile 400 mm x 400 mm in cross-section and 20 m long is driven in

clayey soil with unconfined compression strength qu = 110 kPa. Compute the skin friction
using an adhesion factor α = 0.75.
A. 1320 kN C. 1540 kN
B. 1480 kN D. 1240 kN

8. An unconfined compression test was conducted on a sample of clay having a diameter of 50 mm.
The failure load was recorded at 250 N. Determine the cohesion strength of the clay.
A. 45.0 kPa C. 101.0 kPa
B. 63.7 kPa D. 127.3 kPa

9. In a triaxial test on a cohesionless soil, the soil fails when the chamber pressure is 50 kPa
and the maximum axial stress reached 120 kPa. Obtain the angle of friction.
A. 24.3º C. 26.7º
B. 20.7º D. 28.4º

10. An unconfined compression test was conducted on a sample of clay having a diameter of 50 mm.
The failure load was recorded at 225 N. The cohesion strength of the clay, in kPa is nearest
to:
A. 63.5 C. 57.3
B. 59.8 D. 91.4
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HYDRAULICS AND PRINCIPLES OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING EE No. 7

11. The section of a cofferdam is as shown in the figure. If the coefficient of permeability of
the soil is k = 5 x 10-3 m/s, determine the seepage into the ditches per meter length of the
cofferdam.

A. 0.086 m3/s C. 0.072 m3/s

B. 0.104 m3/s D. 0.058 m3/s

12. A prestressed concrete pile, 360 mm x 360 mm in cross section, is to be

driven in a clayey soil (γ = 18.5 kN/m3) as shown in the figure. The pile
has a design capacity of 360 kN. Use factor of safety of 2. The unconfined
compression shear strength, qu, of the soil is 110 kPa. Use Nc = 9. What
is the end bearing capacity of pile in kN?

A. 68.43 C. 64.15
B. 73.21 D. 57.93

13. A cohesionless specimen of soil under triaxial shear test was consolidated under a chamber
confining pressure of 60 kPa. The axial stress on the specimen was then increased and failure
stress occurred when the axial stress reached 125 kPa. Estimate the angle of internal
friction of the soil, in degrees.
A. 19.5 C. 24.2
B. 34.6 D. 20.6

14. Pile group:

Pile size: 400 mm x 400 mm
Pile length = 20 m
Total load, Q = 12 MN
Efficiency = 82%
Unconfined compression strength, qu = 120 kPa
Adhesion factor = 1

What is the required number of piles?

A. 7 C. 8
B. 16 D. 13

15. In an unconfined compression test, a sample of sandy clay 50 mm in diameter fails under a
load of 120 N. What is the cohesion of the soil if the sample fail at 15% strain?
A. 28 C. 25
B. 26 D. 27

16. A cut slope was excavated in saturated clay as shown. The slope made an angle of 60º with the
horizontal. When slope failure occurs, distance BC is 8 m. Given: Stability number, m =
0.185; γ = 17.5 kN/m3; cu = 22 kPa. What is the angle of failure plane in degrees?

A. 31.33 C. 28.47
B. 29.68 D. 30.25

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HYDRAULICS AND PRINCIPLES OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING EE No. 7

17. The 4 m square footing shown in the figure supports a load Q = 5000 kN. In this problem, H1 =
8 m and H2 = 12 m. Calculate the pressure at the midheight of the clay layer assuming that
the stress beneath the footing is spread at a slope 1H to 2V.

A. 22.48 kPa C. 28.36 kPa

B. 20.87 kPa D. 25.51 kPa

Situation – A retaining wall 12 m high has a horizontal backfill on its vertical face to its
base. Under normal conditions, the backfill has a water content of 12% and a void ratio of 0.45.
The specific gravity of the soil grains is 2.65 and the angle of internal friction is 20º. When
the backfill is fully saturated with rain water:

18. Evaluate the total horizontal lateral force per meter width of wall, in kN, due to the water.
A. 706 C. 652
B. 563 D. 825

19. Evaluate the total horizontal lateral force per meter width of wall, in kN, due to the soil.
A. 426 C. 352
B. 394 D. 240

20. How many times would the horizontal lateral force be increased if the backfill is fully
saturated with rain water compared to its normal condition?
A. 1.55 C. 1.36
B. 1.65 D. 1.06

Situation – A pile group consist of 9 piles arranged in 3 by 3 formation. Each pile is 300 mm in
diameter, 12 meters long and spaced 0.75 m on centers.

21. Determine the allowable load of the pile group considering individual action. Use Nc = 9, qu
= 160 kPa, and factor of safety of 3.
A. 3210 kN C. 2870 kN
B. 3890 kN D. 2340 kN

22. Determine the allowable load of the pile group considering group action.
A. 2610 kN C. 2870 kN
B. 2430 kN D. 2110 kN

23. Determine the minimum spacing of piles to achieve 100% efficiency.

A. 910 mm C. 830 mm
B. 1070 mm D. 12010 mm

Situation – A 7 m deep braced cut in sand is shown in the figure.

The struts are placed at a spacing of 2 m center to center. Using
Peck’s empirical pressure diagram.

24. Determine the strut load at level A.

A. 36 kN C. 109 kN
B. 73 kN D. 194 kN

25. Determine the strut load at level C.

A. 36 kN C. 109 kN
B. 73 kN D. 194 kN

26. Determine the strut load at level B.

A. 36 kN C. 109 kN
B. 73 kN D. 194 kN

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HYDRAULICS AND PRINCIPLES OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING EE No. 7

Situation – A 10 m high retaining wall is shown in the figure.

27. Determine the active thrust on the wall due to soil and water.
A. 317.7 kN C. 467.3 kN
B. 425.6 kN D. 387.4 kN

28. Determine the active thrust on the wall due to soil only (dry
soil).
A. 365.3 kN C. 288.9 kN
B. 424.9 kN D. 486.2 kN

29. Determine the increase in force on the wall if the soil is fully
saturated with rain water.
A. 305.8 kN C. 287.7 kN
B. 352.6 kN D. 421.2 kN

Situation – In a tri axial test for a normally consolidated soil, the normal stress at failure
is equal to 450 kPa and the shear stress at failure is equal to 300 kPa.

30. Compute the angle of friction.

A. 33.69 C. 35.85
B. 42.28 D. 56.12
31. Compute the angle of the failure plane with the major principal axis.
A. 32.57 C. 45.21
B. 54.96 D. 61.85

32. Compute the maximum principal stress at failure.

A. 1213 kPa C. 962 kPa
B. 985 kPa D. 1013 kPa

Situation – The results of a consolidated drained triaxial shear test conducted on a

consolidated clay are as follows:
Chamber confining pressure = 240 kPa
Deviator stress at failure = 450 kPa

33. Evaluate the angle of friction of the soil sample, in degrees.

A. 16.8 C. 27.4
B. 22.4 D. 28.9

34. Evaluate the shear stress on the failure plane, in kPa.

A. 345 C. 242
B. 197 D. 185

35. Evaluate the normal stress on the plane of maximum shear, in kPa.
A. 398 C. 465
B. 550 D. 345

Situation – A triaxial shear test was performed on a well-drained sand sample. The normal stress
on the failure plane and the shearing stress on the failure plane were determined to be 72 kPa
and 47 kPa, respectively.

36. Determine the angle of internal friction of the sand, in degrees.

A. 30.5 C. 33.1
B. 32.5 D. 22.8

37. Determine the angle in degrees of the failure plane with respect to the horizontal plane.
A. 52.6 C. 45.8
B. 61.6 D. 60.3

38. Determine the axial stress applied to the specimen, in kPa.

A. 159 C. 187
B. 148 D. 258

Situation – A footing, 2 m x 3 m in plan and 0.50 m thick, is designed to support a 0.60 m

square column. Due to architectural requirement, the column is located that its external face is
flush with the shorter edge of the footing. The column, however, is located along the minor
principal axis of the footing. The column load, including the weight of the column itself, is 50
kN. Assume the concrete to weigh 24 kN/m3.

39. Evaluate the total downward load on the supporting ground, in kN.
A. 122 kN C. 113 kN
B. 72 kN D. 135 kN
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HYDRAULICS AND PRINCIPLES OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING EE No. 7

40. Evaluate the overturning moment on the footing, in kN-m.

A. 45 C. 50
B. 55 D. 60

41. Evaluate the maximum pressure induced on the supporting soil, in kPa.
A. 40.33 C. 46.33
B. 53.33 D. 60.33

Situation – According to the Westerguard Theory, the vertical stress at a point below the
surface of a semi-infinite, homogeneous, isotropic soil mass due to a point load A applied at
the ground surface is given by the equation:

0.318 Q N
P=
z2
1
where: N= 1.5
r 2
[1 + 2 ( ) ]
z

r = horizontal distance of the point from the vertical line of application of the load

z = depth of point below ground surface

Evaluate the vertical stress, in kPa, at a point below the ground for Q = 1500 kN if:

42. The point is 3 m directly below the point of application of the load.
A. 49 kPa C. 57 kPa
B. 53 kPa D. 62 kPa

43. The point is 6 m directly below the point of application of the load.
A. 13.3 kPa C. 21.1 kPa
B. 18.5 kPa D. 23.3 kPa

44. The point is 6 m below the load but 3 m horizontally from the application of the load.
A. 2.4 kPa C. 7.2 kPa
B. 3.6 kPa D. 9.3 kPa

Situation – Given the following data of a circular footing:

Footing diameter = 10 m
Depth of footing = 2 m
Unit weight of soil = 16 kN/m3
Soil Cohesion = 0
Angle of friction of soil = 20º

Use the Terzaghi’s bearing capacity factors in Table 2.

45. Obtain the contribution of footing embedment to ultimate bearing capacity.

A. 172.3 kPa C. 238.1 kPa
B. 210.4 kPa D. 150.3 kPa

46. Obtain the contribution of footing dimension to ultimate bearing capacity.

A. 232.9 kPa C. 303.2 kPa
B. 174.7 kPa D. 152.4 kPa

47. Obtain the gross allowable pressure if the factor of safety is 3.0.
A. 72.54 kPa C. 111.4 kPa
B. 84.71 kPa D. 137.6 kPa

Situation – A square footing 2 m x 2 m is located at a depth of 1.2 meters below the ground
surface. The soil properties are cohesion, c = 10 kPa, ϕ = 15º, γ = 16.7 kN/m3, and γsat = 20
kN/m3. Use Terzaghi’s bearing capacity equation:

qu = 1.3 c Nc + γ Df Nq + 0.4 γ B Nγ

Bearing capacity factors, Nc = 12.9, Nq = 4.4, Nγ = 2.5

Find qu under the following conditions:

48. When the water table is way below the bottom of footing.
A. 294 kPa C. 289 kPa
B. 276 kPa D. 242 kPa

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HYDRAULICS AND PRINCIPLES OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING EE No. 7

49. When the water table is at the bottom of footing.

A. 276 kPa C. 242 kPa
B. 289 kPa D. 294 kPa

50. When the water table is at the ground surface.

A. 276 kPa C. 289 kPa
B. 294 kPa D. 242 kPa

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