Assessment 3

Geotechnique 254 December 2022

Geotegniek 254 Assessering 3
Desember 2022
Duration Full marks
Tydsduur
3h Volpunte
130
Signatures to confirm: Question paper and marking
Names scheme are correct and aligned with module outcomes
Name Handtekeninge ter bevestiging: Vraestel en merkskema
is korrek en belyn met module uitkomste
Examiner(s)
Dr N Fouche
Eksaminator(e)
Moderator(s)
Dr C MacRobert
Moderator(e)

Rules and Instructions Reëls en Voorskrifte

The Engineering Faculty's "General
Stipulations for Under- and Postgraduate
Modules" apply to this assessment.
The marks for each question are indicated to
the right of the question in square brackets
Answer all the questions.
This is a closed book assessment. No
information sources may be consulted.
Pocket calculators prescribed for the first
two years of the BEng may be used.
Hand this in with your script.
Fakulteit Ingenieurswese se "Algemene
Bepalings vir Voor- en Nagraadse Modules"
is op hierdie assessering van toepassing.
Die punte vir elke vraag word regs van die
vraag in vierkantige hakies aangedui.
Beantwoord al die vrae.
Hierdie is 'n toeboek assessering. Geen
inligtingbronne mag geraadpleeg word nie.
Sakrekenaars voorgeskryf vir die eerste
twee jaar van die BIng mag gebruik word.
Gee dit saam met u antwoordstel in.
Question 1 [30] Vraag 1 [30]

The figure below shows a cross-section
through a concrete wall built on a riverbed.
The silty sand is anisotropic and laboratory
tests showed that kx = 4 x 10-7m/s
(horizontal) and kz = 1 x 10-7m/s (vertical).
Die figuur hieronder toon ’n dwarssnit deur
’n betonwal wat op ’n rivierbedding gebou
is. Die slikkerige sand is anisotropies met kx
= 4x10-7 m/s (horisontaal) en kz =1 x 10-7m/s
(vertikaal).

a) Transformeer die vloeigebied en teken dit

a) Transform the flow area and draw it to a op ’n geskikte skaal op die aangehegde
proper scale on the attached graph grafiekpapier. [3]
paper. [3]
b) Teken ’n vloeinet wat aan al die vereistes
b) Draw a flow net that complies with all vir ’n vloeinet voldoen op die snit. [20]
requirements of flow nets on the cross-
section. [20] c) Bereken die poriewaterdruk, u, by die
posisie gemerk X. [4]
c) Calculate the pore water pressure, u, at
the position marked X. [4] d) Bereken die tempo van verlies, q, van
water onderdeur die wal. [3]
d) Determine the rate of water loss, q,
below the wall. [3]

16 m

4m 4m

1m
3m 2m

2m
X
6m
7m
9m

Figure 1 / Figuur 1

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Question 2 [20] Vraag 2 [20]

A pipe is 4m long. It is fixed in a vertical ʼn Pyp is 4m lank. Dit word vertikaal

position and filled with sand. The sand has a
saturated unit weight ɣsat = 20kN/m3. The
lower end of the pipe is connected to a tank
filled with water. The height of the tank can
be adjusted to above the top level of the
pipe so that water is forced to seep upwards
through the sand. The water level in the
tank is kept constant. The top of the pipe is
open to the atmosphere so that water
seeping upwards can overflow.
a) If the tank is adjusted so that its top a) Indien die tenk so geplaas word dat die
water level is 2m above the top of the
pipe, use the method of seepage force
plus buoyant unit weight to calculate the
vertical effective stress, σ’, at a level 2m
above the bottom end of the pipe. [8]
b) Repeat the calculation in (a) but use the
method of saturated unit weight plus b) Herhaal die berekening in (a), maar
boundary water pressure (or pore water
pressure). [6]
c) Calculate to what level the tank’s water
c) Bereken tot watter hoogte die tenk se
level can be increased before a condition
of boiling will develop in the sand (i.e.,
the vertical effective stress = 0). [6]
vasgemaak en met sand gevul. Die sand se
versadigde eenheidsgewig is ɣsat = 20kN/m3.
Die onderste punt van die pyp word aan ʼn
tenk vol water verbind. Die hoogte van die
tenk kan verstel tot hoër as die bopunt van die
pyp sodat water gedwing kan word om
opwaarts deur die sand te syfer en die
watervlak in die tenk word konstant gehou.
Die boonste punt van die pyp is oop na die
atmosfeer sodat water wat van onder af
deursyfer daar kan uitloop.
watervlak daarin 2m bokant die bopunt
van die pyp is, gebruik die metode van
syferkrag plus ondergedompelde
eenheidsgewig om die effektiewe,
vertikale spanning, ’, in die sand te
bereken 2m vanaf die onderkant van die
pyp. [8]
gebruik die metode van versadigde
eenheidsgewig plus randwaterkrag (of
poriedruk). [6]
watervlak kan styg voordat in ʼn toestand
van welsand in die sand sal ontstaan
(m.a.w. die vertikale, effektiewe
spanning = 0). [6]

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Question 3 [25] Vraag 3 [25]

A clay layer is 18m thick, and a large fill is to
be constructed on it. The weight of the fill
will cause a vertical pressure of 150kN/m2.
The water table is at the surface and a
porous rock underlies the clay allowing
drainage upwards and downwards. The clay
has the following properties: ɣsat = 20kN/m3;
Cc = 0.10; Ce = 0.02; σ’c = 180kN/m2; e0 = 0.5;
cv = 1.4m2/yr. Determine the following:
a) The consolidation settlement, soed, of the
clay layer (subdivide into six layers of 3m a) Die konsolidasieversakking, soed, van die
each). [20]
b) Settlement, ten years after completion
of construction, if the construction
period is five years. [5]
’n Kleilaag is 18 m dik en ʼn groot opvulling
moet daarop gebou word. Die gewig van die
opvulling sal ’n vertikale druk van 150kNm-2
veroorsaak. Die watertafel is aan die
oppervlakte en onderkant die klei is poreuse
rots sodat dreinering na bo en onder moontlik
is. Die klei het die volgende eienskappe: ɣsat
= 20kN/m3; Cc = 0.10; Ce = 0.02; σ’c = 180
kN/m2; e0 = 0.5; cv = 1.4m2/jr. Bepaal die
volgende:
kleilaag (deel op in ses lae van 3m elk).
[20]
b) Versakking, tien jaar na voltooiing van
konstruksie, met ’n konstruksieperiode
van vyf jaar. [5]

Question 4 [15] Vraag 4 [15]

a) A hole is dug into a compacted soil layer a) ’n Gat word in ’n gekompakteerde

and all material carefully removed from
it. The volume of the hole is measured
3
as 178.44cm and the mass of soil
removed is 335.6g. After oven drying the
mass is reduced to 296.7g. It is known
that Gs = 2.67 for the soil particles.
Determine the values of (i) the dry
density, ρd (ii) the water content, w (iii) waardes van (i) die droë digtheid, d (ii)
the void ratio, e (iv) the degree of
saturation, Sr, and (v) the air content, A,
of the compacted soil. [6]
b) Give the engineering definition of the
water table in a soil profile and make a b) Gee die ingenieurs definisie van ‘n
sketch to explain. [3]
c) Explain the following terms:
i) Over-consolidated clay
ii) Normally consolidated clay
iii) Pre-consolidation pressure
grondlaag gegrawe en al die grond
versigtig daaruit verwyder. Die volume
van die gat word gemeet as 178.44cm3 en
die massa grond wat verwyder is, is
335.6g. Na droging in die oond verminder
die massa tot 296.7g. Dit is bekend dat Gs
= 2.67 vir die gronddeeltjies. Bepaal die
die voginhoud, w (iii) die
ruimteverhouding, e (iv) die graad van
versadiging, Sr, en (v) die luginhoud, A,
van die gekompakteerde grond. [6]
watertafel in ‘n grondprofile en maak ‘n
skets om dit te verduidelik. [3]
[2] c) Beskryf die volgende terme:
[2] i) Oorgekonsolideerde klei [2]
[2] ii) Normaal gekonsolideerde klei [2]
iii) Voorkonsolidasiedruk [2]

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Question 5 [25] Vraag 5 [30]

The soil profile at a construction site Die grondprofiel op ’n toekomstige

consists of 20m of clay with the water
table at the surface. Assume the following
properties for the clay: cv = 1.22m2/year
and ch = 0.2m2/year. Vertical drainage is
possible only upwards (half-closed layer).
A large area fill will be constructed on the
site resulting in an estimated 330mm
consolidation settlement of the clay.
Construction time is 4 years.
konstruksieterrein bestaan uit 20m klei met die
watertafel by die oppervlakte. Aanvaar die
volgende eienskappe vir die klei: cv =
1.22m2/jaar en ch = 0.2m2/jaar. Vertikale
dreinering is slegs na bo moontlik (half-geslote
laag). ’n Groot opvulling word op die terrein
beplan en die beraamde
konsolidasieversakking van die klei sal 330mm
wees. Konstruksietyd is 4 jaar.

a) What is the settlement 16 years after a) Hoeveel versakking sal afgehandel wees 16
construction commenced? [6] jaar nadat met konstruksie begin is? [6]

b) Calculate the time required for 220mm b) Bereken die tyd nodig vir 220mm
settlement. [6] versakking. [6]

c) When will a degree of consolidation of c) Wanneer sal ʼn graad van 90% konsolidasie
90% be reached? [6] bereik word? [6]

d) A set of 0.3m diameter sand drains is d) ʼn Stel sanddreine 0.3m in deursnit word in
installed at 6m spacing in a square ʼn vierkantige patroon teen 6m spasiëring
oor die volle diepte van die klei
pattern over the full clay depth.
geïnstalleer. Bereken die versakking 16 jaar
Determine the settlement 16 years
nadat met konstruksie begin is. [7]
after construction commenced. [7]

Question 6 [15] Vraag 6 [15]

The top 0.5m of an 11m thick clay layer is
removed and a very long embankment
representing a strip load constructed. A
cross-section of the embankment is shown
in Figure 6. The maximum net pressure
that the fill exerts on the soil (i.e., at its
highest point) is 150kN/m2. The net
pressure from the rectangular load alone
is 75 kN/m2. The unit weight of the
saturated in-situ clay soil is 20kN/m3 .
Die boonste 0.5m van ʼn 11m dik kleilaag word
verwyder, en ʼn baie lang wal gebou. Die snit
van die wal word in Figuur 6 getoon. Die
maksimum netto druk van die opvulling (wal)
by die hoogste punt is 150kN/m2. Die netto
druk a.g.v die reghoek alleen is 75kN/m2. Die
eenheidsgewig van die versadigde in-situ klei is
20kN/m3.

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a) Make a sketch of the geometry in your a) Maak ʼn skets van die geometrie in jou
book and determine the total vertical antwoordboek en bepaal die totale
stress (due to load and weight of soil) vertikale spanning (a.g.v. die las en die
at position X which is 7.5m below gewig van die grond) by punt X wat 7.5m
ground surface. [15] onder die grondoppervlak is. [15]

6,0 m

0,5 m

7,0 m

Figuur 6 / Figure 6

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