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Department of Technical Education and Training

NVQ Level 06 Written Examination - September 2020 (Semester II)

National Diploma in Construction Technology

Advanced Soil Mechanics 6S2NVQ 1521 Three Hours

Instructions: Answer five (05) questions.

(This paper consists of 03 pages.)

01. (a) What is the shear strength of soils? (04 Marks)

(b) Write down the coulomb equation of governing the shear strength of
soils and draw the failure enevelop. (05 Marks)
(c) Name the two shear strength parameters and briefly explain them. (05 Marks)
(d) Mention 3 types of experiments to find out the shear strength of soils. (03 Marks)
(e) What are shear tests based on drainage conditions? (03 Marks)

02. (a) Describe the shear box test with a neat sketch of the apparatus. (05 Marks)
(b) Describe the Tri-axial test with a neat sketch of the apparatus. (05 Marks)
(c) Mention the most suitable soil types to be test in shear box test and
tri-axial test. (02 Marks)
(d) Compare the shear box test and the tri-axial test. (05 Marks)
(e) Explain about the vane shear test with a sketch of the apparatus. (03 Marks)

03. (a) What are functions of a foundation (03 Marks)

(b) Define the followings
(i) Shallow foundation
(ii) Deep foundation (02 Marks)
(c) Mention types of shallow foundations and the places of apply. (04 Marks)
(d) Define
(i) Bearing capacity of a soil
(ii) Ultimate beating capacity of a soil (04 Marks)
(e) Explain about the plate load test. (03 Marks)
(f) The ultimate bearing capacity of a 500 mm dia. circular plate as determined
from field load test was 275 kN/m2. Compute the ultimate bearing capacity
of a 2.5 m × 2.5 m square footing.
The soil is sandy. (04 Marks)
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04. (a) Mention two types of deep foundations. (02 Marks)
(b) Classify piles according to
(i) Material used
(ii) Methods of installation (04 Marks)
(c) What are,
(i) Load bearing piles
(ii) Friction piles (04 Marks)
(d) Explain briefly the methods used to find out the load carrying capacity
of a single pile (04 Marks)
(e) Explain briefly the construction procedure of following.
(i) Bored plies
(ii) Driven pre-cast concrete piles
(iii) Driven in-situ concrete plies (06 Marks)

05. (a) Define

(i) Consolidation
(ii) Compaction (04 Marks)
(b) In site investigations engineers find different soil strata. Explain briefly the
following soil stratum.
(i) a normally consolidated clay stratum
(ii) an over consolidated clay stratum (04 Marks)
(c) Describe about the oedometer test and mention the out commings of
that test. and show how these outcommings use to predict+ the settlement
of a structure. (06 Marks)
(d) A 6 m thick clay stratum was found at a certain depth below a building
foundation Relatively incompressible permeable soil is located above
and below the above mentioned clay stratum. In a consolidation test, on
this clay sample. Initially 26.5 mm thick was compressed under a
constant pressure. Half the final settlement took place in the first
12minutes. Estimate how long it will take for the settlement of the
building to reach 50% of the ultimate value.
(06 Marks)

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06. (a) With the help of a phase diagram of a soil mass, define the followings.
(i) Void ratio
(ii) Porosity
(iii) Water content
(iv) Until weigh of soil
(v) Submerged unit weight
(vi) Degree of saturation (06 Marks)

(b) Write down following relationships

(i) Void ratio and porosity
(ii) Bulk density and dry density (04 Marks)

(c) A saturated soil sample weighted 140 g , and the water content was 40%
If the specific gravity of the soil was 2.8, find,
(i) Void ratio
(ii) Porosity
(iii) Dry density (10 Marks)

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