GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING | Practice Problems

SITUATION 1. CE BOARD NOV. 2021. A soil in its natural

state has a moisture content of 30 % and a unit weight of 16
kN/m3. The specific gravity of the soil particles is 2.50.
1. Evaluate the void ratio of the soil sample.
2. Obtain the dry unit weight in kN/m3.
3. Evaluate the degree of saturation in percent.
4. Determine the volume of water in m3 to be added per
cubic meter of soil for it to be fully saturated.

SITUATION 2. A sample of clay was coated with paraffin wax

14. Calculate the CMR of sieve no. 20.
and its mass, including the mass of wax, was found to be
15. Calculate the CMP of sieve no. 200.
697.5 grams. The sample was immersed in water and the
16. Calculate the percent passing of sieve no. 10.
volume of water displaced was found to be 355 cc. The mass
17. Calculate the percent finer of sieve no. 100.
of the sample without wax was 690 grams and the water
18. Calculate D10.
content of the representative specimen was 18 %. Specific
19. Calculate Cc.
gravity of the solids = 2.70 and that of wax is 0.89.
20. Calculate Cu.
5. Determine the bulk density.
21. Classify the soil using the USCS classification system.
6. Determine the dry density.
7. Determine the degree of saturation.
SITUATION 6. A sedimentation test is performed to know the
particle distribution of the fine – grained soils.
SITUATION 3. The sample of soil has a moist unit weight of
16 kN/m3 and the total volume is 0.0169 m3. The water content
is 15% and the specific gravity of solid is 2.71.
8. Determine the weight of solid.
9. Find the volume of void.
10. Compute the volume of water to be added to make
the sample fully saturated.

SITUATION 4. The following data shows the liquid limit and

plastic limit test.

22. Determine the percentage of gravel, sand, silt, and

clay using AASHTO.
23. Determine the percentage of gravel, sand, silt, and
clay using USCS.
24. Determine the percentage of gravel, sand, silt, and
clay using USDA.
25. Determine the percentage of gravel, sand, silt, and
clay using MIT.

SITUATION 7. Classify the following soils by the AASHTO

classification system.

What is the classification of:

26. Soil A
27. Soil B
28. Soil C
11. Calculate the liquid limit of the soil.
12. Calculate the plasticity index. SITUATION 8. A laboratory test was conducted to determine
13. Calculate the liquidity index. the shrinkage limit of a soil sample. The following data were
obtained:
SITUATION 5. A sample of 250 grams of dry coarse – grained Mass of dish = 13.35 g
material was shaken through a set of sieves. The following Mass of dish plus wet soil = 38.75 g
data are obtained: Mass of dish plus oven-dried soil = 33.17 g
Volume of shrinkage dish = 13.25 cc

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GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING | Practice Problems
Volume of oven-dried soil pat = 11.90 cc
29. Calculate the shrinkage limit.
30. Calculate the specific gravity of the soil.
SITUATION 9. Laboratory compaction test results for a clayey
silt are given in the following table:
39. If the moisture content when excavated is 15 % and
must be 18 % in the embankment, what is the weight
of water required? Gs = 2.67
40. How much water must be added in cubic meter?
SITUATION 13. CE BOARD NOV. 2021. A 3 – layer soil has
the following properties from top to bottom:

41. Obtain the equivalent horizontal coefficient of

Following are the results of a field unit weight determination permeability, in cm/s.
test performed on the same soil by means of sand cone 42. Obtain the equivalent vertical coefficient of
method. permeability, in cm/s.
Calibrated density of sand = 1570 kg/m3 43. Estimate the rate of flow in the vertical direction per
Calibrated mass of sand to fill the cone = 0.545 kg square meter of layer, in liter per hour, if the hydraulic
Mass of jar + cone + sand (before use) = 7.59 kg gradient is 0.50.
Mass of jar + cone + sand (after use) = 4.78 kg
Mass of moist soil from the hole = 3.007 kg SITUATION 14. The laboratory apparatus shown maintains a
Moisture content of moist soil = 10.2 % constant head in both the upper and lower reservoirs. The soil
31. Determine the dry unit weight of the soil in the field. sample is silty sand with a hydraulic conductivity k = 5 x 10-3
32. Determine the relative compaction in the field. cm/sec. and a moisture content of 18.5 %, specific gravity of
soil sample is 2.70.
SITUATION 10. Sand cone equipment is used to determine an
in-place unit weight (field density test) on a compacted earth
fill. A sand is used in the cone and is known to have a bulk
density of 1670 kg/m3. The laboratory moisture content - unit
weight curve indicates a dry unit weight 25 kN/m3 and an
optimum moisture content of 12 %.
Soil sample dug from the test hole:
Wet weight of the soil sample = 3100 g
Dried weight of the soil sample = 2530 g
Weight of the sand to fill the hole = 1737 g 44. Find the rate of flow of the colored water through the
33. Determine the field water content. soil in cm3/s.
34. Compute the in-place dried unit weight of the tested 45. Compute the seepage velocity in cm/s.
soil. 46. Determine the time required for the plug of colored
35. Compute the percentage of compaction of the tested water to pass through the soil. Assume there is no
soil. diffusion, that is the colored water has the same
volume when it exits as when it entered the soil and
SITUATION 11. A balloon type apparatus is used to perform a assume also that the colored water has the same unit
field density test. The volume of the test hole determined by weight and viscosity as plain water.
reading the water level graduations on the apparatus cylinder
before and after digging the test hole is 0.00065 cubic meters. SITUATION 15. A permeable layer of soil is underlain by an
The wet weight of the soil obtained from the test hole is impervious layer as shown. For permeable layer k = 4.8 x10-3
0.0154 kN. The water content is determined to be 28% by cm/sec.
drying a small sample on a field stove. If the tested soil is a
compacted fill whose maximum density from laboratory
compaction tests is 18.75 kN/m3,
36. Compute the dry unit weight.
37. Compute the percent compaction.

SITUATION 12. In a borrow pit, 6000 m3 of soil was excavated

and has a void ratio of 1.20. If the material will have to be
placed in an embankment that requires a void ratio of 0.80,
38. What is the volume of the embankment, in m3?
47. Find the hydraulic gradient.

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GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING | Practice Problems
48. Compute the cross-sectional area considering 1 meter
width.
49. Determine the rate of seepage in m3/hr.
SITUATION 16. A two-layer confined aquifer is shown in the
figure.
50. Compute the equivalent coefficient of permeability.
51. Find the hydraulic gradient.
52. Determine the rate of flow from one stream to another
per meter width.
SITUATION 17. For a constant laboratory permeability test on
a fine sand, the following data were given:
Length of sample = 16 cm
Diameter of sample = 9.6 cm
Constant head difference = 50 cm
Volume of water collected in 4 min. = 420 cc
Void ratio of the soil specimen = 0.55
53. Determine the coefficient of permeability in cm/s.
54. Find the discharge velocity in cm/s.
55. Compute the seepage velocity in cm/s.
SITUATION 18. In a variable head permeability test, the
following data were taken:
Length of soil sample = 8 cm
Area of soil sample = 10 cm2
Area of standpipe = 1.5 cm2
Hydraulic head at time t = 0 is 100 cm
Hydraulic head at time t = 60 min is 90 cm
56. Compute the hydraulic conductivity of the soil in
cm/min.
57. Compute the seepage velocity if the porosity of soil is
0.25.
58. What was the head difference at time t = 80 minutes.
SITUATION 19. A flow net for flow around a single row of
sheet piles in a permeable soil layer is shown. k = 5 x 10-5
m/sec.
59. Determine the head loss for each drop.
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60. How high above the ground surface will the water rise
if the piezometer is placed at point a?
61. Compute the total rate of seepage perpendicular to
the section shown in m3/s.
SITUATION 20. A three-layer unconfined aquifer is shown in
the figure.
62. Compute the equivalent coefficient of permeability.
63. Find the hydraulic gradient.
64. Determine the rate of flow from one stream to another
per meter width.
65. A soil sample has a unit weight of 21.1 kN/m3 at a
moisture content of 9.8%. When completely saturated,
the unit weight becomes 22.58 kN/m3. Evaluate the
void ratio of the soil. Ans: 0.52
66. In a wet soil mass, air occupies one sixth of its volume
and water occupies one third of its volume. Determine
the void ratio of the soil. Ans: 1.0
SITUATION 21. For a given soil sample with sg of 2.74,
moisture content of 16.6% and a moist unit weight of 20.6
kN/m3. Compute the ff:
67. Porosity
68. Buoyant unit weight
69. Weight of water in kN to be added per cubic meter of
soil for 90% degree of saturation.
Ans: 0.34, 11.23kN/m3 and 0.10kN/m3
70. If the hydraulic gradient for quicksand condition is
equal to 1.13 with a void ratio of 0.50, Compute the sg
of the soil. Ans: 2.70
71. A dry sand is placed in a container having a volume of
0.0085 cubic meters. The dry weight of the sample is
14 kg. A volume of 0.00144 m3. Is carefully added to
the container so as not to disturb the condition of the
sand. If the specific gravity of sand is 2.72. Determine
the bulk specific gravity of the soil. Ans: 1.63
SITUATION 22. Given the following: emax=0.75, emin=0.46,
and sg is 2.68. If Dr=78% and water content is 9% Determine
the ff
72. In situ void ratio
73. Moist unit weight
74. Dry unit weight
Ans: 0.524, 18.8, 17.25
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING | Practice Problems
75. An embankment was constructed with a clayey soil at
a moisture content of 12%. Just after the construction,
the degree of saturation was found to be 55%. The
soil absorbed water during the monsoon. What will be
the degree of saturation if the moisture content
reduces to 5% in dry season? Specific gravity of soil is
2.68. Ans 23%
76. From a liquid limit test of a soil shows the ff results
Weight of wet soil=9g
Weight of dry soil=7g
Natural water content of soil=38%
Find the Liquidity index if liquid limit is 64% Ans: 0.43
77. A Soil sample has a LL=45%, PL=25% and SL=15%.
If the natural water content is 30% Compute the
consistency index Ans: 0.75
78. In a shrinkage limit test, a dish with a volume of
10.5cm3 was filled with saturated clay. The mass of
saturated clay is 18.75g. the clay was dried gradually
first in the atmosphere and then in an oven. The mass
of the dry clay was 12.15 g and its volume was
5.95cm3. Determine the shrinkage limit. Ans: 16.9%
79. A Soil has a liquid limit of 25% and a flow index of
12.5%. If the plastic limit is 15%. Compute the
toughness index Ans: 80%
80. A clay has the ff Atterberg limit as follows LL=60%
PL=40% From a hydrometer analysis to determine the
particle sizes, it is found that 45% of the sample
consists of particles smaller than 0.02 mm. Determine
the activity classification of clay. Ans: 0.44
81. The consistency limits of a soil sample LL=52%.
PL=32%. SL=17%
If the specimen of this soil shrinks from a volume of
10cm3 at liquid limit to 6.01 cm3 at the shrinkage limit,
calculate the specific gravity of solids. Ans: 2.80
SITUATION 23. Refer to the figure. Given q1 = 300 kN/m, q2
= 260 kN/m, x1 = 4 m, x2 = 3 m and z = 3 m.
82. Find the vertical stress increase at point A due to first
line load.
83. Find the vertical stress increase at point A due to the
second line load.
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84. Find the total vertical stress at point A.
Ans. 1.53, 13.79 kPa, 15.32
SITUATION 24. Specifications on a job required a fill using
borrowed soil to be compacted at 95% of its standard Proctor
maximum dry density. Tests indicate that the maximum is 19.5
kN/m3 with 12% moisture. The borrowed material has a void
ratio of 0.60 and a solid specific gravity of 2.65.
85. Compute the dry unit weight of the compacted soil.
86. Compute the wet unit weight of the compacted soil.
87. Find the required minimum volume of borrow soil
required to fill one cubic meter.
Ans. 18.525, 21.2kN/m3, 1.14
SITUATION 25. This figure shown is a continuous foundation:
88. If H = 1.5 m , determine the ultimate bearing capacity,
qu? Ans. 286. 3
89. What minimum height H will the clay layer not have
any effect on the ultimate bearing capacity of the
foundation? Ans. 12
SITUATION 26. A concrete pile 12 m long having a cross
section of 0.30 m x 0.30 m is fully embedded into a layer of
sand assuming C = 0. Frictional resistance of the pile at
working condition is 200 kN and 100 kN is the point load
capacity at working condition. Allowable working load is 340
kN.
90. Compute the elastic settlement of the pile. Ans. 1.55
91. Compute the settlement caused by the load
transmitted along the pile shaft. 0.638
92. A square column foundation has to carry a gross
allowable load of 1805 kN, FS = 3, df = 1.5 m, γ =
15.9 kN/m^3, ϕ = 34°, and c = 0. Compute the width of
the footing. Ans. 2
SITUATION 27. A cantilevered retaining wall was originally
designed with a base width of 3 m but it was actually
constructed with a base width of 1.8 m. The original design
incorporated a factor of safety of 2 and ignored passive
pressure.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING | Practice Problems
93. Compute the total lateral force acting on the wall.
Ans. 124.33 kN
94. Compute the location of the resultant lateral force
from the bottom of the wall footing. Ans. 1.77m
95. Compute the new factor of safety against overturning
moment about the toe. Ans 1.25
SITUATION 28. A cantilever sheet pile is 8.2 m long with a
depth of embedment of 3.2 m. Angle of friction of the soil
supported by the sheet pile is 34° and has a unit weight of
1.91 g/cc. There is a water table below the base of the sheet
pile. Use γwater = 9.81 kN/m3.
96. Compute the active force acting on the sheet pile.
Ans, 178.3
97. Compute the passive force acting on the sheet pile.
Ans. 338.7
98. Compute the theoretical passive force that must be
mobilized to ensure stability. Ans. 456.9
SITUATION 29. Two footings rest in a layer of sand 2.7 m
thick. The bottom of the footings are 0.90 m below the ground
surface. Beneath the sand layer is a 1.8 m clay layer. Beneath
the clay layer is a hard pan. The water table is at a depth of
1.8 m below the ground surface.
99. Compute the stress increase at the center of the clay
layer assuming that the pressure beneath the footing
is spread at an angle of 2 vertical to 1 horizontal. Ans.
25.51 kPa
100. Determine the size of footing B so that the settlement
in the clay layer is the same beneath footings A and
B. Footing A is 1.5 m square. Ans. 3.24m
101. Determine the settlement beneath footing A. Ans.
46.65mm
SITUATION 30. A concrete pile having a diameter of 0.30 m is
to be driven into a loose sand having a unit weight of 20 kN/
cu m. The pile has a length of 12 m. Coefficient of friction
between the sand and pile is 0.4. Bearing capacity factor Nq =
80. The shaft lateral pressure factor K is equal to 0.90.
Allowable load of the pile is 170 kN.
102. Compute the ultimate bearing capacity of the pile.
Ans. 339.3 kN
103. Compute the ultimate frictional capacity. Ans. 213.8
104. Find the factor of safety. Ans. 3.25
SITUATION 31. A consolidated drained triaxial test was
conducted on a normally consolidated clay. The results as
follows:
Chamber confining pressure = 138 kPa
Deviator stress = 258 kPa
105. Find the friction angle of soil. Ans. 28.89
106. Find the normal stress at failure. Ans. 204.68
107. Find the shear stress at failure. Ans. 112.95
108. The cantilevered retaining wall shown is under design.
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What is most nearly the active resultant per unit length
of wall? Ans. 4260 lbs
SITUATION 32. An over consolidated soil sample was tested
for a drained shear test. The soil sample has a diameter of 50
mm and a height of 25 mm. It is subjected to a max. normal
force of 490 N.
Drained friction angle = 27 ̊
Undrained friction angle = 14.6 ̊
Cohesion of soil is 40 kPa
109. Compute the max. normal stress. Ans. 250kN
110. Compute the peak shear strength of the clay. 167.38
kPa
111. Compute the residual shear strength of the clay. 65.12
kPa
SITUATION 33. A square footing has a dimension of 1.2 m. x
1.2 m. and has its bottom 1 m. below the ground surface. Nc =
35, Nq = 22, Ny = 19
112. If the ground water table is located at a depth of 1.2
m. below the ground surface, compute the ultimate
bearing capacity of the soil. Ans. 1123.50 kPa
113. Find the ultimate bearing capacity of the soil if the
groundwater table is at the bottom of the footing. Ans.
1288.16 kPa
114. Find the ultimate bearing capacity of the soil if the
ground water table is 0.5 m. above the bottom of the
footing. 1117.04 kPa
SITUATION 34. After 24 hours of pumping at 50 Liters per
second, the water level in an observation well at a distance of
100 m from the test well is lowered 0.5 m. At another
observation well located 50 m dropped by 1.0 m.
115. Estimate the rate of flow? 4320
116. What is the coefficient of permeability of the aquifer?
36.3 m/day
117. Compute for the transmissibility of the aquifer?
953m/day
SITUATION 35. Three columns x four rows of group piles are
installed into a uniform clay layer shown:
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING | Practice Problems
Clay soil
γsat= 21.0 kN/m3 c=40 kPa
Nc=7.5 Cc=0.36
e=0.85 Piles diameter, d=0.3 m
Pile to pile spacing, S=0.75 m
Length, L= 50 m
118. Determine the ultimate capacity in kN of the pile using
single pile capacity if α=0.74 Ans. 16,900
119. Determine the ultimate capacity of the pile using
group pile capacity if α=0.74. Ans. 14,250
120. Determine the group efficiency, η Ans. 0.84
SITUATION 36. A layer of clay 8.6 m thick is overlain by a
deposit of sand 15.2 m thick to the ground surface. When the
water table is at ground surface level, the saturated unit
weight of the sand was determined to be 21.2 kN/m^3 for
which its dry unit weight is 18.2 kN/m^3. The saturated unit
weight of the clay is 18.8 kN/m. When the ground water table
lowered by 7.6 m, the degree of saturation of the sand above
the water table was lowered to 30%. At the mid-height of the
clay layer,
121. Evaluate the effective pressure, in kPa, before
lowering of the water table. Ans. 212
122. Evaluate the pressure, in kPa, after the lowering of the
water table. Ans. 270
123. Evaluate the effective pressure, in kPa, when there is
no water in the sand layer but remain in moist
condition at the same degree of saturation. Ans. 329
SITUATION 37. A square footing of width z meters carries a
load P that may be considered uniformly distributed and it is
supported by a soil strata as shown. The silty clay has a
compression index of 0.274 . its void ratio prior to the
application of load is 84%. Assume that the load is transmitted
through a truncated pyramid having a side slope of 2V to 1H
and that the stress is uniform across a horizontal plane.
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124. Compute the vertical stress (kPa) at mid depth of
sand and gravel after load application. Ans. 68
125. Compute the vertical stress (kPa) at the interface of
the two soil layers after load application. Ans. 81
126. Compute the settlement of the footing caused by
consolidation of the silty clay in mm. 19.6
127. A 5-m thick clay layer is surcharged by a 3-m high
compacted fill with a bulk unit weight of 20.0 kN/m3.
Calculate the final consolidation settlement in mm, if
the clay’s coefficient of volume compressibility is
1.8/MPa. Ans. 540mm
128. The thickness of the clay layer of sand is equal to 5 m.
The ground surface is subjected to a uniformly
distributed load of 40 kPa and results in a primary
consolidation of 180 mm. Compute the secondary
settlement of the clay layer 5 years after the
completion of the primary consolidation settlement.
Time of the completion of primary settlement is 1.5
years. Secondary compression index Cα=0.02 and
the void ratio of 0.54. Ans. 33.95
129. The groundwater level in a thick, very fine sand
deposit is located 2.0 m below the ground surface.
Above the free ground water line the sand is saturated
by capillary action. The unit weight of the saturated
sand is 20.3 kN/m3. What is the total stress in kPa on
a horizontal plane A located 4.5 m below the ground
surface? Ans. 91.3
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING | Practice Problems
130. A 7m braced cut in sand shown. In the plan the struts
are placed at a spacing of 2 m center to center. Using
Peck’s empirical pressure diagram. Compute the strut
load in kN at level A. Ans. 109.22

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