E B4E542 Pages: 3

Reg. No.________________ Name:______________________

APJ ABDUL KALAM TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
FOURTH SEMESTER B.TECH DEGREE EXAMINATION, JUNE 2017

CE208: GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING I (CE)

Max.Marks : 100 Duration : 3 Hours

(Assume any missing data, Graph sheets can be used.)

PART A
Answer any two questions in full.
1. (a) Using phase diagram, define the terms (i) void ratio (ii) Degree of saturation (iii)
water content and (iv) specific gravity. (7)
(b) A partially saturated soil sample obtained from an earth fill has a natural water
content of 26% and unit weight 19.74 kN/ m3. Assuming specific gravity of solids is
2.68. Compute: (i) Degree of saturation (ii) void ratio (iii) porosity and (iv) air content.
(8)
2. (a) Sketch the plasticity chart used for classifying fine grained soil according to IS
classification system. Give the group symbol for the following soil according to IS
classification system
i) percentage of soil passing 75 micron sieve = 3%
ii) Percentage of coarse fraction passing 4.75 mm sieve = 70%
iii) Uniformity coefficient = 7
iv) Co efficient of curvature = 3 (7)
(b) What is the use of particle size distribution curve? With the help of particle size
distribution curve define the following terms (i) well graded soil (ii) poorly graded soil
(iii) gap graded soil and (iv) effective size. (8)
3. (a) Following are the results obtained from the liquid and plastic limit tests for a soil.
Observations of liquid limit:
No. of blows Moisture content(%)
13 27
18 23
29 22

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The plastic limit is 15.5%. (i) draw the flow curve and obtain the liquid limit (ii)
Determine the liquidity index of soil when the insitu moisture content is 18% (iii)
Plasticity index . (7)
(b) Differentiate between (i) sensitivity and thixotropy (ii) consistency index and flow
index (iii) Density index and density (iv) Absolute specific gravity and apparent specific
gravity. (8)
PART B
Answer any two questions in full.
4. (a) The following data were recorded in a constant head permeability test. Internal
diameter of permeameter = 7.5 cm. Head loss over a sample length of 18cm. = 24.7cm.
Quantity of water collected in 60sec. = 626 ml. porosity of the soil sample was 44%,
calculate the coefficient of permeability of the soil. Also, determine the seepage velocity
during the test. (7)
(b) A layer of saturated clay 4m. thick is overlain by sand 5m. deep the water table being
3m. below the surface. The saturated unit weights of the clay and sand are 19 and 20
kN/m3 respectively, and the unit weight of sand above water table is 17kN/m3. Determine
the values of total vertical stress and effective vertical stress at the bottom and interface
layers. Also, plot their variations. (8)
5. (a) A shear box test on clean sand gave a failure stress of 70 kPa when the normal stress
was 200kPa. Draw the Mohr circle and Mohr envelope and find the principal stresses at
failure and the orientation of the principal planes. (7)
(b) The results of a triaxial shear tests are given below:

Specimen No. 1 2
Minor principal Stress (3)(kN/m2) 17 44
Major principal stress(1) (kN/m2) 157 204
Pore pressure (U) (kN/m2) 12 20

Determine the shear strength parameters using effective stress analysis. (8)
6. (a) State Mohr-Coloumb theory. What are the different methods for finding out the shear
parameters? Explain with figure the field method for finding out shear strength of soil.
(7)

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(b) Define the terms (i) quick sand condition (ii) exit gradient (iii) phreatic line and (iv)
UU test. (8)
PART C
Answer any two questions in full.
7. (a) A 20 mm. thick specimen of soil takes 16 minutes to reach 50% consolidation in the
laboratory when drainage is permitted from both ends. Calculate the coefficient of
consolidation. Also, calculate the time required for 90% consolidation for the above
sample. How much time will it take for 90% consolidation of 4m. thick similar sample in
the field with double drainage? Also, calculate the time when drainage is permitted only
from one side. (10)
(b) A stratum of clay 8m. deep has wL= 45%. The surface of clay is at 10m. below the
present ground level, w = 40% and G = 2.78 for clay. Between ground surface and clay,
the subsoil consists of fine sand. The ground water level is 4.5m. below ground level. The
average submerged unit weight of sand is 10.4kN/m3 and the unit weight of sand above
the ground water level is 17kN/m3. The clay is normally consolidated. The weight of
structure coming on top of the sand above the clay increases the overburden pressure on
clay by 40kN/m2. Estimate the settlement of the building. (10)
8. (a) Explain the Swedish circle method for the analysis of slopes for a c-Ø soil. (10)
(b) A proctor compaction test was conducted on a soil sample, and the following
observations were made:

Water content(%) 8 11.5 14.5 17.5 19.5

Weight of wet soil (kg) 1.7 1.9 2.00 1.98 1.95

If the volume of the mould used was 950cc and the specific gravity of the soil was 2.65,
draw the dry density vs moisture content curve and find the optimum moisture content and
maximum dry density. Also draw the zero air void line. (10)
9. (a) Explain the consolidation phenomenon using Terzaghi’s spring analogy. (6)
(b) (i)What is meant by stability number and stability chart? (ii) What are the different
types of slope failures? (7)
(c) What is meant by pre consolidation pressure? Explain the method for the estimation
of pre consolidation pressure. (7)
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E B4E0544

Total Pages: 2
Reg No.:_______________ Name:__________________________
APJ ABDUL KALAM TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
FOURTH SEMESTER B.TECH DEGREE EXAMINATION, JULY 2017
Course Code: CE208
Course Name: GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING I (CE)
Max. Marks: 100 Duration: 3 Hours
PART A
Answer any two full questions. Each carries 15 marks.
1 a) What are the major soil deposits of India? (5)
b) Derive the relationship between dry density, ϒd and Bulk density, ϒ of soil. (5)
c) A moist soil sample of soil has a mass of 700 g and a volume of 200 cc at a water (5)
content of 10 %. Determine the Void ratio, Degree of Saturation and Percentage air
voids Also determine the water content at which the soil gets fully saturated without
any increase in volume
2 a) What is a gradation curve? Sketch the gradation curves for Well graded and Gap (4)
graded soils?
b) A soil sample consisting of particles of size ranging from 0.1 mm to 0.01mm, is (5)
put on the surface of still water tank 6 m deep. Calculate the time of settlement of
the coarsest and finest particles of the sample to the bottom of the tank. Specific
gravity of soil = 2.66, Viscosity of water = 0.008 poise.
c) Explain the IS classification of soils. (6)
3 a) Define the following terms: - (4)
i) Activity ii) Thixotropy
b) The Liquid limit of a soil sample is 46 % and Plastic limit is 27%. Classify the soil (5)
using a Plasticity chart.
c) The Atterberg limits of a soil sample are LL= 52 %, PL = 33% and SL = 17%. If (6)
the specimen of the soil shrinks from a volume of 11.5 cc at Liquid limit to 6.2 cc
when it is oven dried. Calculate: -
i) Shrinkage ratio ii) specific gravity of soil solids
PART B
Answer any two full questions. Each carries 15 marks.
4 a) State Darcy’s law and explain the validity of the law (4)
b) Find the average horizontal and vertical permeabilities of a soil mass made up of (5)
three horizontal layers. The first and second layer have same thickness of 0.6 m
each and third layer is 0.8 m thick. The coefficient of permeability of first, second
and third layer are 2x 10-4cm/s, 2.5 x 10-5cm/s and 1.2 x 10-4cm/s respectively.
c) Explain Mohr Coulomb failure criteria. Also draw the failure envelope for: - (6)
i) Pure sand ii) Pure clay
5 a) What is UU and CD tests? (4)
b) What are the factors affecting Coefficient of Permeability? (5)

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E B4E0544

c) In a deposit of sand 10 m thick, water table is 2m below ground surface. Above the (6)
water table, soil is saturated with capillary water. Saturated unit weight of sand is
21 kN/m3.Plot the variation of Total stresses, Neutral stresses and Effective stresses
over the depth of 10m.
6 a) Explain the quick sand condition (5)
b) The Triaxial tests conducted on four identical soil sample specimens gave the (10)
following results.
Cell pressure in kN/m2 100 150 200 250
2
Deviator stress in kN/m 300 420 515 607
Neutral stress in kN/m2 6 12 14 16

Determine the shear parameters in terms of: -

i) Total stresses ii) Effective stresses
PART C
Answer any two full questions. Each carries 20 marks.
7 a) Define (5)
i) Normally consolidated clay ii) Over consolidated clay
b) A clay layer 4m thick is sandwiched between layer of sand at top and impermeable (5)
strata at bottom. Calculate the time taken by clay layer to reach 40 % consolidation,
if coefficient of consolidation is 2x 10-4 cm/s.
c) Explain the Friction circle method for slope stability analysis. (10)
8 a) What are the different types of slope failure? (5)
b) What is meant by control of compaction (5)
c) A saturated clay sample of height 25mm, cross sectional area 50 cm2 was subjected (10)
to a consolidation test and the results are as follows. Height of solids = 14.25mm.
Final water content = 25%. Find the void ratio at various load increments by Height
of solids method.
Pressure 0 10 20 40 80 160 320 640 0
in kN/m2

Dial 490 482 470 431 390 343 295 249 350
reading
9 a) A clay stratum 2m thick is subjected to an overburden pressure of 150 kN/m2. (5)
Estimate the probable settlement of the clay layer if effective pressure at centre of
clay layer is expected to increase to 345 kN/m2. The slope of e- log p curve is 0.09.
The initial void ratio is 1.12.
b) What are the uses of Stability number and Stability charts? (5)
c) Explain about the standard proctor test. (10)
****

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E E4809 Pages: 2

Reg No.:_______________ Name:__________________________

APJ ABDUL KALAM TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
FOURTH SEMESTER B.TECH DEGREE EXAMINATION, APRIL 2018
Course Code: CE208
Course Name: GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING I (CE)
Max. Marks: 100 Duration: 3 Hours
(Graph sheets may be supplied on request)
PART A
Answer any two full questions, each carries 15 marks Marks
3
1 a) The wet unit weight of a clay sample is 18.8kN/m at 20% water content. What (5)
is the degree of saturation?
b) An embankment of 103m3 volume is to be constructed with a soil having a void (10)
ratio of 0.8 after compaction. There are three borrow pits marked A, B and C
having soils with void ratios of 0.9, 1.5 and 1.8 respectively. The cost of
excavation and transporting the soil is Rs. 25, Rs 0.23 and Rs. 0.18 per m3
respectively. Calculate the volume of soil to be excavated from each pit. Which
borrow pit is most economical?
2 a) What are the index properties of soil? Why are they important? (5)
b) A partially saturated clay weighs 113.4 gm in its natural state and 93.4g in its (10)
dry state. If specific gravity is 2.65, find out the void ratio, porosity, degree of
saturation, γwet, γd and γsat. Size of the clay is 3.7 cm in dia. and 7.5 cm ht.
3 a) What are the different corrections applied to hydrometer reading? (5)
b) In a hydrometer analysis 50 g of soil was mixed in water to form 1000ml (10)
uniform soil suspension. The corrected hydrometer reading after a lapse of
60mts from the start of sedimentation was 1.010 and the corresponding
effective depth was 108 mm. Determine the effective diameter corresponding to
60mts reading and percentage of particles finer than this size. G= 2.7 viscosity
of water is 0.001 Ns/m2.
PART B
Answer any two full questions, each carries 15 marks
4 a) Explain the effect of capillarity on effective stress. (5)
b) A bed of sand consists of three horizontal layers of equal thickness. The (10)
magnitude of the coefficient of permeability for both upper and lower layer is
4X10-4mm/s and for the middle layer, it is 6x10-2mm/s. what is the ratio of the
average permeability of the bed in the horizontal direction to that in vertical
direction.
5 a) List the demerits of direct shear test. (5)
b) The following data refers to a CU test on a normally consolidated clay. (10)
Compute the total stress and effective shear strength parameters.
Sample no Cell pressure Deviator stress Pore pressure
(kPa) (kPa) (kPa)
1 100 130 48
2 300 485 140
3 500 645 290
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E E4809 Pages: 2

6 a) Explain effective stress principle. (5)

b) A saturated specimen is permanently under water. Its water content is 50% and (10)
G=2.72. What is the effective stress at 8 m below the clay surface? How many
meters of clay must be removed by dredging to reduce the intergranular
pressure at that point by 25 kPa. The water levels remain unchanged.
PART C
Answer any two full questions, each carries 20 marks
7 a) What are the different types of finite slopes? Give measures for improving the (10)
stability of slopes.
b) Explain Friction circle method of slope stability analysis. (10)
8 a) A 20 m thick isotropic clay stratum overlies an impervious rock. The (10)
coefficient of consolidation is 5x10-2mm2/s. Find the time required for 50% and
90% consolidation. The time factor for 50% consolidation is 0.2 and for 90%
consolidation is 0.85
b) At a building site soil consist of dense sand upto a depth of 3m, clay from 3m (10)
to 6m depth and stiff impervious rock below 6m depth. The water table is at 1m
below the present ground level. Density of sand is 19.5 kN/m3 above water
table and 20 kN/m3 below it. The natural water content of clay was observed as
60%, and specific gravity is 2.65. Its liquid limit was 75%. Estimate the
probable settlement if the ground level is raised by a 2 m thick fill of dense
sand of density 19 kN/m3.
9 a) A cohesive soil yields a maximum dry density of 18kN/m3 at an optimum (10)
moisture content of 16% during a standard proctor test. If the value of G is
2.65, what is the degree of saturation? What is the maximum dry density it can
be further compacted to?
b) A 5 m deep cut is made in a soil having Cu=15 kN/m2 and =10o, if the slope (10)
is 1:1 what is the factor of safety with respect to cohesion? If the slope is
changed to 1:1.5 H, what will be the change in factor of safety with respect to
cohesion? The unit weight of soil is 18 kN/m3. The stability numbers for =10o
are as follows.
Slope angle 45o 30o 15o
Stability 0.108 0.075 0.023
number
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E S2087 Pages: 2

Reg No.:_______________ Name:__________________________

APJ ABDUL KALAM TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
FOURTH SEMESTER B.TECH DEGREE EXAMINATION, DECEMBER 2018
Course Code: CE208
Course Name: GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING I (CE)
Max. Marks: 100 Duration: 3 Hours
Graph sheets can be used.

PART A
Answer any two full questions. Each question carries 15 marks.
1 a) Define void ratio, porosity, water content and degree of saturation 5
b) Derive an equation to express the bulk density of a soil mass in terms of its void 5
ratio, water content, specific gravity, degree of saturation and density of water
c) The bulk density and dry density of a partly saturated soil sample are 1.98 g/cc 5
and 1.56 g/cc respectively. Determine the porosity, water content and degree of
saturation of the soil. Given, G = 2.72
2 a) State Stoke’s law. What are the limitations of Stoke’s law. 5
b) The results of sieve analysis performed in a soil are given below. 10
The mass of dry sample taken for the test was 300g.Draw the particle size
distribution curve and determine the uniformity coefficient and coefficient of
curvature and comment on the result.

Sieve 4.75mm 2.4mm 1.2mm 600µ 425 µ 300 µ 150 µ 75 µ

size
Mass of 19.4 24.96mm 29.37 36.88 45.74 47.99 37.74 57.92
soil
retained
(g)
3 a) The bulk density and moisture content of a partly saturated soil sample are 1.79 7
g/cc and 18% respectively. The specific gravity of solids is 2.7.Determine the void
ratio, degree of saturation and dry density
b) Draw the plasticity chart as per Indian Standards and classify the soil having the 8
following values of Atterberg limitsLL = 41%, PL = 29%, SL = 17%

PART B
Answer any two full questions. Each question carries 15 marks.
4 a) State Darcy’s law. Define coefficient of permeability of a soil from this law. 5

b) The subsoil at a site consists of 2m thick layer of clay, which is underlain by a 10

deep sand layer. The ground water table is at 3m below GL. Unit weight of clay is
18kN/m3, while that of sand above and below water table are 15.5 and 18.2 kN/m3
respectively. Find out the total, neutral and effective stress at a depth of 5m below
ground level. The unit weight of water may be taken as 10kN/m3.

5 a) What is pole of a Mohr’s circle? Explain with a sketch how it can be used to 7
determine the stresses on any plane in a soil element subjected to external stresses.
b) If the major and minor principal stresses through a mass of soil at the instant of 8

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E S2087 Pages: 2

failure are 6kPa and 2kPa respectively. Calculate the normal and shear stress on a
plane making an angle of 30◦ with the direction of minor principal stress.
a) Derive an expression for the effective stress at a depth ‘Z’ in a soil mass when the 7
direction of flow of water through the soil is (i) downward (ii) upward
6
b) In a falling head permeability test, the water level in the stand pipe dropped from 8
40 to 20cm in 1 hour. The diameter of the sample and stand pipe were 8cm and
0.5cm respectively, while the height of the sample was 9.5cm.Determine the
coefficient of permeability of soil in m/day

PART C
Answer any two full questions. Each question carries 20 marks
7 a) Define compression index. How can it be determined from a consolidation test? 5
b) Distinguish between normally consolidated soil, under consolidated soil and an 5
over consolidated soil.
c) A 2m clay stratum is overlain by a 3.5m thick sand stratum and underlain by a 10
rock. The saturated densities of sand and clay are 1850 and 1980
kg/m3respectively.The ground water table is at the ground level. It has been
estimated that the vertical stress intensity at the middle of the clay layer is likely
to increase by 50% due to the construction of a structure. Estimate the
compression of the clay stratum.
Given coefficient of volume change = 0.023 cm2/kg.
8 a) Explain the friction circle method of determination of the factor of safety of a 10
given slope with respect to a given slip circle.
b) The optimum moisture content and maximum dry density of a soil obtained from 10
the standard Proctor’s tests are 18% and 1.67g/cc. If the sp. Gravity of soil solids
is 2.7, determine the degree of saturation of the soil at OMC and the dry density
corresponding to a zero air voids condition at OMC

9 a) Explain the procedure for determination of coefficient of consolidation by square 10

root of time fitting method.
b) Derive an expression for factor of safety against sliding in a cohesionless soil. 5
c) What do you understand by light compaction and heavy compaction? Under what 5
circumstances are light and heavy compaction tests are carried out in the
laboratory?

****

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E D1069 Pages: 2

Reg No.:_______________ Name:__________________________

APJ ABDUL KALAM TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
FOURTH SEMESTER B.TECH DEGREE EXAMINATION(R&S), MAY 2019
Course Code: CE208
Course Name: GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING I (CE)
Max. Marks: 100 Duration: 3 Hours
(Graph sheets - ordinary as well as semi-log - may be supplied on request)
PART A
Answer any two full questions, each carries 15 marks Marks

1 a) Void ratio of a soil decreases from 1.15 to 0.85 upon densification. What is the 6
corresponding percentage decrease in volume?
b) A soil sample is compacted to a bulk unit weight of 18kN/m3 at 10% water 9
content. Find the void ratio and degree of saturation of the soil. Also find the
weight of water to be added to 100 m3 of this soil for complete saturation.
Assume G=2.75
2 a) A clay has a liquid limit of 52% and shrinkage limit of 17%. If a specimen of this 6
soil shrinks from a volume of 10000mm3 at liquid limit to 6010 mm3 at shrinkage
limit determine the specific gravity of soil grains.
b) Draw I.S. Plasticity chart and mark the details. What is its practical application? 9
3 a) Starting from the fundamentals, derive an expression for bulk unit weight in 8
terms of air content, water content and percentage air voids.
b) Why is a deflocculating agent correction needed for observed hydrometer 7
reading? What is the nature of correction [positive or negative]? Mention a
commonly used deflocculating agent.
PART B
Answer any two full questions, each carries 15 marks

4 a) Differentiate between critical hydraulic gradient and exit gradient. 6

b) A sand deposit has: void ratio=0.85; G=2.7. WT is at 1.5m depth below GS and 9
the soil above WT is also fully saturated due to capillarity. Determine the total,
neutral and effective stress at 1.2m and 4.2m beneath the GS.
5 a) Minor and major principal stresses at failure for a sample of soil subjected to 15
triaxial test are 150kPa and 536.6kPa respectively. Determine the angle of
internal friction of this soil, if its cohesion is 25kPa. Also determine (i) the angle
made by the failure plane with the horizontal; and (ii) direction of maximum

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shear stress.
6 a) State any 4 merits of triaxial test over direct shear test. 6
b) A permeameter of 80mm diameter contains a 2-layered soil sample of length 9
300mm (200mm thick soil having k=4×10-6 mm/sec. underlain by 100mm thick
soil with k=4×10-7 mm/sec.) If a falling head permeability test is conducted on
this soil with a standpipe of diameter 15mm., what would be the time taken the
time taken for the head to fall from 500mm to 100mm?
PART C
Answer any two full questions, each carries 20 marks

7 a) The following observations were recorded in a consolidation test on a fully 20

saturated sample. Initial height of sample= 20mm; diameter of sample=60mm;
Applied pressure 0 25 50 100 200 400 800
(kPa)
Height of soil sample 20 17.5 17.1 16.5 15 13.5 12.0
(mm)
Dry weight of soil sample=76.34gms.; G=2.7; Draw e-log p graph and estimate
compression index.
8 a) An embankment is constructed at dry density-OMC condition (20kN/m3 and 9%). 14
Borrow area soil has: G=2.5. Determine degree of saturation and percentage air
voids of the compacted soil. Also determine the theoretical maximum dry density
to which the sample can be compacted. Assume density of water =10kN/m3.
b) What is meant by factor of safety with respect to cohesion. When does it become 6
equal to factor of safety with respect to shear strength?
9 a) How can the pre-consolidation pressure on clay be estimated? 10
b) What are the forces considered in friction circle method of slope analysis? 10
Suggest any 4 methods for improving the stability of a slope.
****

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