Q1. A soil has bulk density of 17.6 KN/m³ and water content 10%.

if void ratio remains constant

then the bulk density for water content of 20% will be
(a) 16.13 KN/m³
(b) 19.20 KN/m³
(c) 19.36 KN/m³
(d) 17.6 KN/m³

Q2. A fully saturated soil has a water content of 200 percent. If G = 2.6, the void ratio is:
(a) 1.3
(b) 2.6
(c) 5.2
(d) None of these above

Q3. A sand deposit has a porosity of 1/3 and its specific gravity is 2.5. The critical hydraulic
gradient to cause sand boiling in the stratum will be
(a) 1.5
(b) 1.25
(c) 1.0
(d) 0.75

Q4. Void ratio of an undisturbed sample of soil is 0.6. the values of maximum and minimum
possible void ratio are found as 0.8 and 0.4, respectively. The relative density in percentage,
for this soil sample will be
(a) 25
(b) 50
(c) 75
(d) 90

Q5. The total unit weight of soil is 22 kN/m³. the specific gravity of soil particles is 2.67 and the
water content of the soil is 10%. The dry unit weight would be
(a) 20 kN/m³
(b) 2 kN/m³
(c) 0.02 kN/m³
(d) 200 kN/m³

Q6. Relationship between dry density 𝛾𝑑 ′ percentage air voids 𝑛𝑎 ′ water content w and specific
gravity G of any soil is
(1+𝑏𝑎 )𝐺𝛾𝑤
(a) 𝛾𝑑 = 1+𝑤𝐺
(1+𝑛𝑎 )𝐺𝛾𝑤
(b) 𝛾𝑑 = 1−𝑤𝐺
(1−𝑛𝑎 )𝐺𝛾𝑤
(c) 𝛾𝑑 = 1+𝑤𝐺
(1−𝑛𝑎 )𝐺𝛾𝑤
(d) 𝛾𝑑 = 1−𝑤𝐺

Q7. Relative density of a compacted dense sand is approximately equal to

(a) 0.4
(b) 0.6
(c) 0.95
(d) 1.20

Q8. A fully saturated soil is said to be

(a) One phase system
(b) Two phase system with soil and air
(c) Two phase system with soil and water
(d) Three phase system with soil, water and air

Q9. In situ density of a soil deposit was determined by core cutter method. Weight of
empty core cutter is 1286 gm. Weight of core cutter filled with soil is 3196 gm and
volume of core cutter is 1000 cc. water content of soil is 12%, G=2.70. and g= 9.8
m/𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 .
The bulk unit weight of soil is
(a) 19.10 kN/m³
(b) 18.72 kN/m³
(c) 17.83 kN/m³
(d) 21.20 kN/m³

Q10. Select the correct range of density index

(a) 0 ≤ 𝐼𝐷 ≤ 1
(b) 0 < 𝐼𝐷 < 1
(c) 𝐼𝐷 > 0
(d) 𝐼𝐷 ≥ 0

Q11. To determine the liquid limit, in the flow curve the water content is plotted on:
(a) X-axis
(b) Y-axis
(c) on any axis
(d) one of the above

Q12. The plastic limit and liquid limit of a soil sample are 35% and 70% respectively. The
percentage of soil fraction with grain size finer than 0.002mm is 25. The activity ratio of the
sample is:
(a) 0.6
(b) 1.0
(c) 1.4
(d) 1.8

Q13. Which one in the following list does not possess plasticity?
(a) Bentonite
(b) Kaolinite
(c) Rock flour
(d) Fat clay

Q14. The smallest water content below which soil sample will not reduce its volume any further
is known as ________.
(a) plasticity limit
(b) plasticity index
(c) drying limit
(d) shrinkage limit

Q15. Consistency index for a clayey soil is _______.

Where LL = liquid limit, PL = plastic limit, PI = plasticity index, w=natural moisture content
(a) 0.5𝑤
𝐿𝐿−𝑤
(b)
𝑃𝐼
𝑤−𝐿𝐿
(c) 𝑃𝐼
(d) 𝐿𝐿 − 𝑃𝐿

Q16. If the liquid limit of a soil is 35%, then according to the skempton’s empirical index
equation for unsaturated clays, the estimated value of compression index would be:
(a) 0.150
(b) 0.200
(c) 0.225
(d) 0.250

Q17. If the plasticity index of a soil is 45%, then the soil will be:
(a) with medium plasticity
(b) with high plasticity
(c) non-plastic
(d) with low plasticity

Q18. Which of the following soils has more plasticity index

(a) Sand
(b) Silt
(c) Clay
(d) Gravel

Q19. What will be the liquid limit of soil of number of blows 30 in soils? (hint : cosagrande
liquid limit device)
(a) 16.5
(b) 15.6
(c) 21.3
(d) 18.5

Q20. The relationship between water content (w%) and number of blows (N) in soils, as
obtained from Casagrande’s liquid limit device is given by:
W=20 – log10 𝑁
The liquid limit of the soil is
(a) 1.5%
(b) 16.6%
(c) 17.6%
(d) 18.6%

Q21. Toughness index is defined as the ratio of

(a) Plasticity index to consistency index
(b) Liquidity index to flow index
(c) Consistency index to liquidity index
(d) Plasticity index to flow index

Q22. If a soil sample is dried beyond its limit, this sample will show –
(a) No volume change
(b) Moderate volume change
(c) Low volume change
(d) large volume change

Q23. The flow index in soils indicates:

(a) Shear strength variation with water content
(b) Rate of flow of water through the soil
(c) Variation of liquid limit
(d) Ratio of the liquid limit to the plastic

Q24. When a water content in a soil is reduced beyond the shrinkage limit the soil will be in a?
(a) Solid state
(b) Liquid state
(c) Semi – solid state
(d) Plastic sate

Q25. According to Atterberg, the soil is said to be of medium plasticity, if the plasticity index PI
is
(a) 0 < PI < 7
(b) 7 ≤ 𝑃𝐼 ≤ 107
(c) 17 < 𝑃𝐼 < 27
(d) 𝑃𝐼 ≥ 27

Q26. As per the Indian soil classification system. ‘MI’ is the symbol for
(a) Inorganic silt of high plasticity
(b) Inorganic silt of high compressibility
(c) Inorganic silt of medium compressibility
(d) None of the above

Q27. As per the Indian soil classification system inorganic silts of high compressibility defined
by the symbol:
(a) MH
(b) CH
(c) OH
(d) OI

Q28. A given soil sample has the following given size analysis
<2.00mm-80% <0.66mm-60%
<0.075mm-30% <0.002mm-2%
<0.005mm-10%
(a) skip graded
(b) uniformly graded
(c) well graded
(d) average graded

Q29. The uniformity coefficient of soil with usual notation is defined as:

𝐷
(a) 𝐷30
40
𝐷
(b) 𝐷40
50
𝐷50
(c)𝐷
60
𝐷
(d) 𝐷60
10

Q30. In which type of soils more than half the total material by weight is larger than 75 micron
IS sieve size?
(a) Coarse grained soils
(b) Fine grained soils
(c) Highly organic soils
(d) Silts soils

Q31. Consistency limit measured by the instrument, is known as:

(a) Plate load test
(b) Oedometer
(c) Casagrande’s apparatus
(d) Hydrometer

Q32. In a soil specimen, 60% of soil passing through 4.75 mm IS sieve and 40% of particle are
passing through 75 micron IS sieve. Its uniformity coefficient is 5 and coefficient of curvature
is 4. As per IS classification, this soil is classified as:
(a) SP
(b) GP
(c) SW
(d) GW

Q33. If the value of uniformity coefficient of a soil sample is nearly equal to one. This sample
will be designated as –
(a) Well graded soil
(b) Uniformly graded soil
(c) Poorly graded soil
(d) None of the above

Q34. If the coefficient of uniformity of a soil is 25 and the coefficient of curvature is unity,
then the ratio (𝐷30 / 𝐷10 ) is:
(a) 2
(b) 3
(c) 4
(d) 5

Q35. The effective size of particles of soil is denoted by –

(a) 𝐷60
(b) 𝐷30
(c) 𝐷20
(d) 𝐷10

Q36. A soil having particles of approximately the same size is known as

(a) Well graded
(b) Poorly graded
(c) Uniformly graded
(d) Gap graded

Q37. How much is the effective diameter of a particle for the Stoke’s law to be applicable?
(a) less than 0.0002 mm
(b) less than 0.002 mm
(c) more than 0.02 mm
(d) less than 0.2 mm

Q38. In a shear test on cohesionless soils, if the initial void ratio is less than the critical void
ratio, the sample will:
(a) Increase in volume
(b) Initially increase in volume and then remain constant
(c) Decrease in volume
(d) Initially decrease and then increase in volume

Q39. Coulomb’s equation for shear strength can be represented by (symbols have their usual
meanings)
(a) c = s + σ tan ϕ
(b) s = c − σ tan ϕ
(c) c = σ + c tan ϕ
(d) s = c + σ tan ϕ

Q40. Laboratory vane shear test can also be used to determine

(a) Shear parameters of silty sand
(b) Shears parameters of sandy clay
(c) Liquid limit of silty clay
(d) Plastic limit of clayey silt

Q41. Drainage conditions are best controlled during

(a) Direct shear box test
(b) Vane shear test
(c) Unconfined compression test
(d) Triaxial test

Q42. Un-confined compression test is generally applicable to

(a) Non-cohesive soil
(b) Saturated clays
(c) Silt
(d) Sandy soil

Q43. In-situ vane shear test is conducted to determine the shear strength of:
(a) cohesive soil
(b) non-cohesive soil
(c) silty soil
(d) sandy soil

Q44. In the triaxial test the major principal stress is:

(a) deviator stress
(b) cell pressure
(c) deviator stress + cell pressure
(d) none of the above

Q45. The unconfined compression test is generally applicable to saturated clays for which the
apparent angle of shearing resistance is
(a) 0°
(b) 30°
(c) 60°
(d) 22.5°

Q46. The appropriate triaxial test to assess the immediate stability of an unloading problem,
such as excavation of a clay slope, would be the
(a) Unconsolidated – undrained test
(b) Consolidated – undrained test
(c) Consolidated – drained test
(d) Unconsolidated – drained test

Q47. The effective stress strength parameters of a soil are c= 10kPa and ϕ = 30°, then shear
strength on a plane within the saturated soil mass at a point where total normal stress is 300
kPa and pore water pressure is 150 kPa, will be
(a) 90.5 kPa
(b) 96.6 kPa
(c) 101.5 kPa
(d) 105.5 kPa

Q48. When a soil, whoes present effective overburden pressure is the maximum pressure that
it was subjected to in the past, then it is:
(a) Unconsolidated
(b) Normally consolidated
(c) Over consolidated
(d) Pre-consolidated

Q49. The expansion of soil due to shear at a constant value of pressure is called:-
(a) Apparent cohesion
(b) True cohesion
(c) Dilatancy
(d) Consistency

Q50. The spring – cylinder analogy is used in soil mechanics to explain

(a) Air removal from clayey soils
(b) Relative density of cohesionless soils
(c) Compaction of clays
(d) Time-dependent deformation of saturated clayey soils

S1. Ans.(b)
𝑘𝑁
Sol. 𝑟𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑘 1 = 17.6 𝑚3
𝑊1 = 10%
𝑉𝑜𝑖𝑑 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 (𝑒) = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
𝑟𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑘2 = ? >
𝑤2 = 20%
𝑟𝑏
𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 (𝑟𝑑 ) =
1+𝑤
𝑟𝑏 𝛼 (1 + 𝑤)
𝑟𝑏 1 (1 + 𝑤1 )
=
𝑟𝑏 2 (1 + 𝑤2 )
17.6 (1 + 0.1)
=
𝑟𝑏 2 (1 + 0.2)
𝑟𝑏 2 = 19.2

S2. Ans.(c)
Sol. water content (w) = 200%
G= 2.6
Void Ratio (e) = ?
→ soil is fully saturated (S = 1)
Se = WG
1×e = 2×2.6
𝑒 = 5.2

S3. Ans.(c)
1
Sol. porosity (n) = 3
G = 2.5
Critical hydraulic gradient (ic) = ?
𝑛 1/3
e = 1−𝑛 = 2/3 = 0.5
𝑒 = 0.5
𝐺 − 1 2.5 − 1 1.5
𝑖𝑐 = = =
1 + 𝑒 1 + 0.5 1.5
𝑖𝑐 = 1

S4. Ans.(b)
Sol. 𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 0.8
𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 0.4
𝑒 = 0.6
𝑒 −𝑒
Relative density = 𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑥 × 100
𝑚𝑎𝑥 −𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛
0.8 − 0.6
× 100
0.8 − 0.4
0.2
× 100
0.4
= 50%

S5. Ans.(a)
Sol. total unit weight = (𝑟𝑏 ) = 22 kN/m³
Specific gravity (G) = 2.67
Water content (w) = 10%
Dry unit weight (𝑟𝑑 ) = ?
𝑟𝑑 22
𝑟𝑑 = =
1 + 𝑤 1 + 0.1
 𝑟𝑑 = 20𝑘𝑁/𝑚 𝑠

S6. Ans.(c)
(1−𝜂𝑎 )𝐺𝑟𝜔
Sol. 𝑟𝑑 = (1+𝑒)
𝑟𝑑 → dry density
𝜂𝑎 → percentage air void
G → Specific gravity
e → void ratio
𝑆𝑒 = 𝑊. 𝐺
(1 − 𝜂𝑎 )𝐺𝑟𝜔
𝑟𝑑 =
1 + 𝑊𝐺

S7. Ans.(c)
Sol. relative density of compacted dense sand equal to 0.95.

S8. Ans.(c)
Sol. Fully saturated soil have two phase system with soil & water.

e
S9. Ans.(b)
Sol. Weight of empty core cutter = 1286 gm
Weight of core cutter filled with soil = 3196 gm.
Volume of curve cutter = 1000 c.c.
Water content (w) = 12%
G = 2.70
g = 9.8 m/sec²
Bulk unit weight (𝑟𝑏 ) = ?
Weight of soil = 3196-1286
= 1910
𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 1910 𝑔𝑚
𝑟𝑏 = =
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 1000 𝑐𝑚3
= 1.910 gm/cm³
1.910 × 9.81 × 100 × 100 × 100
=
1000 × 1000
= 18.74 𝑘𝑁/𝑚3

S10. Ans.(a)
 𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑥 −𝑒
Sol. Density index (ID) =
𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑥 −𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑛
𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡 − 0 ≤ 𝐼𝐷 ≤ 1

S11. Ans.(b)
Sol.

Log10 (N) →
(Flow Curve)
N → Number of blow
𝑑𝑦
𝐹𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑥 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 = = 𝐼𝑓
𝑑𝑥
𝑊1 − 𝑊2
𝐼𝑓 =
𝑁
𝑙𝑜𝑔 2
𝑁1
→ Flow index of soil indicates shear strength variation with water content.

S12. Ans.(c)
Sol. plastic limit (𝑊𝑃 ) = 35%
Liquid limit (𝑊𝐿 ) = 70%
% of soil fraction finer then 2μ = 25
𝐼
Activity (𝐴𝑡 ) = 𝐶𝑃
C → % of clay size particle
70 − 35
𝐴𝑡 =
25
𝐴𝑡 = 1.4

Activity Disruption

< 0.75 Non active

0.75 to 1.25 Normal soil
> 1.25 Active
S13. Ans.(c)
Sol. Rock flour is not posses any plasticity.

S14. Ans.(d)
Sol. the shrinkage limit of soil is when the water is just sufficient to fill all the pores of the soil.
The volume of the soil does not decrease when the water content is reduced below the
shrinkage limit.

S15. Ans.(b)
𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡−𝑁𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡
Sol. consistency index (𝐼𝑐 ) = 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡−𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡
𝑊𝐿 − 𝑊
𝐼𝐶 =
𝑊𝐿 − 𝑊𝑃

S16. Ans.(c)
Sol. liquid limit (𝑊𝐿 ) = 35%
Compression index (𝐶𝑐) = 0.009 (𝑊𝐿 − 10)
= 0.009 (35-10)
= 0.009 × 25
= 0.225

S17. Ans.(b)
Sol.
Plasticity index (𝐼𝑃 ) Consistency

0 Non Plastic
<7 Low plastic
Medium plastic
7 – 17
Highly plastic
> 17

S18. Ans.(c)
Sol.
Soil Plasticity index (𝐼𝑃 )

Sand 0
Silt 10-15
Clay 15-100

S19. Ans.(d)
Sol. number of blows = 30
According to Casagrande
𝑊𝐿 = 20 − 𝑙𝑜𝑔10 𝑁
𝑊𝐿 = 20 − 𝑙𝑜𝑔10 30
 𝑊𝐿 = 18.52

S20. Ans.(d)
Sol. W = 20 – log10 N
Put 𝑁 = 25
W = 20 – log10 25
𝑊 = 18.60

S21. Ans.(d)
𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑥
Sol. 𝑇𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑥 = 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑥

S22. Ans.(a)
Sol. if soil sample dried beyond its limit then no volume change in soil because water is replaced
by air & volume of soil same

S23. Ans.(a)
Sol. Refer the solution of question number (11)

S24. Ans.(a)
Sol. when water content in a soil is reduced beyond the shrinkage limit the soil will be in solid
state.

S25. Ans.(b)
Sol. Refer the solution of question number (17)

S26. Ans.(c)
Sol. ML → low compressible silt
MI → Medium compressible silt
MH→ high compressible silt

S27. Ans.(a)
Sol. Refer the solution of question No. 1

S28. Ans.(c)
𝐷 0.66
Sol. 𝐶𝑢 = 𝐷60 = 0.005 = 132
10
(𝐷30 )2 (0.075)2
𝐶𝑐 = = = 1.70
𝐷60 𝐷10 (0.66)(0.005)
𝐶𝑢 > 6 → Weld graded sand
For well graded Cc is lies between 1 to 3.

S29. Ans.(d)
𝐷
Sol. uniformity coefficient (Cu) = 𝐷60
10
If 𝐶𝑢 ≃ 1 → uniformly graded soil
𝐶𝑢 > 6 → well graded sand
𝐶𝑢 > 4 → well graded gravel
S30. Ans.(a)
Sol. if more than 50% of soil grains are retained over 75 micron sieve then its termed as coarse
grained soils.

S31. Ans.(c)
Sol. Consistency limit measured by casa Grande’s apparatus –

S32. Ans.(d) more than 50% of soil grains are retained over 75 micron sieve then its coarse
grained soil.

→ if Cu > 4 than well graded gravel other

S33. Ans.(b)
𝐷
Sol. coefficient of uniformity (Cu) = 𝐷60
10
If - Cu ≃ 1 (uniformly graded)
Cu > 4 (well graded gravel)
Cu > 6 (well graded sand)

S34. Ans.(d)
𝐷
Sol. coefficient of uniformity (Cu) = 𝐷60
10
(𝐷30 )2
Coefficient of curvature (𝐶𝑐) = 𝐷
60 𝐷10
𝐷60
= 25
𝐷10
(𝐷30 )2
=1
𝐷60 𝐷10
𝐶𝑢 × 𝐶𝑐 = 25 × 1
𝐷60 (𝐷30 )2
× = 25
𝐷10 𝐷60 × 𝐷10
𝐷30 2
( ) = 25
𝐷10
𝐷30
=5
𝐷10

S35. Ans.(d)
Sol. 𝐷10 is termed as the effective particle size it means that 10 percent of the particle are finer
and the 90% of the particles are coarser than that particular particle size 𝐷10 .

S36. Ans.(c)
Sol. Uniformly graded – if soil consist of excess one size of particle.
Gap graded – certain size of particles are missing from soil.
Well graded – the soil may be termed as well graded if soil has good representation of all the
size of particles present in it.
S37. Ans.(d)
Sol. stokes law valid between 0.0002 mm to 0.2 mm particle size.

S38. Ans.(d)
Sol. in a shear test on cohesionless soils, if the initial void ratio is less then the critical void ratio,
the sample will initially decrease and then increase in volume.

S39. Ans.(d)
Sol. coulombs equation for shear strength.
𝜏 = 𝐶 + 𝜎𝑛 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜙
τ → shear strength
c → cohesion
𝜎𝑛 → Normal stress
ϕ → friction Angle.

S40. Ans.(a)
Sol uses of vane shear test.
(i) Shear parameter of silty sand
(ii) Sensitivity of clay.

S41. Ans.(d)
Sol. Drainage conditions are best controlled in triaxial test.

S42. Ans.(b)
Sol. in unconfined compression test rubber membrane not used without rubber membrane
dry soil can not be held position hence this test can be conducted in saturated silt & clay but
more suitable for clay.

S43. Ans.(a)
Vane shear test is conducted to determine shear strength of cohesive soil.

S44. Ans.(c)
Sol.

𝜎1 = (𝜎3 + 𝜎𝑑 ) = Major principal stress

𝜎3 = minor principal stress
S45. Ans.(a)

S46. Ans.(a)
Sol. in saturated clay for short term analysis consolidated – undrained test in used. This test
takes only 5 to 7 minutes.

S47. Ans.(b)
Sol. C’ = 10 kPa
Φ’ = 30°
𝜎𝑛 = 300 kPa
U = 150 kPa
Shear strength (τ) =?
Effective normal stress (𝜎̅𝑛 ) = 𝜎𝑛 − 𝑈
= 300 – 150
= 150 kPa
𝜏′ = 𝐶′ + 𝜎̅𝑛 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜙
=10+150tan30
=96.60

S48. Ans.(b)
Sol. when present effective overburden pressure is the maximum pressure that it was
subjected to in the past then it is normally consolidated soil.

S49. Ans.(c)
Sol. Expansion of soil due to shear at a constant value of pressure is called dilatancy.

S50. Ans.(d)
Sol. soil spring analogy is used to explain the mechanism of consolidation i.e. time dependent
deformation of fine soil