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PREBOARD EXAMINATION 1 March 4, 2023 (2:00pm-6:00pm)

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING AND HYDRAULICS (SET A)

INSTRUCTION: Select the best answer to each of the following questions. Mark only one answer
for each item by shading the box corresponding to the letter of your choice on the answer
sheet provided. STRICTLY NO ERASURES ALLOWED. Use pencil no. 2 only

1. A cubic meter water is subjected to a pressure increase of 20 MPA. If the bulk modulus of
elasticity of the water is 2200 MPa, evaluate the change in volume in m^3
A. 0.0091 B. 0.0191 C. 0.0178 D. 0.0146

2. The velocity head of the flow at one section of a pipeline is 5 m. Evaluate the velocity head,
in meter (s), at the next section if the velocity of flow increases by one-half that of the
previous section.
A. 20.0 B. 11.3 C. 15.0 D. 7.50

3. A right cylindrical container of diameter D (meter) and H (meter) high is filled with water
z (meter) deep. A piece of timber, having a cross -sectional dimension b x t (mm) and L (meter)
long is freely allowed to submerge and float in a vertical position inside the container. The
portion of the wood above the water surface is observed to be 2/3 the length of the timber.
Given the following information, evaluate the specific weight of the timber, in kN/m^3.
D= 1.00 m b= 250 mm
H= 5.00 m t= 250 mm
z= 3.00 m L= 3.00 m
A. 3.35 B. 3.72 C. 3.27 D. 3.44

4. Evaluate the kinetic energy of a unit weight of water, in meters, flowing at 10 m/sec.
A. 0.721 B. 0.439 C. 0.815 D. 0.534

5. An experiment to determine the permeability of a soil sample was conducted. The

permeameter in a falling head permeability test setup involves a cylindrical soil sample
100mm in diameter and a height of 200mm. The hydraulic head in the 10-mm diameter standpipe
through which the test water passed dropped from 1 meter to 600mm in one minute of
observation. In that duration the water collected in the graduate was recorded at 2.0 liters.
From these data, evaluate the coefficient of permeability of the soil sample, in cm/sec.
A. 0.000224 B. 0.001703 C. 0.001890 D. 0.001910

6. Which of the following statements is false?

I. Wind blows towards an area of low pressure.
II. Smoke rises faster in a chimney on a windy day
III. You can squirt water over a greater distance by placing your thumb over the end of a
garden hose than by leaving it completely uncovered.
IV. Between two sinking objects with same shape and volume but of different weights, the
heavier object will reach terminal velocity first.
A. I B. II C. III D. IV

7. In order to provide water form a nearby spring, a triangular flume of efficient cross section
was provided on a slope of 0.15 percent. Assuming the roughness coefficient of the channel
equal to 0.20, obtain the depth of flow in meter(s) of the water in the flume if it is discharging
at the rate of 2 cu.m./sec.
Utilize the formula V = (1/n) R^2/3 S^1/2 for the velocity of flow.
A. 1.85 B. 1.77 C. 1.69 D. 1.31

8. A pressure surge or wave caused when & fluid in motion is forced to stop or change direction
suddenly (momentum change) is referred to in hydraulics as.
A. hydraulic jump B. potential head C. hydrodynamics D. water hammer

9. If the ground water table in a soil formation rises as a resulting of flooding, the bearing
capacity of the soil.
A. unaffected B. decrease C. increase D. depends on footings load

10. A hemispherical container 1 meter in diameter is completely filled with scrambled egg
mixture, enough to feed the entire Megareview family. If shifu accidentally bumped into the
container causing it to rotate at a constant angular rate of 4 rad/sec, determine the volume
of mixture spilled in cubic meters.
A. 0.26 B. 0.32 C. 0.16 D. 0.08

11. A granular soil deposit is considered stiff if the unconfined compressive strength is
between.
A. 25-80 B. 80-150 C. 150-400 D. >400

12. A line joining the points of highest elevation of water in a series of vertical open pipes
rising from a pipeline in which water flows under pressure is referred to as.
A. hydraulic jump C. hydraulic head
B. hydraulic gradient D. hydraulic loss

13. An underground tunnel is to be constructed at a depth of I0 meters below ground surface

for a subway in Metro Manila. On ground surface and radially located from the line of the
tunnel is a vertical load of 10 MN. Design specifications require that the vertical stress due
to the load at the level of the tunnel should not exceed five (5) percent the vertical stress at
the same depth directly below the load.

Obtain the minimum distance, in meters, at which the alignment of the tunnel be located from
the line of application of the load.

Hint: According to the Boussinesq theory, the vertical stress at a point below the surface of
a semi-infinite, homogenous, isotropic soil mass due to a point load Q applied at the ground
surface is given by the equation.

where p = 0.477QN/z^2
N = 1[1 + (r/z)]^2.5
r = horizontal distance oof point from the vertical line of application of the load
z = depth of point below ground surface
A. 13 B. 14 C. 15 D. 16

Situation – According the elastic theory, the vertical stress induced by a flexible line load of
infinite length that has an intensity of q units / length on the surface of a semi-infinite soil
mass can be estimated by the expression

P = 0.637 q/N where N = z[1 + (r/z)2]2

r = horizontal distance from the line of the load
z = depth of interest at which stress is induced

A masonry wall weighing 6kN per lineal meter is carried by a wall footing 0.60m wide.

14. Evaluate the bearing pressure in kPa, exerted by the footing onto the supporting soil.
A. 14 B. 16 C. 10 D. 12

15. Evaluate the stress in kPa in the soil caused by the load at a depth equal to twice the width
of the footing but directly below the masonry wall.
A. 5.31 B. 7.25 C. 4.43 D. 6.47

16. Evaluate the stress at a depth of 2m and a horizontal distance of 3m from the line of the
load.
A. 0.531 B. 0.432 C. 0.301 D. 0.668

Situation – A triaxial shear test was performed on a well – drained sand sample. The normal
stress on the failure plane and the shearing stress on the failure plane were determined to be
63kPa and 42kPa respectively.

17. Determine the angle of internal friction of the sand, in degrees.

A. 33.7 B. 22.4 C. 27.4 D. 19.8

18. Determine the angle, in degrees of the failure plane with respect to the horizontal plane.
A. 26.2 B. 61.8 C. 54.9 D. 58.7

Situation - A circular footing with a 1.5 m diameter is to be constructed 1.22 m below the
ground surface. The groundwater table is at a great depth and its effect can be neglected. The
subsoil consists of a uniform deposit of dense soil having the following strength parameters:
Angle of inertial friction = 25° (Nc = 24.1, Nq = 13.1, Nγ = 9.1)
Unconfined compressive strength = 96 kPa
Unit weight of soil = 20.12 kN/m2
Hint: qu =1.3cNc + qNq + 0.3γBNγ

19. Compute the ultimate bearing capacity of the soi.

A. 1966.21 kPa B. 1935.25 kPa C. 1907.79 kPa D. 1981.59 kPa

20. Compute the total allowable load that the footing can carry using a factor of safety of 3.
A. 3474.6 kN B. 1123.8 kN C. 3371.3 kN D. 1158.2 kN

21. How many meters of water is equivalent to 2.75 atmospheres?

A. 38.7 m B. 24.8 m C. 31.6 m D. 27.5 m

Situation – After 24 hours of pumping at 50 liters/sec, 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 50m
from the test well, the water level dropped by 1.0 m. 27m test well

22. Estimate the rate of flow in cubic meters per day.

A. 4320 B. 4560 C. 4890 D. 5130

23. Evaluate the coefficient of permeability of the aquifer in meters per day.
A. 44.5 B. 20.1 C. 36.3 D. 58.3

24. Compute the transmissibility of the aquifer in square meters per day.
A. 1140 B. 1080 C. 953 D. 1260

Situation – A retaining wall 12 m high has a horizontal backfill on its vertical face to its base.
Under normal conditions, the backfill has a water content of 10 % and a void ratio of 0.50. The
specific gravity of the soil grains is 2.50 and the angle of internal friction is 20 deg. Using
Rankine’s theory of lateral earth pressure.

25. Evaluate the total horizontal lateral force per meter width of wall, in kN, due to the water.
A. 600 B. 520 C. 810 D. 706

26. Evaluate the total horizontal lateral force per meter width of wall, in kN, due to the soil.
A. 289 B. 250 C. 220 D. 235

27. How many times would the horizontal lateral force be increased if the backfill is fully
saturated with rain water?
A. 1.54 B. 1.36 C. 1.65 D. 1.06

28. One of the following foundation conditions does not affect the bearing capacity of the
supporting soil.
A. Unit weight of the soil C. Depth of founding of footings
B. Load imposed onto the soil D. Position of ground water table

29. What important property of soil is most influenced by engineering?

A. Porosity B. Void Ratio C. Specific Gravity D. Water Content

30. A confined aquifer has a source of recharge. The hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer is
40 m/day and its porosity is 0.25. The piezometric heads in the two wells 1000 m apart are 65 m
and 60 m, respectively, from a common data. The average thickness of the aquifer is 25 m and
the average width if 4 km. Compute the rate of flow through the aquifer in m 3/day.
A. 25,000 B. 20,000 C. 30,000 D. 35,000

Situation - A vertical triangular plate whose height is 3.6 m has its base horizontal and vertex
upper most in the water surface.

31. Find the depth to which it must be lowered from its vertex so that the difference in level
between the center of gravity and the center of pressure shall be 20 cm.
A. 3.6 m B. 1.2 m C. 2.4 m D. 1.8 m

32. How far is the center of pressure below the water surface?
A. 4.8 m B. 4.2 m C. 6.0 m D. 3.6 m

33. What is the base width of the plate if the total hydrostatic force acting on the plate is
76.28 kN?
A. 1.2 m B. 1.5 m C. 0.9 m D. 1.8 m

Situation - Sphere A is attached to Sphere B by a cable whose mass is negligible. Both spheres
are identical in dimensions, R = 0.6 m, but differ in material composition. If sphere A has a
weight of 12 kN and sphere B has a weight of 4 kN and both spheres are thrown in freshwater,
determine the following:

34. The draft of sphere B.

A. 98.5 cm B. 85.8 cm C. 79.5 cm D. 148.6 cm

35. The tension in the cable connecting the spheres.

A. 3241 N B. 3124 N C. 4213 N D. 2134 N

36. The exposed volume of the sphere B in cubic meters.

A. 0.179 B.0.726 C. 0.114 D. 0.220

Situation - Situation – SECTION 304 of the NSCP states

“…All values of allowable foundation pressure are for footings having a minimum width of
300mm and a minimum depth of 300mm into natural grade. Increase of 20 percent is allowed for
each additional 300mm of width and/or depth to a maximum value of three times the designated
value.”

A square footing rests on a sandy gravel soil whose allowable foundation pressure is 100 kPa.

37. Determine the allowable foundation pressure (kPa) of a square footing 1.2m wide with depth
of embedment of 0.3m.
A. 220 B. 200 C. 180 D. 160

38. Determine the allowable foundation pressure (kPa) of a square footing 1.2m wide with depth
of embedment of 0.9m.
A. 247 B. 236 C. 224 D. 210

39. Determine the gross service load (kN) that can be carried by the footing.
A. 323 B. 242 C. 303 D. 340

40. A right cylindrical container 2.5 m in a diameter is 3 m tall. A 50-mm diameter hole is
provided at the bottom of the container to drain the water when necessary. If it is 2/3 full of
water, how long in minutes does it take to empty the container from the instant that the hole
is opened? Coefficient of velocity and coefficient of contraction both equal to 1.0.
A. 26.61 mins B. 21.16 mins C. 28.83 mins D. 23.38 mins.

41. The slope of fill surfaces shall be no steeper than is safe for intended use. Fill slopes shall
be no steeper than.
A. 33 % B. 50 % C. 67 % D. 45 %
42. A barge weighing 350 kN when empty is 6 m wide, 15 m long and 3 m high. Floating upright,
evaluate the draft of the barge in meters when transporting 5000 bags of cement along a river,
each bag having a mass of 40 kg. Assume the specific gravity of the water in the river to be
1.02.
A. 2.18 m B. 2.22 m C. 2.62 m D. 2.57 m

Situation - The coefficient of permeability below a dam is 4 m /day. The water on the upstream
side is 20 meters higher than on the downstream side. To estimate the seepage below the dam,
a flow net was graphically drawn such that the number of potential drops, Nd = 10 and the
number of flow channels Nf = 4. The base of the dam is founded 1 m below the ground. Between
the heel and the toe of the dam, a distance of 30 meters, there are 8 potential drops.

43.Evaluate the seepage flow per meter width of dam, in liters/min.

A. 18.5 B. 32.5 C. 20.6 D. 22.2

44. Determine the uplift pressure at the heel of the dam, in kPa.
A. 114 B. 181 C. 177 D. 198

45. Determine the uplift pressure at the toe of the dam, in kPa.
A. 11.4 B. 19.6 C. 14.7 D. 17.6

46. Pile group:

Pile size: 400mm x 400mmx
Pile length: 20m
Total load, Q = 12MN
Efficiency = 82%
Unconfined compression strength, qu = 120kPa
What is the required number of piles?
A. 6 B. 7 C. 8 D. 9

Situation – A 3-layer soil has the following properties from top to bottom:

Layer k, cm/sec Thickness, m

1 2.0 x 10^-4 4
2 3.2 x 10^-2 3
3 4.1 x 10^-5 6

47. Obtain the equivalent horizontal coefficient of permeability, in cm/sec.

A. 0.00689 B. 0.00734 C. 0.00809 D. 0.00747

48. Obtain the equivalent vertical coefficient of permeability, in cm/sec.

A. 0.0000709 B. 0.0000534 C. 0.0000689 D. 0.0000805

49. Estimate the rate of flow in the vertical direction per square meter of layer, in liters/hr,
if the hydraulic gradient is 0.50.
A. 4.65 B. 3.24 C. 1.45 D. 2.85

50. An upstream point in a horizontal tube has a velocity head equal to 1 m. Determine the
change in pressure head if the velocity of a point downstream is double of that upstream.
A. 1-m rise B. 1-m drop C. 3-m rise D. 3-m drop

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