LCODE:181120 Reg.No.

:
B.E. / B.TECH. DEGREE EXAMINATIONS: NOV /DEC 2022
CIVIL ENGINEERING
18CPC504 - MECHANICS OF SOILS
IME: 3 HOURS MAX. MARKS : 100
ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS
PART - A (10 X 2 = 20)
Give one example for a soil for the possibility of liquid limit to be more than 100%.
What is meant by gap graded soil?
In a site, the ground water table is at a depth of 1 m from the ground level. If the
water rises upto the ground level due to capillarity, find the pore water pressure at
the ground level.
A Newmark's chart is drawn for z = 50 mm. Find the radius of the circle
corresponding to zlq = 0.1. (¡z and q are additional vertical pressure and applied
loading intensity respectively).
What is the influence of temperature on coefficient of permeability of a soil?
If the effective size of a filter medium is 0.1 mm, find the coefficient of
permeability as per Allen Hazen.
Give the significance of zero air voids line.
The time of consolidation of a layer with one way drainage is t. Determine the
time of consolidation of the same layer for the same degree of
with two-way drainage. consolidation but
Draw the Mohr circle and strength envelope for incipient failure condition and find
the angle made by failure plane with minor principal plane.
10 The undrained cohesion of a clay is 50 KPa. Find the shear
strength of clay.
PART - B (5 X 16 = 80)
(QUESTION NO.11 IS COMPULSORY)
11 A series of undrained shear box tests (area of box = 3600 mm)
was carried out (16)
on a soil and the following results are tabulated
Normal load (N) Shear load at failure (N)
100 75
200 93
) Determine the cohesion and angle of internal friction of the soil with
respect to total stress.
(ü) If a 38 mm diameter and 85 mm long sample of the same
soil was tested
under undrained condition, in a triaxial compression apparatus with a cell
pressure of 270 kPa, what will be the additional axial load at failure if the
sample is shortened by 7.5 mm?
12 (a) A sand sample has a porosity of 30% and specific gravity of solids of 27. (6)
saturation of
Calculate dry unit weight of sand, unit weight of sand at a degree ofs
60% and submerged unit weight of sand. and
length (10)
(b) The mass of sample of a clay in a sampling tube of diameter 38mm theliquid
If
a. theliquidity
85 mm is 160.2 g. The oven dried mass of the sample is 110.8find
limit and plastic limit of the clay are 56 % and 23 % respectively, as27
ofsolids
..2..
index, consistencyindex and void ratio. Take specific gravity
 -3
cODE: 181120

(OR)
Asand deposit 12 m thick overlies an impermeable stratum. Aweir is founded at (16)
a depth of 2 m from the ground level. The difference in water level between the
upstream and downstream sides of the weir is 6 m. The sand has a vertical
coefficient of permeability of 1 x 10 m/s and horizontal coefficient of permeability
equal to 9 times that in the vertical direction. The flow net drawn for the weir
shows 4 flow channels and 12 equipotential drops. Determine the volume of
water seeping through the soil per day per metre length of the weir.
If the minimum length of flow line between the last two consecutive equipotential
drops near the exit is 0.8 mand saturated unit weight of the sand is 19.62 kN/m,
find the available factor of safety against the development of quick sand
condition.

(a) Distinguish between compaction and consolidation. (6)

(b) The natural moisture content and void ratio of a soil in a borrow area are 12% and (10)
0.7 respectively. The specific gravity of solids of the soil is 2.65. This soil is used
for construction of an embankment, the finished volume being 60,000 m. The soil
from the borrow pit is excavated by shovels and transported through trucks of
capacity 8 m. The soil in the field is compacted to attain a bulk density of
2.13 g/cc at a moisture content of 18%. Assuming that the volumne of the soil is
increased by 12% during excavation and dumping of soil in the trucks, calculate
the number of truck loads required for the construction.
(OR)
A 5 m thick compressible clay stratum underlies a raft foundation. The
average (16)
and after the
overburden pressure on the stratum before construction is 100 kPa
increase to
completion of the structure, the average pressure is expected to
sample
200 kPa. Laboratory consolidation test carried out on a 20 mm thick soil
when the
draining both ways shows the void ratio decreases from 0.86 to 0.82
90% of the
consolidation pressure is increased from 100 kPa to 200 KPa and that stratum
total consolidation is completed in 20 minutes. Assuming that the clay
of the foundation
can drain from top and bottom, estimate the ultimate settlement
complete
due to the consolidation of the clay layer. Also, find the time required to
50%, 90% and 100% of the ultimate settlement.
0.cODE: 181102 Reg.No.:
B.E./B.TECH. DEGREE EXAMINATIONS : APRIL / MAY 202o
CIVIL ENGINEERING
18CPCS04- MECHANICS OF SOILS MAX. MARKS :
100
TIME:3 HOURS
ANSWER ALL QUESTIONs
PART- A
(10 X2 =20)
Define non-plastic fines. Give examples.
2 ldentify the phases in the soil system if it is partially saturated.
3 What is adsorbed water? How can it be removed?
What is an isobar?
soil deposits?
5 How do you represent the permeability of stratified
6 llustrate the phenomenon of soil liquefaction.
7 Define relative compaction.
8 What is degree of consolidation?
9 Define shear strength of soil.
specimen.
10. Restate the stages of application of load in triaxial (5 X 16 = 80)
PART -B
(QUESTION NO.11 IS COMPULSORY) pressures of 50 kN/m, (12)
same clay were consolidated to cel
11. (a) Three samples of respectively
sealed
in a Triaxial cell. Drainage was thenpressure
100 kN/m and 150 KN/m
samples were sheared under
undrained condition with pore
off and the three samples at failure are given
measurements. The results obtained for the
below :
Deviator stress at Pore pressure
Confining Pressure
Sample failure (kN/m) (KN/m²)
No. (KNim) 76 35
1 50
132 59
2 100
180 83
3 150
evaluate the
failures in terms of effective stress and
Draw Mohr's circles for these
effective shear strength parameters. occurred at a Torque of 4)
conducted in a soft clay deposit, failure
(b) In a vane shear test are H=100 mm and d=80 mm. Assume
that both
42 Nm, The dimensions of the vane strength of the soil in
calculate the shearing
ends of the vane take part in shearing,
its natural state.
110 cm and (10)
undisturbed state was found to have volume of
12. (a) A soil sample in its mass was reduced to 170 g. Compute
mass of 210 g. After oven drying, the (v) air content.
degree of saturation
) water content () void ratio (li) porosity (iv)
Take G=2.70.
sedimentation analysis. (6)
(b) Summarize the limitations in the use of Stoke's law in ..2..
0.cODE: 181102
(OR)
13. Discuss in detail the Indian Standard Soil classification system based on
1498-1970.

14. (a) Asand deposit is 12 mthick and overles a bed of soft clay. The water table is4.
below the ground surface. If the sand above the ground water table has 50% deg
of saturation, calculate the effective stress at the middle and bottom of the sav
layer. Takee0.60 and G n 2.65.
(b) Find the capillary rise in a soil having an effective grain size of 0.08 mm.
that the surface tension of water at 15°C is 0.076 g/cm. Assute
(OR)
15. (a) A concentrated load of 850 KN acts at the ground surface. Compute the vertia
stresses at 8 m depth () on the axis of the load and (i) 2 m away from the axis. Us
Westergaard's analysis. Take p= 0.25.
(b) Arectangular area 4 mx2 mis uniformiy loaded with a load intensity of 10 Um' a
the ground surface. Calculate the vertical pressure at a point 3 mbelow one of is
corners by equivalent point load method.
16. (a) A soil sample taken in a container of internal diameter 8 cm has a length of 12.5 cm.
The coefficient of permeability of soil is 2 x 10° cm/sec and void ratio of 0.72. If the
water is allowed to flow through the soil sample in upward direction and the rate of
discharge is 0.05 ml/sec, compute the effective stresses at the bottom and middle
sections of the sample. Take G=2.65.
(b) What are the applications of Flow net?
(OR)
17. (a) Calculate the coefficient of pemeability ofa soil sample 6 cm in height and 50 cm in (t
cross-sectional area. The quantity of water equal to 430 cc fell down in 10 minutes
under an effective constant head of 50 cm. On oven drying, the test specimen
weighed 4.98 N. Assuming G = 2.65, calculate the seepage velocity of water during
the test.
(b) Enlist the various factors affecting permeability of soils. (4

18. (a) Acohesive soil when compacted using a Standard Proctor compaction test gave a (10
maximum dry density of 17 kN/m at an OMC of 17%. If the specific gravity of soil
solids is 2.64, find the degree of saturation. What is the maximum dry density
achieved, if the sample is further compacted?
(b) Draw typical shapes of compaction Curves for the following types of soil. (6)
(0) Moderately plastic soils () Highly plastic soil (i) Non-plastic soil.
(OR)
19 In the laboratory consolidation test, the time required to reach 40% degree of (16
consolidation on a 20 mm thick saturated soil sample is 50 seconds. Calculate the
time required for 40% and 60% degree of consolidation of the same sample in
the
field having 10 m thick, underlain by rocky strata and subjected to the same
conditions as that of the laboratory sample. loading
 -2 Q.CODE: 1611

(OR) Surface.
allowed to act on the ground of
load of 1500OKN is depth
plane at a vertical
concentrated on a horiZontal
13 A
Show the variation of vertical stresses
variation of vertical stresses on a
surface and the
6m below the
plane at rm 1m.
conducted on a sand of 40cm lona
was quantity of water
head permeability test
14 (a) Aconstant area. When the loss of head was 65cm, the () Coefficient of
and 25cm 10 minutes. Determine the and the dry mass
was 250ml in
collected the sample if G= 2.65
permeability of soil () Void ratio of
of the sample is 1500g.hydraulic gradient if specific gravity of soil solids is
(b) Calculate the criticalis 0.65. Comment, whether quick sand condition will
2.65 and void ratio
develop.
(OR)
Analogy method of construction of flownet.
15 Describe Electrical
compaction of soil.
16 Explain the various factors influencing
(OR)
Explain any one method for determining the co-efficient of consolidation of
17 (a)
soil.
20Omm thick sample showed that
(b) Laboratory consolidation test results on double drainage.
50% degree of consolidation occurred in 20 minutes with of 8m thick to
How much time will it take for a layer of the same clay
consolidate to 30% and 50%, if the drainage in the field is assumed to be
single drainage?

18 Direct shear stress was conducted on sand and it was observed that the
sample fails at a shear stress of 80kN/m when the normal stress was
150kN/m. Draw the Mohr circle for the failure condition and determine
() the angle of shearing resistance and (i) the major and minor principal
stress and the orientation of these planes.
(OR)
19 (a) What are the advantages and limitations of triaxial compression test?
(b) A series of shear tests were performed on a soil and the tests
were
continued until the soil sample sheared. The results are tabulated below.
Plot the Mohr's Circle of stress and
pararmeters.
determine the shear strength

S.
No. (KN/m) (KN/m)
100 296
2 200 750
300 940
 -2

(OR)
consistency limits. Draw the diagram showing he
13. (a) List
outthe variouscontent and volume change behaviour of
betweenthe water classification.
clay soil. relag
purposes of soil
(b) List out the
pressure at a depth of 15 mbelow
the total, effective and pore
14. (a) Compute lake 5 mdeep. The bottom of
lake consists of
soft clay wt
bottom of a content of the clay is 2
water
more than 20 m. The average
thickness of to be 2.72
assumed
specific gravity of the soil solids may be
and procedure and uses of Newmark chart.
construction
(b) Wite the (OR)
supported on afh
elevated structure with a total load of 2000 KN IS
15. (a) An
The legs rest on piers located at the corners of a side Rh.
with four legs.
vertical stress increment at a point 5 m below any one let
Compute the
the structure.
ring footing of external and internal radii of 8 m and 4n
(b) An annular 100 KN/m. Compute the vertg
respectively transmits a pressure of
m below center.
stresses at a depths 2.0 m and 4.0
6 cm in length an
(a) A constant head permeability test was run on a sand of
16. was 60 cm, the quantity of wat
head
50 cm in area. When the loss of coefficient of permeabity
collected in 10 minutes was 450 ml. Estimate the
has a mass of 500g. Calculate t
soil. On oven drying, the test specimen 2.65.
seepage velocity of water during the test. Take G, =
three uniform layers of thicxi
(b) A horizontal stratified soil deposit consists of
permeability of these layets a
8 m, 4 m and 8 m respectively. The ave
8x10", 52x10, 8x10 cm/s respectively. Find the effective
permeability of the deposit in the horizontal and vertical direction.
(OR)
17. (a) Sate and explain the conditions at which soils liquefy.
(b) List the properties and uses of flow net.

18. (a) Write the detailed procedure to conduct the unconfined compressio
purely cohesive soils. cohesionle
of
(b) Adirect shear test was conducted on a6 cm X6 cm sample load
soil. The normal load was 360 KN. The failure occurred at a shear
principal planes
180kN. Find the angle of internal friction. Also, locate the
find out the principal stresses
 3
Q.cODE: 161095

(OR)
A series of shear test was performed on a soil, Each test was carried out (16)
until the soil sample sheared and the principal stresses for test are as follows
Calculate shear strength parameters in tems of
() total stress
() effective stress

Sample No
u kN/m
1 72 235 - 24
2 350 560 +80