Code No: NR310105 NR

III B.Tech I Semester Supplementary Examinations, February 2007

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
(Civil Engineering)
Time: 3 hours Max Marks: 80
Answer any FIVE Questions
All Questions carry equal marks
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1. (a) Define
i. Bulk density
ii. Relative density
iii. dry density
(b) With usual notation show that γ= (G + S.e)γw /1 + e
(c) A saturated soil sample has a water content of 25% and unit weight of 2g/cc
(20 KN/m3 ). Determine
i. the specific gravity of the solid particles
ii. Dry weight
iii. Void ratio [6+4+6]
2. (a) Explain with the help of particle size distribution curves the following types
of soils
i. Well graded
ii. Uniformly graded [8]
(b) Describe how Plastic limit of the soil is determined in the laboratory? [8]
3. (a) What are the different types of soil water. Discuss. [8]
(b) The following data pertains to the coefficients of permeability of a stratified
soil deposit.
Soil Coefficient of permeability (mm/sec) Thickness of stratum (m)
A 1 x 10−3 3
B 2 x 10 −4
4
C 4 x 10 −6
5
Determine the ratio of coefficients of horizontal permeability to the vertical
permeability. [8]
4. (a) Define total stress, neutral stress and effective stress. What is the importance
of the effective stress? [8]
(b) The soil profile at a site consists of 2 m sand (G = 2.65 and e = 0.7) overlying
medium clay (G = 2.70 and e = 1.0) of large thickness. The water table is 3
m below ground surface. Draw sketches of total and effective stress diagrams
for the soil profile. [8]
5. (a) What do you mean by contact pressure ? Draw the contact pressure distrib-
ution diagrams for flexible and rigid footings on sand and clay soils. [8]

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Code No: NR310105 NR
(b) A circular area of 7.5 meters in diameter on the ground surface carries a
uniformly distributed load 3KN/m2 . Find the intensity of vertical pressure
below the center of the loaded area at a depth of 6 meters below the ground
surface. Use Boussinesq’s analysis. [8]

6. (a) Briefly explain the factors affecting compaction.

(b) A laboratory compaction test on soil having specific gravity 2.68 gave a max-
imum Dry density of 1.82 g/cm3 and a water content of 17 %. Determine the
degree of saturation, air content and percentage air voids at the maximum dry
density. What would be the theoretical maximum dry density corresponding
to zero air voids at the optimum moisture content? [8+8]

7. (a) Bring out the points of difference between compectives and consolidations. [8]
(b) A normally consolidated clay layer of 10 m thickness has a unit weight of
20 kN/m3 and specific gravity 2.72. The liquid limit of the clay is 58%. A
structure constructed on this clay increase the overburden by 10%. Estimate
the ultimate consolidation settlement. There is no secondary compression. [8]

8. (a) What are the advantages of triaxial compression test over direct shear test?
(b) If the initial stress conditions in a soil sample are non-hydrostatic, with a
vertical stress of 100 kPa and a cell pressure of 50 kPa, show the stress paths
when the vertical stress is held constant while
i. the cell pressure is increased to 100 kPa
ii. the cell pressure is decreased to 10 kPa. [8+8]

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