CE LICENSURE EXAMINATION PROBLEMS

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL

6.

The ratio of the volume of water to the volume of voids. (M00 H

14)
a.
moisture content
c.
degree of saturation
b.
void ratio
d.
porosity

7.

A soil sample has a moisture content of 30% and degree of

saturation of 45%. The solids have specific gravity of 2.61.
Determine the dry unit weight of the soil in kN/m3. (M00 H 17)
a.
8.52
c.
9.34
b.
12.14
d.
10.25

8.

A sample of moist clay is found to have moisture content of 400%

and degree of saturation of 85%. The specific gravity of the solids
is 2.76. Determine the void ratio of this soil. (M00 H 18)
a.
13.23
c.
10.24
b.
9.81
d.
12.99

9.

A sample of moist sand taken from the field was found to have a
moisture content of 14% and a porosity of 38%. In a laboratory test
that simulates field conditions, it was found that at its densest state,
its void ratio is 85% and at its loosest state its void ratio is 40%.
Determine the relative density of the sand. (M00 H 19)
a.
0.527
c.
0.623
b.
0.854
d.
0.472

10.

A clay sample has unit weight of 20.06 kN/m3 with moisture

content of 8.2%. The saturated unit weight of the sample is 21.58
kN/m3. Determine the porosity of the soil. (N00 H 13)
a.
45 %
c.
47 %
b.
31 %
d.
28 %

MULTIPLE CHOICE
1.

A specimen of moist clay has a mass of 183.4 grams. After ovendrying, the mass is reduced to 157.7 grams. Which of the following
most nearly gives the moisture content of the sample? (N98 H 16)
a.
38.3 %
c.
27.3 %
b.
49.3 %
d.
16.3 %

2.

Which of the following gives the formula for the relative density of
a natural granular soil? (M99 H 18)
a.
c.
e +e
e e
Dr = e max e
Dr = e max e
max
min
max
min
b.
d.
emax emin
emin e
Dr = e e
Dr = e e
max
max
min

3.

A sample of moist soil has water content of 18% and moist unit
weight of 17.3 kN/m3. The specific gravity of solids is 2.65. Which
of the following most nearly gives the degree of saturation of the
soil? (M99 H 24)
a.
62 %
c.
42 %
b.
72 %
d.
52 %

4.

A soil sample was compacted. The result of the Standard Proctor

Test shows that at 100% compaction, the soil weighs 131.1 pcf
with optimum moisture content of 14%. What is the saturated unit
weight of the soil in pcf? G = 2.67. (N99 H 13)
a.
145.2
c.
178.6
b.
121.9
d.
134.3

5.

A soil sample was compacted. The result of the Standard Proctor

Test shows that at 100% compaction, the soil weighs 131.1 pcf
with optimum moisture content of 14%. What is the maximum dry
unit weight of the soil (at zero air voids) in pcf? G = 2.67. (N99 H
14)
a.
115
c.
154.3
b.
121.3
d.
107.2

11.

A clay sample has the following properties:

Porosity = 0.35 (in situ)
Maximum void ratio = 0.85
Minimum void ratio = 0.42
Specific gravity of solids = 2.72
Moisture content = 62 %
Determine the dry unit weight of the soil in its natural state, in pcf.
(M01 H 8)
a.
115.87
c.
105.45
b.
110.36
d.
98.34

Situation:

17.

Which of the following most nearly gives the density of the in-situ
soil? (N02 H 19)
a.
104.2 lb/ft3
c.
123.1 lb/ft3
3
b.
120.7 lb/ft
d.
113.4 lb/ft3

12.

The ratio of the volume of voids to the total volume of the soil is
called: (M01 H 10)
a.
porosity
c.
moisture content
b.
degree of saturation
d.
void ratio

18.

Which of the following most nearly gives the porosity of the insitu soil? (N02 H 20)
a.
0.51
c.
0.27
b.
0.42
d.
0.32

13.

In soil properties, the ratio of the total mass to the total volume of
solids is called: (M01 H 16)
a.
specific gravity
c.
bulk density
b.
bulk unit weight
d.
dry unit weight

19.

Which of the following most nearly gives the degree of saturation

of the in-situ soil? (N02 H 21)
a.
75 %
c.
61 %
b.
45 %
d.
35 %

14.

A 480 cc soil sample taken from the site weighs 850.5 grams. After
oven-drying, it weighed 594.4 grams. If the specific gravity of
solids is 2.72, determine the void ratio of the soil. (N01 H 8)
a.
0.976
c.
1.187
b.
1.195
d.
1.432

Situation:

15.

A 480 cc soil sample taken from the site weighs 850.5 grams. After
oven-drying, it weighed 594.4 grams. If the specific gravity of
solids is 2.72, determine the degree of saturation of the soil. (N01
H 9)
a.
0.749
c.
0.923
b.
0.979
d.
0.843

16.

Soil mass consists of solid particles, water, and air. The combined
volume of water and air is called voids and its ratio with the
volume of solid particles is called the void ratio. The ratio of the
mass of solid to the total volume of soil is termed as: (N01 H 22)
a.
dry unit weight
c.
moist unit weight
b.
dry density
d.
moist density

Given the following characteristics of a soil sample:

Volume = 0.5 cubic feet
Mass = 56.7 pound mass
The solids have specific gravity of 2.69. After ovendrying, the mass of the soil was 48.7 pounds.

The following data were obtained from laboratory tests

for a cohesive specimen: moisture content, , was 22.5%;
Gs = 2.60; and to determine the approximate unit weight,
a sample having a mass of 224.0 g was placed in a 500
cm3 container with 382 cm3 of water required to fill the
container.

20.

What is the nearest value to the total unit weight of the soil sample
in kN/m3? (M03 H 19)
a.
20.44
c.
18.62
b.
21.58
d.
19.71

21.

What is the nearest value to the dry unit weight of the soil sample
in kN/m3? (M03 H 20)
a.
14.3
c.
13.9
b.
16.1
d.
15.2

22.

What is the void ratio e? (M03 H 21)

a.
0.678
c.
b.
0.582
d.

Situation:

0.866
0.784

A fully saturated clay sample has a mass of 1,526 grams.

After oven-drying, its mass was reduced to 1,053 grams.
The specific gravity of soil particles is 2.7.

23.

Calculate the natural water content of the sample in percent. (N03

H 10)
a.
52
c.
36
b.
45
d.
40

24.

Calculate the void ratio in percent. (N03 H 11)

a.
85
c.
136
b.
114
d.
121

25.

Calculate the porosity in percent. (N03 H 12)

a.
48
c.
55
b.
36
d.
59