Hong Kong Institute

of
Vocational Education

HD in Civil Engineering
(EG114101)

Geotechnical and Foundation

Engineering
(CON4342)

Notes:
1. Answer any FOUR (4) questions.
2. Each question carries EQUAL marks.
3. This question paper consists of FIVE (5)
questions.
4. This exam paper consists of FIFTEEN
(15) pages.
5. All works must be clearly shown.

Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

AY 2016/17
Semester One Examination
10 January 2017
1:30 4:30 pm

Page 1 of 15

Q.1

An oedometer test for a saturated soil was carried out and the result (Table
Q1) is shown below.

Applied Pressure (kPa)

Thickness of Specimen (mm)

20

25

19.806

50

19.733

100

19.600

200

19.357

400

18.835
Table Q1

It is known that final water content is 22.5% and the specific gravity of the
soil is 2.65.
(a) Plot the graph about void ratio (e) against pressure (logarithmic scale).
(5 marks)

(b) At INITIAL stage

(i)

Determine the initial water content.

(2 marks)

(ii)

Hence, determine the initial dry unit weight (kN/m3).

(2 marks)

(c) At END stage

(i)

Determine the final dry unit weight (kN/m3).

(ii)

Determine the yield stress of the soil by using Casagrande

Method.

(2 marks)

(3 marks)

(d) Based on the results above, show that the swelling index is always lying
within the range of 0.1 0.5 times of compression index.

(4 marks)

(e) Would you expect the value of volume of compressibility (mv) is always
the same? Explain briefly.

Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

(3 marks)

Page 2 of 15

(f) With the aid of diagrams, explain the differences between primary and
secondary settlement.

Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

(4 marks)

Page 3 of 15

Q.2

You are a Design Engineer in a construction company and undertaking a

design about retaining wall as a permanent structure after excavation in a
construction project. A design option was carried out and a meeting was
made with your client. The following tasks are required to be completed in
order to clear the uncertainties:
1. Factor of Safety (FOS) of the retaining wall must be greater than 1.5 for
overturning and 2.0 for sliding.
2. The width of the retaining wall must not be greater than 2 m.
3. The unit weight of the backfill, if necessary, should be at least 19 kN/m3.
The design option is shown as follow (Figure Q2).

11 m

Figure Q2
The in-situ materials properties are shown in the borehole log on PAGE 10
AND 11.
-

To achieve the material properties corrections, a series of laboratory tests

were done and the results are shown as below.

Marine Clay:

All round pressure

110

210

310

200

300

400

60

160

260

(kPa)
Deviatoric Stress
(kPa)
Pore Water
Pressure (kPa)

Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

Page 4 of 15

Clayey Sand:

All round pressure

140

350

500

192

341

504

70

204

272

(kPa)
Deviatoric Stress
(kPa)
Pore Water
Pressure (kPa)

You may assume the properties of sandy silt are the same as marine clay.

(a) Determine the cohesion and friction angle of marine clay and clayey sand
with the plots.
(6 marks)

(b) Draw the diagram showing the distribution of the active lateral pressure
of soil in terms of total stress, pore water pressure and effective stress.
(6 marks)

(c) Find the location of resultant forces applied to retaining wall.

(4 marks)

(d) Calculate the Factor of Safety against Overturning and Sliding.

(2 marks)
(e) Does the value of Factor of Safety comply with the requirement? If not,
determine the minimum value of force required in order to fulfil the
requirement.
(3 marks)

(f) With the aid a diagram, explain how to derive the coefficient of lateral
earth pressure in active case.
(4 marks)
Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)
AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

Page 5 of 15

Q.3 (a) The slope in Figure Q3 shown below is a 8m high soil slope at an inclination
of 35 to the horizontal. The soil properties are also shown in the figure. The
width of each slice (b), the average height of each slice (h) and the horizontal
distance of each slice from the centre of rotation (x) are tabulated in the table
shown below. You may assume that the groundwater table is far below the
slip surface. Use the Fellenius Method of Slices to calculate the Factor of
Safety (FOS) to two significant digits.
(12 marks)

Figure Q3

(b) Determine the value of surcharge required on the slice 8, 9, 10 such that the
slope will not be failed.
(8 marks)

Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

Page 6 of 15

(c) Illustrate with sketches with explanation about different types of failures on
slope.
(5 marks)

Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

Page 7 of 15

Q.4 (a) A square concrete pile 0.3 m x 0.3 m is required to support a load of 150 kN
with a factor of safety of 3. The soil stratification consists of 5 m of medium
clay underlain by a deep deposit of over-consolidated clay (see Figure Q4).
Groundwater level is at 2 m below the ground surface. Estimate the length of
pile required. Both short-term and long-term conditions should be considered.
You may assume the shear strengths of two clays are the same under both
conditions.
(18 marks)

Figure Q4

(b) With the aid of diagrams, describe the conditions required to use pile
foundations.
(7 marks)

Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

Page 8 of 15

Q.5 (a)
(i)

Calculate total consolidation settlement of soil profile composed of two

different types of clay, i.e. Clay 1 and Clay 2 due to 150 kPa net
foundation loading as shown in Figure Q5. Ignore the immediate
settlement.
(12 marks)

Figure Q5

(ii)

If minimum requirement of extra settlements for both clay layers is 20%,

determine the additional net pressure need to be applied to the
foundation.
(8 marks)

(b) With the aid of diagram, describe the natures of bearing capacity failures of
shallow foundation in soil.
(5 marks)

END OF QUESTIONS

Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

Page 9 of 15

Borehole Log

Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

Page 10 of 15

Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

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Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

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Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

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Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

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END OF PAPER

Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering (CON4342)

AY2016/17 Semester One Examination [EG114101/FT]

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