Code.

No: 07A60101
R07 SET-1
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY HYDERABAD
III B.TECH II SEM–REGULAR/SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATIONS MAY - 2010
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING - 1
(CIVIL ENGINEERING)
Time: 3hours Max.Marks:80
Answer any FIVE questions
All questions carry equal marks
---

1.a) A pycnometer weighing 600 gm was used in the following measurements on three
samples of a soil. Sample No. 1 was over dried; sample no. 2 was partially saturated and
sample no. 3 was fully saturated. The bulk unit weight of the sample no. 2 was 2.05
gm/ml.
No. 1 No. 2 No. 3
Weight of samples (gm) 960 970 1000
Weight of sample + water +pycnometer (gm) 2080 2050 2010
If the weight of pycnometer when filled with water only was 147.5 gm, determine the
specific gravity of solids.
b) Also determine the water content and void ratio of samples no. 2 and 3, and the
degree of saturation of sample no. 2. [8+8]

2.a) State Stoke’s law. What is its use in the sedimentation method of analysis? What are its
limitations?
b) Compare the pipette method and the hydrometer method. Why the hydrometer method
is more popular?
c) What do you understand about index properties? What is their importance? [5+6+5]

3.a) How would you determine the average permeability of a soil deposit consisting of
a number of layers? What is its use in soil engineering?
b) A drainage pipe beneath a dam has become clogged with sand whose coefficient of
permeability is 10 m/day. It has been observed that the flow through the pipe is
0.15 m3/day when the difference of water levels on the upstream and downstream is
20m. If the cross sectional area of the pipe was 200 cm2, what length of the
pipe was filled with sand. [8+8]

4.a) Describe the electrical analogy method of flow net construction.

b) How would you construct the flow net when the soil is anisotropic? Derive the expression
for discharge. [8+8]

5.a) Derive an expression for the vertical stress at a point due to point load, using
Boussinesq’s theory.
b) A concentrated load of 50 kN acts on the surface of a homogeneous soil mass of
large extent. Determine the stress intensity at a depth of 5 m, directly under the load,
and at a horizontal distance of 2.5 m. [8+8]
6. An earthen embankment of 10 6 m3 volume is to be constructed with a soil having
a void ratio of 0.80 after compaction. There are three borrow pits marked A, B and C
having soils with void ratios of 0.90, 1.50 and 1.80, respectively. The cost of
excavation and transporting the soil is Rs. 0.25, Rs. 0.23 and Rs, 0.18 per m3,
respectively. Calculate the volume of soil to be excavated from each pit. Which borrow
pit is the most economical? [16]

7.a) Discuss the limitations of Terzaghi’s theory of consolidation. Why is theory used
despite its limitations?
b) In a consolidation test, a fully saturated clay sample was subjected to a load of
500 kN/m2. After 12 hours, the average pore pressure was found to be 200kN/m2. Find
out the time required for 50% consolidation to take place. [8+8]

8.a) Write revised Mohr-Coulomb equation. How does it differ from the original equation?
b) A sample of dry and was subjected to a triaxial test, with a confining pressure of
250 kN/m2. The angle of shearing resistance was found to be 360. At what value of the
major principal stress, the sample is likely to fail? [8+8]

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 Code.No: 07A60101
R07 SET-2
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY HYDERABAD
III B.TECH II SEM–REGULAR/SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATIONS MAY - 2010
GEO TECHNICAL ENGINEERING - 1
(CIVIL ENGINEERING)
Time: 3hours Max.Marks:80
Answer any FIVE questions
All questions carry equal marks
---

1.a) Derive and expression for degree of saturation of a partially saturated soil in terms of
vide ratio, water content and specific gravity with usual notations.

b) A cylindrical specimen of soil is 7.50 cm long and 3.75 cm in diameter and weights 175
gm. If the water content is 18 percent, and the specific gravity of solids of 2.68,
determine the degree of saturation. What would be the error in the degree of saturation
if there had been an error of 1mm in measuring the length? [8+8]

2.a) State Stoke’s law. What is its use in the sedimentation method of analysis?
What are its limitation?
b) Compare the pipette method and the hydrometer method. Why the hydrometer method
is more popular?
c) What do you understand about index properties? What is their importance? [5+5+6]

3.a) How would you determine the average permeability of a soil deposit consisting of
a number of layers? What is its use in soil engineering?
b) A drainage pipe beneath a dam has become clogged with sand whose coefficient of
permeability is 10 m/day. It has been observed that the flow through the pipe is 0.15
m3/day when the difference of water levels on the upstream and downstream is 20m.
if the cross sectional area of the pipe was 200 cm2, what length of the pipe was filled
with sand. [8+8]

4.a) What is a flow net? Describe its properties and applications. Describe different methods
used to construct the flow net.
b) How would you construct the flow net when the soil is anisotropic? Derive the expression
for discharge. [8+8]

5.a) Derive an expression for the vertical stress at a point due to a line load. Give
examples of a line load.
b) A water tower has a circular foundation of 10 m diameter. If the total weight of the tower,
including the foundation, is 2 x 104 kN, calculate the vertical stress at a depth of 2.5 m
below the foundation level. [8+8]
6. The following are the results of a standard compaction test performed on a
sample of soil.

Water 7.7 11.5 14.6 17.5 19.7 21.2

content (%)
Weight of 1.7 1.89 2.03 1.99 1.96 1.92
wet soil (kg)

If the volume of the mould used was 950c.c. and the specific gravity of soil grains was
2.65, make necessary calculations and plot the water content-dry density curve and obtain
the optimum water content and the maximum dry density. [16]

7.a) Discuss Terzaghi’s theory of consolidation, stating the various assumptions and their
validity.
b) Discuss the spring analogy for primary consolidation. What are its uses? [8+8]

8.a) Differentiate between the stress-controlled and the strain-controlled tests. Why the
latter tests are more commonly conducted?
b) Describe the triaxial shear test. What are the advantages of triaxial shear test over the
direct shear test? [8+8]

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 Code.No: 07A60101
R07 SET-3
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY HYDERABAD
III B.TECH II SEM–REGULAR/SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATIONS MAY - 2010
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING - 1
(CIVIL ENGINEERING)
Time: 3hours Max.Marks:80
Answer any FIVE questions
All questions carry equal marks
---

1. A sample of soil has a volume of 1 litre and a weight of 17.5 N. The specific gravity of
the solids is 2.68. If the dry unit weight of the soil is 14.8 kN/m3, determine (a) water
content, (b) void ratio, (c) porosity (d) saturated unit weight, (e) submerged unit weight
and (f) degree of saturation. [16]

2.a) State Stoke’s law. What is its use in the sedimentation method of analysis? What are its
limitation?
b) Compare the pipette method and the hydrometer method. Why the hydrometer method
is more popular?
c) What do you understand about index properties? What is their importance? [5+5+6]

3.a) A constant –head permeability test was run on a sand sample 30 cm in length and
20 cm2 in area. When a loss of head was 60 cm, the quantity of water collected in 2
minutes was 250 ml. Determine the coefficient of permeability of the soil.
b) If the specific gravity of grains was 2.65, and dry weight of the sample, 1.1 kg, find the
void ratio of the sample. [8+8]

4.a) Prove that the discharge through an earth mass is given by

Nf
q =k h
Nd
Where k = coefficient of permeability
h = head
Nf= number of flow channels
Nd = number of equipotential drops.

b) Explain the method of constructing a flow net in an earth dam consisting of two different
zones. [8+8]

5.a) The contact pressure for a square footing 2m x 2m is 40 t/m2. Using 1:2 distribution,
determine the depth at which the contact pressure is 10 t/m2.
b) Describe the basis of the construction of Newmarks influence chart. How is it used?
c) What is Fenske’s chart? Explain its construction and uses. [6+5+5]
6. An earthen embankment of 106m3 volume is to be constructed with a soil having a
void ratio of 0.80 after compaction. There are three borrow pits marked A, B and C,
having soils with void ratios of 0.90, 1.50 and 1.80, respectively. The cost of excavation
and transporting the soil for above three borrow pits are Rs. 0.25, Rs. 0.23 and Rs, 0.18
per m3, respectively. Calculate the volume of soil to be excavated from each pit. Which
borrow pit is the most economical? [16]

7. The time required to reach 60% consolidation for a sample 1 cm thick tested in a
consolidometer under conditions of double drainage was found to be 35seconds.
Determine the time required for a layer 10 m thick to reach the same degree of
consolidation, if it has drainage only on one side. [16]

8.a) What is Mohr’s circle? Discuss its important characteristics.

b) Discuss the shear characteristics of cohesion less soils and cohesive soils. [8+8]

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 Code.No: 07A60101
R07 SET-4
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY HYDERABAD
III B.TECH II SEM–REGULAR/SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATIONS MAY - 2010
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING - 1
(CIVIL ENGINEERING)
Time: 3hours Max.Marks:80
Answer any FIVE questions
All questions carry equal marks
---

1.a) Describe oven-drying method for the determination of water content of a soil sample
in a laboratory
b) A sample of wet soil has a volume of 0.0192 m3 and a weight of 32 kg. When the sample
is dried out in an oven, its weight reduces to 28.5 kg. Determine (i) Bulk unit weight
(ii) Water content, (iii) Dry unit weight, (iv) Saturated unit weight, (v) void ratio,
(vi) Porosity (vii) Degree of saturation. Take the specific gravity of solids as 2.65.
[8+8]

2.a) State Stoke’s law. What is its use in the sedimentation method of analysis? What are its
limitation ?
b) Compare the pipette method and the hydrometer method. Why the hydrometer method
is more popular?
c) What do you understand about index properties? What is their importance? [6+5+5]

3.a) A constant –head permeability test was run on a sand sample 30 cm in length and
20 cm2 in area. When a loss of head was 60 cm, the quantity of water collected in 2
minutes was 250 ml. Determine the coefficient of permeability of the soil.
b) If the specific gravity of grains was 2.65, and dry weight of the sample is 1.1 kg, find
the void ratio of the sample. [8+8]

4.a) Water percolates across a rectangular silty earth fill 30m long and 15m width. The
fill is founded on an impervious stratum and the depth of water on one side is 5.0m.
Compute the seepage discharge when k = 0.15cm/minute.
b) Prove that the discharge per unit width of an earth dam with a horizontal filter at
its toe is the coefficient of permeability times the focal length. [8+8]

5.a) What do you understand by contact pressure? What are the factors that affect the
contact pressure distribution? Draw the contact pressure distribution diagram for flexible
and rigid footings on sand and clayey soils.
b) Describe the method of calculating the stress at a point below the corner of a
rectangular load. How is this method used for finding the stresses at points other
than that below the corner? [8+8]
6.a) What is the effect of compaction on the engineering properties of the soil? How
would you decide whether the soil should be compacted the dry of optimum or the
wet of optimum?
b) Describe Standard Proctor test and the modified Proctor test. How would you decide
the type of the test to be conducted in the laboratory? [8+8]

7.a) A clay layer of 10m thickness underlies a sand stratum of 10 m and overlies an
impervious layer. The sand layer carries a point load of 1000t and has e = 0.70,
and G = 2.72, L.L. = 60% and Lv = 25 x 10 -4 cm2/sec. The water table is located 5m
above the top of the clay layer. Find how long would the clay take to settle 4.7 cm.
b) What are different causes of preconsolidation in soils? What is the effect of
preconsolidation on the settlement? [8+8]

8.a) What is unconfined compression test? Sketch the apparatus used. What is its
advantage over a triaxial test?
b) Describe direct shear test. What are its merits and demerits? [8+8]

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