Soil Mechanics

Use this for “A sand has D₁₀ = 0.15 mm, D₃₀ = 0.45 mm and D₆₀ = 1.2 mm. Find Cᵤ and Cc. Is it well graded?”

Use this for “A fine-grained soil has LL = 45 and PL = 22. Find its plasticity index. Is it a clay or a silt?”

Use this for “Is a clayey sand coarse grained or fine grained in the Unified Soil Classification System?”

Use this for “1,620 g of 1.5 g/cm³ sand fills the test hole, and the soil dug out of it weighs 2,070 g at w = 10%. Find the dry unit weight.”

Use this for “Dry sand 3 m thick (γ = 18 kN/m³) lies on clay with γₛₐₜ = 19 kN/m³, the water table on the clay. Find σ, u and σ′ at 5 m.”

Use this for “The 4 m clay (Cc = 0.3, e₀ = 0.9, σ′₀ = 80 kPa) once carried σ′ₚ = 120 kPa; Cₛ = 0.05. How far does it settle under Δσ = 60 kPa?”

Use this for “A 4 m clay layer drains at its top and bottom, with cᵥ = 0.002 cm²/s. How long until it is 50% consolidated?”

Use this for “Two drained direct shear tests fail at τ = 40 kPa under σ = 50 kPa and τ = 98 kPa under σ = 150 kPa. Find c′ and φ′.”

Use this for “A saturated clay fails in a UU test at σ₁ = 180 kPa with a cell pressure of 60 kPa. What is sᵤ?”

Use this for “A 2 m square footing sits 1.5 m down in sand with φ′ = 30°, c′ = 5 kPa and γ = 18 kN/m³. Find qᵤ and qₐₗₗ.”

Use this for “In a falling-head test on a silt 10 cm long and 40 cm² in area, the head in a 0.5 cm² standpipe falls from 100 cm to 50 cm in 600 s. Find k.”

Use this for “A flow net under a dam has 4 flow channels and 12 drops; k = 2 m/day, H = 6 m, the exit square 1.5 m. Find q and FS against piping (icr = 0.95).”

Use this for “A wall’s toe is buried 1.5 m in sand with φ′ = 32° and γ = 18.5 kN/m³. Find Kₚ and the passive resistance in front of it.”

Use this for “A basement wall 6 m high holds back sand with φ′ = 32°, OCR = 2 and γ = 18.5 kN/m³. Find K₀ and the at-rest thrust.”

Use this for “A 6 m wall holds back saturated sand (φ′ = 32°, γₛₐₜ = 20 kN/m³) with water up to its top. Find the total thrust.”