HKU Advance Soil Mechanics

Advance Soil Mechanics Department of Civil Engineering
Hasan Kalyoncu University Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Frat ABALAR
Student Name/Surname:
Student Id. No.: Signature:
QUESTIONS
1. (3p) List the four main simplifying assumptions used for stresses calculation, and explain
briefly the reason of making such assumptions.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
2. (3p) List the sources of stress in the ground, and explain briefly.
3. (3p) What are the main differences between 1-D consolidation and 3-D consolidation?
4. (3p) How would you describe the settlement? What are the three most common physical
processes that produce settlement (i.e., types of settlement)?
1
5. (5p) The consolidation process is often described with an idealized system composed of a
spring, a container with a hole in its cover, and water (see the Figure shown below). Explain
the series of events taking place in the following system.
1.
2.
3.
4.
6. (5p) What would you think about the type (i.e., single, double) and direction of drainage for
the figures representing one-dimensional consolidation, also Hdr values?
Loose sand Loose sand Loose sand
Clay Clay Clay

H H H
Loose sand Rock Very dense sand
7. (3p.) The Figure below shows a result of a consolidation test. Identify the parts of the
curve.
2
8. (3p.) Which statement would not be correct, WHY? (Please make a brief comment)
(a) Water in the ground may be stationary, in which case the pore water pressures will be
hydrostatic. Otherwise, it will flow through the soil pores in response to a hydraulic
gradient (i).
(b) The ease with which water can flow through a soil is quantified by the soil
permeability (k).
(c) The flow of water through soil is governed by Terzaghis law q=Aki, where q is the
volumetric flowrate, A is the cross sectional area of the flow, k is the soil permeability,
and i is the hydraulic gradient.
(d) The layered structures of a soil deposit can lead to a difference between the
permeability in the vertical and horizontal directions. A material having different
values of certain properties in different directions is described as anisotropic.
(e) The laboratory method for the measurement of permeability might give a reasonable
estimate of the in situ permeability of a uniform isotropic soil, provided that the
sample has been selected and taken with care and that some attempt has made to
replicate its field density in the permeameter.
Your Comment:
9. (5p.) Which statement would not be correct, WHY? (Please make a brief Comment)
(a) The increase in pore pressure within the soil is termed as the excess pore pressure and
varied with time and from point to point within the soil mass.
(b) In a saturated clay in the undrained condition, the applied load at time t=0 is resisted
solely by the pore water.
(c) Consolidation settlement in a fully saturated clay is the result of a gradual reduction in
its volume due to the drainage of water through the voids of the soil.
(d) Compression index (cc) is the absolute value of the gradient of the virgin compression
line.
(e) The coefficient of consolidation (cv) is traditionally determined using three methods;
(i) square root time fitting method, (ii) log of time fitting method, (iii) finite difference
method.
Your Comment:
10. (4p) How would you describe briefly the liquefaction event in a sandy soil?
3
11. (4p.) Which statement would not be correct, WHY? (Please make a brief Comment)?
(a) As the earthquake loading occurs so quickly, the water cannot easily drain away, and
the positive excess pore water pressures develop.
(b) If a drainage condition exists, the initial excess pore pressure dissipates with time.
(c) An immediate settlement occurs upon application of the load
(d) In the consolidation test, when the load is first applied, the pressure in the pore water
causing hydraulic gradient is low; at the instant of load application it is equal to the
applied external pressure.
(e) The oedometer is kept full of water to maintain sample saturation during a 1-D
consolidation test. Individual load increments are applied in a doubling ratio, such as;
0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, etc
Your Comment:
12. (4p.) Which statement of the followings would not be correct, WHY? (Please make a
brief Comment)?
(a) The direct shear test can be used to determine the internal friction angle and cohesion
of the geomaterials ranging from sands and gravels to clays.
(b) In the direct shear test points on the failure envelope are determined directly by
applying a constant normal stress to the sample and measuring the shear strength on
the predetermined failure plane.
(c) The shear strength of a soil along the failure surface could be described by
f = c + tan
(d) Different types of triaxial tests have been developed to provide a comprehensive
description of the behavior of the soil under different drainage conditions and loading
rates; these are CD, CU, and UU.
(e) The shear strength parameters corresponding to the total and effective states have
different values. However, in the case of clay, it is reasonable to assume c=c=0 and
= . The magnitude of or in a clayey soil varies between 17o to 20o.
Your Comment:
13.(5p) Calculate the vertical induced stress (z) at a depth of 1m, 3m, and 10m (beneath the
corner of the loaded area) for an area (B=2, L=7) load 28000 kN using any method. Plot a
figure showing the change in the vertical induced stress by change in depth. Then, discuss the
results.
Your Comment:
4
14. (10p) A Hf m. thick fill is to be placed on a site as shown in the Figure below. Plot the (i)
-t, (ii) u-t, and (iii) -t graphs at point A, which is in the middle of the clay layer.
Ground level
Proposed fill
Water table
Silty sand
Clay
. A
Your Comment:
15. (10p) Make a sketch of the shear stress ()- normal pressure () lines, and find the internal
friction angles of the sand tested in direct shear testing apparatus. Indicate the values for
both loose and dense state.
Shear stress (kN/m2)

Normal pressure (kN/m2)
Test 1 Test 2
35 29 23
70 58 45
105 87 67
Your Comment:
5
16. (10p) Figure given below shows a plan view of a rectangular footing with a 2x2 m square
hole (through its entire thickness). The hole is located at 1 m from the left edge and is equally
positioned between the top and lower edges of the footing. If the uniform contact pressure
under the footing is 200 kPa, use the chart to calculate the vertical stress at a point 3 m below
the centre of the square hole.
Your Comment:
6
17. (20p) Data obtained from a laboratory consolidation test on a clay is given below.
'0=100 kPa, '1=200 kPa, Gs=2.72, H0 (initial thickness at 100 kPa)= 18 mm.
w (moisture content at the end of the test)= 0.245.
Determine:
(i) cv from the square root time plot in m2/year
(ii) the coefficient of permeability
(iii) the compression index cc
(Assume the specimen is normally consolidated).
Time (min) Total H Time (min) Total H Time (min) Total H

(mm) (mm) (mm)
0.25 0.160 6.25 0.611 49 0.866
0.50 0.208 9 0.694 64 0.878
1.00 0.276 16 0.789 81 0.894
2.25 0.391 25 0.834 100 0.905
4.00 0.507 36 0.850 300 0.954
1440 1.030
Hint: e=w Gs
cv=0.848d2/t90
e/H=(1+e0)/H0
mv= (H/H0)/( '1- '0)
k=cvmvw
Your Comment:

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Advance Soil Mechanics Department of Civil Engineering

Hasan Kalyoncu University Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Frat ABALAR

Clay Clay Clay

Loose sand Rock Very dense sand

Shear stress (kN/m2)

Time (min) Total H Time (min) Total H Time (min) Total H

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