PDH Quiz - Basics of Soil Mechanics

1.

The main problem in the foundation design is to prevent:

Total settlement

Differential settlement

All of the above

None of the above.

2.

Which one of the followings are factors in designing a foundation:

Just how deep into the soil should the building be placed?
Would the excavation have to be enclosed by a wall during construction to prevent cave-ins of soil?
Would it be necessary to lower the water table in order to excavate and construct the foundation and, if so, what means should be used to accomplish this lowering of the ground water (dewatering)?
Was there a danger of damage to adjacent buildings?
How much would the completed building settle and would it settle uniformly?
For what stresses and what stress distribution should the mat of the building be designed?

1,2,and 4

1,3, and 6

All of the above

3.

In a pile drive foundation which one of the followings are main factors?

What type of pile should be used?
What was the maximum allowable load for a pile?
At what spacing should the piles be driven?
How should the piles be driven?
How much variation from the vertical should be permitted in a pile?
What was the optimum sequence for driving piles?
Would the driving of piles have an influence on adjacent structures?

1,3,and 5

1,2, and 6

1 through 7

4.

In designing of an earth dam which one of the followings are factors.

What should be the dimensions of the dam to give the most economical, safe structure?
What is the minimum safe thickness for the gravel layers?
How thick a layer of gravel and rock facing is necessary to keep any swelling of the clay core to a tolerable amount?
What moisture content and compaction technique should be employed to place the gravel and clay materials?
What are the strength and permeability characteristics of the constructed dam?
How would the strength and permeability of the darn vary with time and depth of water in the reservoir?
How much leakage would, occur under and through the dam?
What, if any, special restrictions on the operation of the reservoir are necessary?

1,2,3 and 4

All of the above

1, 3,4 and 6

5.

A foundation Heave can happen as a result of:

Occurs when foundation soil expands when the confining pressure is reduced and / or the water content of the soil is increased
Arid regions
Presence of montmorillonite

1 and 2

1, 2 and 3

6.

In designing Highway pavement which one of the following components should be considered?

How thick should the various components of the pavement be to carry the expected loads?
What is the optimum mixture of additives for stabilizing the desert sand?
Is the desert sand acceptable for the construction of the wearing surface?
What grade and weight of available asphalt make the most economical, satisfactory wearing surface?
What type and how much compaction should be used?

Only 1,2 and 3

1,2,3,4 and 5

7.

In designing “Earth Retaining Structure” which one of the followings should be considered?

What type of wall material and cross section) should be used?
How deep must the wall penetrate the foundation soil in order to prevent the wall from kicking out to the left at its base?
At what height on the wall should the anchor tie be located?
How far from the wall should the anchor tie extend?
What type of anchoring system should be employed at the onshore end of the anchor tie? (One way to anchor the wall is to use a large mass of concrete, i.e., dead man. Another way is to use a system of piles ;including some driven at a slope with the vertical; such a sloping pile is termed a batter pile)
What was the distribution of stresses acting on the wall?
What type of (drainage system should be installed to prevent a large differential water pressure from developing on the inside of the wall?
How close to the wall should the loaded crane (578 kN when fully loaded) be permitted?
What restrictions, if any, are necessary on the storage of cargo on the area back of the wall?

1,2, 5,7

1,3,4,5

1 through 9

8.

The usual types of deformation in the vicinity of contact forces are:

Elastic strain
Plastic strain
Particle crushing under high stress

True

False

9.

Overall strain of a soil mass is the combined effect of particle deformation and interparticle sliding.

True

False

10.

Relative sliding of soil particles result in rearrangement of soil particles , which is a nonlinear and irreversible phenomena, thus resulting in a non-linear and irreversible stress-strain behavior of soils.

True

False

11.

Frictional and adhesion forces are also effective in producing particle deformation

True

False

Basics of Soil Mechanics - Quiz

Quiz Question

1.	The main problem in the foundation design is to prevent:
		Total settlement
		Differential settlement
		All of the above
		None of the above.
2.	Which one of the followings are factors in designing a foundation: Just how deep into the soil should the building be placed? Would the excavation have to be enclosed by a wall during construction to prevent cave-ins of soil? Would it be necessary to lower the water table in order to excavate and construct the foundation and, if so, what means should be used to accomplish this lowering of the ground water (dewatering)? Was there a danger of damage to adjacent buildings? How much would the completed building settle and would it settle uniformly? For what stresses and what stress distribution should the mat of the building be designed?
		1,2,and 4
		1,3, and 6
		All of the above
3.	In a pile drive foundation which one of the followings are main factors? What type of pile should be used? What was the maximum allowable load for a pile? At what spacing should the piles be driven? How should the piles be driven? How much variation from the vertical should be permitted in a pile? What was the optimum sequence for driving piles? Would the driving of piles have an influence on adjacent structures?
		1,3,and 5
		1,2, and 6
		1 through 7
4.	In designing of an earth dam which one of the followings are factors. What should be the dimensions of the dam to give the most economical, safe structure? What is the minimum safe thickness for the gravel layers? How thick a layer of gravel and rock facing is necessary to keep any swelling of the clay core to a tolerable amount? What moisture content and compaction technique should be employed to place the gravel and clay materials? What are the strength and permeability characteristics of the constructed dam? How would the strength and permeability of the darn vary with time and depth of water in the reservoir? How much leakage would, occur under and through the dam? What, if any, special restrictions on the operation of the reservoir are necessary?
		1,2,3 and 4
		All of the above
		1, 3,4 and 6
5.	A foundation Heave can happen as a result of: Occurs when foundation soil expands when the confining pressure is reduced and / or the water content of the soil is increased Arid regions Presence of montmorillonite
		1 and 2
		1, 2 and 3
6.	In designing Highway pavement which one of the following components should be considered? How thick should the various components of the pavement be to carry the expected loads? What is the optimum mixture of additives for stabilizing the desert sand? Is the desert sand acceptable for the construction of the wearing surface? What grade and weight of available asphalt make the most economical, satisfactory wearing surface? What type and how much compaction should be used?
		Only 1,2 and 3
		1,2,3,4 and 5
7.	In designing “Earth Retaining Structure” which one of the followings should be considered? What type of wall material and cross section) should be used? How deep must the wall penetrate the foundation soil in order to prevent the wall from kicking out to the left at its base? At what height on the wall should the anchor tie be located? How far from the wall should the anchor tie extend? What type of anchoring system should be employed at the onshore end of the anchor tie? (One way to anchor the wall is to use a large mass of concrete, i.e., dead man. Another way is to use a system of piles ;including some driven at a slope with the vertical; such a sloping pile is termed a batter pile) What was the distribution of stresses acting on the wall? What type of (drainage system should be installed to prevent a large differential water pressure from developing on the inside of the wall? How close to the wall should the loaded crane (578 kN when fully loaded) be permitted? What restrictions, if any, are necessary on the storage of cargo on the area back of the wall?
		1,2, 5,7
		1,3,4,5
		1 through 9
8.	The usual types of deformation in the vicinity of contact forces are: Elastic strain Plastic strain Particle crushing under high stress
		True
		False
9.	Overall strain of a soil mass is the combined effect of particle deformation and interparticle sliding.
		True
		False
10.	Relative sliding of soil particles result in rearrangement of soil particles , which is a nonlinear and irreversible phenomena, thus resulting in a non-linear and irreversible stress-strain behavior of soils.
		True
		False
11.	Frictional and adhesion forces are also effective in producing particle deformation
		True
		False