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This section includes 94 Mcqs, each offering curated multiple-choice questions to sharpen your Civil Engineering knowledge and support exam preparation. Choose a topic below to get started.
1. |
If the material of the base of the Casagrande liquid limit device on which the cup containing soil paste drops is softer than the standard hard rubber, then |
A. | The liquid limit of soil always increases |
B. | The liquid limit of soil always decreases |
C. | The liquid limit of soil may increase |
D. | The liquid limit of soil may decrease |
Answer» B. The liquid limit of soil always decreases | |
2. |
In the triaxial compression test, the application of additional axial stress (i.e. deviator stress) on the soil specimen produces shear stress on |
A. | Horizontal plane only |
B. | Vertical plane only |
C. | Both horizontal and vertical planes |
D. | All planes except horizontal and vertical planes |
Answer» E. | |
3. |
A saturated soil sample has water content of 40% and specific gravity of soil particles 2.7. The void ratio of the soil, is |
A. | 0.4 |
B. | 0.52 |
C. | 1.08 |
D. | None of these |
Answer» D. None of these | |
4. |
The maximum shear stress occurs on the filament which makes an angle with the horizontal plane equal to |
A. | 30 |
B. | 45 |
C. | 60 |
D. | 90 |
Answer» C. 60 | |
5. |
The total and effective stresses at a depth of 5 m below the top level of water in a swimming pool are respectively |
A. | Zero and zero |
B. | 0.5 kg/cm and zero |
C. | 0.5 kg/cm and 0.5 kg/cm |
D. | 1.0 kg/cm and 0.5 kg/cm |
Answer» C. 0.5 kg/cm and 0.5 kg/cm | |
6. |
The compression resulting from a long term static load and consequent escape of pore water, is known as |
A. | Compaction |
B. | Consolidation |
C. | Swelling |
D. | None of these |
Answer» C. Swelling | |
7. |
If there is no impervious boundary at the bottom of a hydraulic structure, stream lines tend to follow: |
A. | A straight line |
B. | A parabola |
C. | A semi-ellipse |
D. | A semi-circle |
Answer» D. A semi-circle | |
8. |
Which of the following methods is most accurate for the determination of the water content of soil? |
A. | Oven drying method |
B. | Sand bath method |
C. | Calcium carbide method |
D. | Pycnometer method |
Answer» B. Sand bath method | |
9. |
In the plate loading test for determining the bearing capacity of soil, the size of square bearing plate should be |
A. | Less than 300 mm |
B. | Between 300 mm and 750 mm |
C. | Between 750 mm and 1 m |
D. | Greater than 1 m |
Answer» C. Between 750 mm and 1 m | |
10. |
If the specific gravity and voids in soil sample are G and e respectively, the hydraulic gradient i, is |
A. | (G - 1)/(1 + e) |
B. | (G + 1)/(1 - e) |
C. | (1 - G)/(1 + e) |
D. | (1 + G)/(1 + e) |
Answer» B. (G + 1)/(1 - e) | |
11. |
For a clay slope of height of 10 m, the stability number is 0.05, = 2.0 t/m3, C = 2.5 t/m2, the critical height of the slope of the soil, is |
A. | 4.0 m |
B. | 12.5 m |
C. | 25.0 m |
D. | 15.0 m |
Answer» D. 15.0 m | |
12. |
A stratum of clay 2 m thick will get consolidated 80% in 10 years. For the 80% consolidation of 8 m thick stratum of the same clay, the time required is |
A. | 100 years |
B. | 120 years |
C. | 140 years |
D. | 160 years |
Answer» E. | |
13. |
If the cohesive force (c), is 1.5 t/m2, the density ) of the soil is 2.0 t/m3, factor of safety (F) is 1.5 and stability factor (Sn) is 0.05, the safe height of a slope is |
A. | 5 metres |
B. | 8 metres |
C. | 10 metres |
D. | 12 metres |
Answer» D. 12 metres | |
14. |
If a cohesive soil specimen is subjected to a vertical compressive load, the inclination of the cracks to the horizontal is |
A. | 90 |
B. | 45 |
C. | 22.5 |
D. | 0 |
Answer» C. 22.5 | |
15. |
The water content of soil, which represents the boundary between plastic state and liquid state, is known as |
A. | Liquid limit |
B. | Plastic limit |
C. | Shrinkage limit |
D. | Plasticity index |
Answer» B. Plastic limit | |
16. |
The ratio of the volume of water present in a given soil mass to the total volume of its voids, is known |
A. | Porosity |
B. | Void ratio |
C. | Percentage voids |
D. | Degree of saturation |
Answer» E. | |
17. |
If voids ratio is 0.67, water content is 0.188 and specific gravity is 2.68, the degree of saturation of the soil, is |
A. | 25 % |
B. | 40 % |
C. | 60 % |
D. | 75 % |
Answer» E. | |
18. |
An unsaturated 100 cm3 sample of soil weighs 190 g. If its dried weight is 160 g, water content of the soil, is |
A. | 0.188 |
B. | 0.288 |
C. | 0.388 |
D. | 0.588 |
Answer» B. 0.288 | |
19. |
A 600 mm square bearing plate settles by 15 mm in plate load test on a cohesion-less soil under an intensity of loading of 0.2 N/ram². The settlement of a prototype shallow footing 1 m square under the same intensity of loading is |
A. | 15 mm |
B. | Between 15 mm and 25 mm |
C. | 25 mm |
D. | Greater than 25 mm |
Answer» C. 25 mm | |
20. |
For proper field control, which of the following methods is best suited for quick determination of water content of a soil mass? |
A. | Oven drying method |
B. | Sand bath method |
C. | Alcohol method |
D. | Calcium carbide method |
Answer» E. | |
21. |
The total and effective stresses at a depth of 5 m below the top level of water in a swimmingpool are respectively |
A. | Zero and zero |
B. | 0.5 kg/cm² and zero |
C. | 0.5 kg/cm² and 0.5 kg/cm² |
D. | 1.0 kg/cm² and 0.5 kg/cm² |
Answer» C. 0.5 kg/cm² and 0.5 kg/cm² | |
22. |
In a flow net |
A. | Flow lines and equipotential lines cross each other at right angles |
B. | Fields are rectangles whose length is twice the breadth |
C. | Smaller the dimensions of the field, smaller will be the hydraulic gradient and velocity of flow through it |
D. | For homogeneous soil, the curves are smooth and circular |
Answer» B. Fields are rectangles whose length is twice the breadth | |
23. |
Transporting and re-depositing soils, is done by |
A. | Water |
B. | Glacier |
C. | Gravity |
D. | All the above |
Answer» E. | |
24. |
A saturated soil sample has water content of 40% and specific gravity of soil particles 2.7. Thevoid ratio of the soil, is |
A. | 0.4 |
B. | 0.52 |
C. | 1.08 |
D. | None of these |
Answer» D. None of these | |
25. |
Stoke's law is valid only if the size of particle is |
A. | Less than 0.0002 mm |
B. | Greater than 0.2 mm |
C. | Between 0.2 mm and 0.0002 mm |
D. | All of the above |
Answer» D. All of the above | |
26. |
If S, L and R are the arc length, long chord and radius of the sliding circle then the perpendicular distance of the line of the resultant cohesive force, is given by |
A. | a = S.R/ L |
B. | a = L.S/R |
C. | a = L.R/S |
D. | None of these |
Answer» B. a = L.S/R | |
27. |
The maximum shear stress occurs on the filament which makes an angle with the horizontal planeequal to |
A. | 30° |
B. | 45° |
C. | 60° |
D. | 90° |
Answer» C. 60° | |
28. |
If Cv is the coefficient of consolidation,t is the time and d is drainage path of one dimensional consolidation of soil, the time factor Tv, is given by |
A. | Tv = d²/Cvt |
B. | Tv = t²/d²Cv |
C. | Tv = Cv3/d²t |
D. | Tv = Cvt/dt² |
Answer» E. | |
29. |
Terzaghi's theory of one dimensional consolidation assumes |
A. | Load is applied in one direction |
B. | Coefficient of permeability is constant |
C. | Excess pore water drains out only in the vertical direction |
D. | All the above |
Answer» E. | |
30. |
The hydraulic head that would produce a quick condition in a sand stratum of thickness 1.5m, specific gravity 2.67 and voids ratio 0.67 is equal to |
A. | 1.0 m |
B. | 1.5 m |
C. | 2.0 m |
D. | 3 m |
Answer» C. 2.0 m | |
31. |
Which of the following is a measure of particle size range? |
A. | Effective size |
B. | Uniformity coefficient |
C. | Coefficient of curvature |
D. | None of the above |
Answer» C. Coefficient of curvature | |
32. |
Stoke's law states that the velocity at which a grain settles out of suspension, the other factors remaining constant, is dependent upon |
A. | Shape of grain |
B. | Weight of grain |
C. | Size of grain |
D. | Shape, size and weight of grain |
Answer» E. | |
33. |
The relationship between void ratio (e) and porosity ratio (n) is: |
A. | n = (1 + e )/(1 - e) |
B. | e = (1 + n)/(1 - e) |
C. | n = e/(1 - e) |
D. | e = n/(1 - n) |
Answer» E. | |
34. |
Which of the following methods is best suited for determination of permeability of coarsegrained soils? |
A. | Constant head method |
B. | Falling head method |
C. | Both the above |
D. | None of the above |
Answer» B. Falling head method | |
35. |
In the triaxial compression test, the application of additional axial stress (i.e. deviator stress)on the soil specimen produces shear stress on |
A. | Horizontal plane only |
B. | Vertical plane only |
C. | Both horizontal and vertical planes |
D. | All planes except horizontal and vertical planes |
Answer» E. | |
36. |
An unsaturated 100 cm3 sample of soil weighs 190 g. If its dried weight is 160 g, watercontent of the soil, is |
A. | 0.188 |
B. | 0.288 |
C. | 0.388 |
D. | 0.588 |
Answer» B. 0.288 | |
37. |
For determine the specific gravity of soil solids, using a pycnometer of 500 cc., the following data is available : Weight of dry empty pycnometer = 125 g Weight of dried soil and pycnometer = 500 g Weight of dried soil and distilled = 850 g water filled in pycnometer up to top The specific gravity of soil solids, is |
A. | 2.0 |
B. | 2.25 |
C. | 2.50 |
D. | 2.75 |
Answer» D. 2.75 | |
38. |
If voids ratio is 0.67, water content is 0.188 and specific gravity is 2.68, the degree ofsaturation of the soil, is |
A. | 25 % |
B. | 40 % |
C. | 60 % |
D. | 75 % |
Answer» E. | |
39. |
Pick up the clay soil group which does not swell when wet from the following: |
A. | Kaolinite group |
B. | Mite group |
C. | Vermiculite group |
D. | Montrorillonite group |
Answer» C. Vermiculite group | |
40. |
The water content of soil, which represents the boundary between plastic state and liquid state,is known as |
A. | Liquid limit |
B. | Plastic limit |
C. | Shrinkage limit |
D. | Plasticity index |
Answer» B. Plastic limit | |
41. |
The equation = C + is given by |
A. | Rankine |
B. | Coulomb |
C. | all |
D. | Mohr |
Answer» C. all | |
42. |
For a clay slope of height of 10 m, the stability number is 0.05, = 2.0 t/m3, C = 2.5 t/m2,the critical height of the slope of the soil, is |
A. | 4.0 m |
B. | 12.5 m |
C. | 25.0 m |
D. | 15.0 m |
Answer» D. 15.0 m | |
43. |
Due to a rise in temperature, the viscosity and the unit weight of the percolating fluid are reduced to 60% and 90% respectively. If other things remain constant, the coefficient of permeability |
A. | Increases by 25 % |
B. | Increases by 50 % |
C. | Increases by 33.3 % |
D. | Decreases by 33.3 % |
Answer» C. Increases by 33.3 % | |
44. |
If the cohesive force (c), is 1.5 t/m2, the density ) of the soil is 2.0 t/m3, factor of safety (F) is 1.5and stability factor (Sn) is 0.05, the safe height of a slope is |
A. | 5 metres |
B. | 8 metres |
C. | 10 metres |
D. | 12 metres |
Answer» D. 12 metres | |
45. |
Which of the following methods is most accurate for the determination of the water contentof soil? |
A. | Oven drying method |
B. | Sand bath method |
C. | Calcium carbide method |
D. | Pycnometer method |
Answer» B. Sand bath method | |
46. |
If there is no impervious boundary at the bottom of a hydraulic structure, stream lines tendto follow: |
A. | A straight line |
B. | A parabola |
C. | A semi-ellipse |
D. | A semi-circle |
Answer» D. A semi-circle | |
47. |
The Mohr's straight theory is based on the following fact: |
A. | Material fails essentially by shear |
B. | Ultimate strength of the material is determined by the stress in the plane of slip |
C. | Failure criterion is independent of the intermediate principal stress |
D. | All the above |
Answer» E. | |
48. |
Terzaghi's bearing capacity factors Nc, Nq and Nr are functions of |
A. | Cohesion only |
B. | Angle of internal friction only |
C. | Both cohesion and angle of internal friction |
D. | None of the above |
Answer» C. Both cohesion and angle of internal friction | |
49. |
The ratio of the volume of water present in a given soil mass to the total volume of itsvoids, is known |
A. | Porosity |
B. | Void ratio |
C. | Percentage voids |
D. | Degree of saturation |
Answer» E. | |
50. |
Maximum size of clay particles is: |
A. | 0.002 mm |
B. | 0.04 mm |
C. | 0.06 mm |
D. | 0.08 mm |
Answer» B. 0.04 mm | |