Explore topic-wise MCQs in Geotechnical Engineering.

This section includes 80 Mcqs, each offering curated multiple-choice questions to sharpen your Geotechnical Engineering knowledge and support exam preparation. Choose a topic below to get started.

1.

To check the seepage of water through the body of dam, the outer shells of dam provided is ________

A. pervious
B. semi-pervious
C. impervious
D. hollow
Answer» B. semi-pervious
2.

What are the types of soils, that are prone to frost action?

A. Sand and Silt
B. Clay
C. None of the mentioned
D. All of the mentioned
Answer» B. Clay
3.

A well graded soil is said to be frost susceptible if more than _________

A. 10% particle are smaller than 0.002 mm
B. 3% particle are smaller than 0.002 mm
C. 3% particle are smaller than 0.005 mm
D. 10% particle are smaller than 0.005 mm
Answer» C. 3% particle are smaller than 0.005 mm
4.

The neutral pressure does not have any effect on ___________

A. Shearing resistance
B. Shearing strength
C. Shearing stress
D. All of the mentioned
Answer» B. Shearing strength
5.

Which of the following is an effect of frost boils?

A. Formation of pot holes
B. Increased frost depth
C. Formation of capillary saturation
D. All of the mentioned
Answer» B. Increased frost depth
6.

Arrange the following to explain the swelling of the soils.I. Increase in tension in the pore waterII. Reduction in compressive stress in the soilIII. Menisci are destroyed

A. (II), (I), (III)
B. (I), (II), (III)
C. (III), (I), (II)
D. (III), (II), (I)
Answer» D. (III), (II), (I)
7.

What will be the maximum capillary rise at 4°C, if the diameter of the capillary tube is 1 cm?

A. 0.1234 cm
B. 0.2975 cm
C. 0.3857 cm
D. 0.3084 cm
Answer» E.
8.

With increase in temperature, the capillary rise _______

A. decreases
B. increases
C. has no change
D. does not depend on temperature
Answer» B. increases
9.

The maximum capillary rise at 20°C is given by ________ cm.

A. 0.1234/d
B. 0.2975/d
C. 0.3857/d
D. 0.3084/d
Answer» C. 0.3857/d
10.

The capillary forces can rise the water in the capillary tube against the gravity force.

A. True
B. False
C. May be True or False
D. Can't say
Answer» B. False
11.

Presence of sand and silt-size particles in a clay deposit reduces_____________

A. Swelling of soil
B. Volume
C. Water content
D. Total shrinkage
Answer» E.
12.

When will meniscus in saturated soil attain a minimum value?

A. Compressive force is maximum and Shrinkage is maximum
B. Soil is fully saturated
C. None of the mentioned
D. All of the mentioned
Answer» B. Soil is fully saturated
13.

Large volume changes in clayey soils results in ____________

A. Increase in capillary pressure
B. Structural damage
C. Decrease in surface area
D. Breaking of bonds
Answer» C. Decrease in surface area
14.

Volume change in soil is due to which of the following factor?

A. Water content is changed
B. Increase in soil density
C. Change in pressure
D. Change in particle size
Answer» B. Increase in soil density
15.

When does surface Tension in the water become zero?

A. When the soil is completely dried
B. When the soil is fully saturated
C. When the water evaporates
D. None of the mentioned
Answer» C. When the water evaporates
16.

The ground surface up to which water freeze is called ___________

A. Frost heave
B. Frost boil
C. Frost line
D. Ice lenses
Answer» D. Ice lenses
17.

When the meniscus attains a minimum value, shrinkage is ________

A. maximum
B. minimum
C. no effect
D. zero
Answer» B. minimum
18.

What is the maximum capillary tension for a tube of 0.05 mm diameter at 4°c?

A. 6.05 KN/m³
B. 0.617 KN/m³
C. 5.45 KN/m³
D. 3.00 KN/m³
Answer» B. 0.617 KN/m³
19.

Arrange the following to explain the shrinkage of the soils.I. Compression in soilII. Formation of meniscusIII. Reduction in volume

A. (II), (I), (III)
B. (I), (II), (III)
C. (III), (I), (II)
D. (III), (II), (I)
Answer» B. (I), (II), (III)
20.

The slaking of the clay occurs when clayey soil is dried ________

A. below the shrinkage limit
B. above the shrinkage limit
C. below the plastic limit
D. above the plastic limit
Answer» B. above the shrinkage limit
21.

When do the soil suction is reduced to zero value?

A. Water content is reduced
B. Soil is oven dry
C. Dry soil is submerged
D. All of the mentioned
Answer» D. All of the mentioned
22.

The bulking of sand is maximum when the water content is _________

A. 0
B. 5 to 6%
C. 15 to 17%
D. 20 to 21%
Answer» C. 15 to 17%
23.

Which of the following action can be used to prevent deep frost penetration in the ground surface in building?

A. Removing the frost susceptible soil
B. Placing insulating blankets of sand and gravel
C. Providing proper drainage
D. Interposing a pervious gravel blanket
Answer» C. Providing proper drainage
24.

The neutral pressure is transmitted through ___________

A. Soil particle
B. Pore fluid
C. Air particle
D. Atmosphere
Answer» C. Air particle
25.

Coarse grained soil relatively has __________ hygroscopic capacity.

A. High
B. Low
C. Very low
D. Very high
Answer» C. Very low
26.

Increase in water content causes _______

A. shrinkage
B. swelling
C. frost heave
D. frost boil
Answer» C. frost heave
27.

The maximum tensile stress of water in capillary tube is ___________

A. Proportional to the diameter of tube
B. Inversely proportional to height of capillary rise
C. Inversely proportional to the radius of meniscus
D. All of the mentioned
Answer» D. All of the mentioned
28.

The maximum hygroscopic capacity of clay is __________

A. 1 %
B. 3 %
C. 7 %
D. 17 %
Answer» E.
29.

Factor of unit cross-section χ, depends on ____________

A. degree of saturation
B. soil structure
C. stress change
D. all of the mentioned
Answer» E.
30.

Which one of the following factor does not affect soil suction?

A. Water content
B. Temperature
C. Plasticity index of a soil
D. Atmospheric pressure
Answer» E.
31.

Free swell of a soil can be defined as ____________

A. Swelling of soil without shrinkage
B. Increase in volume without any constrains
C. Limited swelling on rewetting
D. Swelling on submergence in water
Answer» C. Limited swelling on rewetting
32.

The size of interstices in a soil depends on ____________

A. Particle size
B. Plasticity index
C. Soil structure
D. Angle of contact
Answer» D. Angle of contact
33.

For degree of saturation, it is recommended to take χ as _____________

A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D.
Answer» C. 2
34.

The pressure deficiency of held water in a capillary tube is termed as ____________

A. Soil suction and suction pressure
B. Negative pressure
C. None of the mentioned
D. All of the mentioned
Answer» B. Negative pressure
35.

What are the minerals, responsible for large volume decrease in soil on drying in clayey soils?

A. Ilite and Kaolinite
B. Montmorillonite
C. None of the mentioned
D. All of the mentioned
Answer» B. Montmorillonite
36.

The pF value of 2 in soil mass represent ____________

A. Soil suction of 200 cm of water
B. Suction pressure of 100 g/cm²
C. Soil suction of 100 cm of water
D. Capillarity of 100 g/cm²
Answer» D. Capillarity of 100 g/cm²
37.

At any plane, pore pressure is equal to ___________

A. Ratio of Piezometric head to weight of water
B. Equal to piezometric head times the unit weight of water
C. Ratio of weight of water to the piezometric head
D. None of the mentioned
Answer» C. Ratio of weight of water to the piezometric head
38.

Decrease in water content causes _______

A. shrinkage
B. swelling
C. frost heave
D. frost boil
Answer» B. swelling
39.

If the void ratio is 40% in saturated soil, then the expansion of the soil will be __________

A. 5%
B. 2.3%
C. 3.6%
D. 4%
Answer» D. 4%
40.

Total stress or unit pressure on a soil mass is ___________

A. Total load
B. Total surface area
C. Total volume
D. Total weight
Answer» B. Total surface area
41.

Capillary tension is developed in saturated soil, when ___________

A. Soil is dry
B. Water content is reduced
C. Water content is increased
D. Soil particle is large
Answer» C. Water content is increased
42.

Soil should possess___________for the formation of ice lens.

A. Low moisture content
B. High porosity
C. High capillarity
D. All of the mentioned
Answer» D. All of the mentioned
43.

Silt soils are more susceptible to frost action than __________

A. Sand soil and Clayey soil
B. Gravel soil
C. None of the mentioned
D. All of the mentioned
Answer» B. Gravel soil
44.

The temperature at which the soil freezes in the pores of the soil depend on __________

A. Pore size
B. Frost action
C. Saturation
D. Capillary tension
Answer» B. Frost action
45.

Total vertical pressure at any plane is equal to __________

A. σ = σ’ + u
B. σ’ = σ + u
C. σ = σ’ + v
D. None of the mentioned
Answer» B. σ’ = σ + u
46.

The water in the sandy soil is __________

A. Pore water
B. Ground water
C. Free water
D. Infiltrated water
Answer» B. Ground water
47.

When a capillary tube of uniform-section is lifted from the water surface, water in the tube will be __________

A. Retained
B. Not retained
C. Retained partially
D. None of the mentioned
Answer» B. Not retained
48.

The meniscus formation in capillary tubes always be ___________

A. Convex
B. Concave
C. Equilibrium
D. None of the mentioned
Answer» C. Equilibrium
49.

The formation of concave meniscus in capillary tubes takes place, only if ___________

A. Inner tubes is dry
B. Tube has non-uniform diameter
C. Inner tube is wet
D. Diameter of the tube is larger
Answer» D. Diameter of the tube is larger
50.

The height of capillary rise in capillary tube, depends on ____________

A. Diameter of the tube
B. Surface tension
C. Direction of flow of water
D. All of the mentioned
Answer» D. All of the mentioned