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Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology

B. Sc. Engineering

Mid-Term Examination
Year 2, Semester II (20 17)

CE2811 - Geotechnical Engineering I

Duration: 1 Hour

August 2017

Instructions to Candidates:
• Answer both the questions in the question paper itself and submit.
• Marks allocated for different sections are as indicated.
• Closed book examination.

2017 SIIC
Question 01 (60 marks)

1. Draw the phase diagram of a dry soil medium with solid and air, indicating the mass
and volumes using commonly used letter symbols, and prove that
G
Yc~,} = (1+,e) r"
[15 marks]

11. A shear box of 60 mm x 60 mm x 60 mm is filled with dry sand and the weight of
sand required to fill the box is 398.2 g. If the specific gravity of sand particles is 2.62
and Yw = 9.81 kN/m 3 ,
a. Estimate the unit weight of dry sand in the box; and
b. Estimate the void ratio of sand in the box.
[1 0 Marks]

2
111. An inorganic soil sample was subjected to sieve analysis and the results are given in
Table I. The same soil has a LL = 40 and PI = 22.

Table I
Sieve size (mm) %passing
4.750 97.3
2.000 86.5
1.180 75.4
0.600 60.2
0.425 46.7
0.300 30.3
0.150 14.7
0.075 7.5

a. Draw the PSD curve for the soil in graph 1 provided and determine D1o, DJo & D6o
[20 Marks]

3
•

Graph 1

DJO=

b. Classify the above mentioned soil according to the Unified Soil Classification
System (USCS) and give the group symbol and the group name.
[15 marks]

4
Question 02 (40 marks)

A soil sample was subjected to standard Proctor compaction test using a mould having a
volume of 944 cm 3 . Mass of the wet soil in the mould after compaction and the
corresponding moisture contents are given in Table 2. Specific gravity of solid particles are
determined as 2.60.

Table 2
Test No Weight ofthe wet soil in the mould (g) Moisture content(%)
1 1685 12.1
2 1755 12.8
3 1810 13.6
4 1775 14.3
5 1700 15.6

1. Draw the dry density vs moisture content variation for the soil in the graph 2 provided
and determine the optimum moisture content and the maximum dry density weight.
[20 Marks]

11. The zero-air-void dry density, Pzar, is given by Poav = __P_"--

w 1
-+-
100 G,
3
where pll' is the density of water, which is 1000 kg/m • Plot the zero air-void dry density
on the same graph.
[10 Marks]

5
 "'75:.

'["("'
....:.__l_;<...,

Graph 2

Pmax_ dry=

Optimum moisture content %

iii. If the soil tested in part i of this question is a clayey sand soil, explain how you would
compact the soil to achieve at least 95% degree of compaction in the field giving special
reference to type of machine suitable for compaction, moisture content, compactive
etTort (energy applied) and the quality control procedure adopted.
[10 marks]

7
I 1

End of the Question Paper

8
r
Annexure

Unified Soil Classification Ssytem (USCS)

Percentage of gravel- Fraction passing (76.2 mm) opening and retained on the No. 4 (4.75
mm opening)

Percentage sand - Fraction passing the No 4 (4.75mm opening) and retained on No 200
(0.075mm opening)

Percentage silt and clay- Fraction finer than No 200 sieve (0.075 mm opening)

Groups symbols for sandy soils

S\\" !.<""'than 5"" pas,ing l';,, 20) sieve; C. D"',D 1 (; greater than or
equal to 6: C. c• (/J,nl' '(!J,., xU",) betwl;'('n 1 and 3
---------··------
Sl' Less th,-m ;,<;" pas~ing Nu. 2\XI steve: not meeting hoth nitena
!or SW
---····-··-----·-·······----------------
S\l More than 12'\, passing :\o 2(Xl ~it>ve: Atterberg's iimits plot bdnw
A line (Figure 3.31 or pb:;tidty indt'x les.-; than 4

sc· More thar' J:t' o pa,;sing :\o. 200 sieve: Attt>rber!<:"S lirml" plot alx>w
klim• iFigur~ :U); pla:::tKity indt•x greattlthan 7
·-··--·--··· ..... · · · · · · - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -----~

S(SM /1.1ore than 12~" passmg No. 2C~I sit•ve: Atlerberg's limit,; fall in
hatched area marked (L-ML m Figun• 3.3

SWSM Pen:em passing !\u. :510 ~:en· IS 5 to 12: meeb the criteria tor
SW and SM
l'en:enl pas.~i11g No. 20() sieve is 5 to 12: ml'ets the tTiteria for
SW and SC

SPSM Percent pas"mg 1'\1>. 2(X) sin·( is 5 to 12; meds tht' nneria for
SP and SM
: SP-&: Percent passmg :-;o. 2(W) ~rew tc 5 to 12: mt~~ls thl' critena for
SP and S(

Group symbol for silty and clayey soils

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 -

CL lnor?anic LL < CiO: PI> 7: plot:; on or ahl\'P A ]me

(&.'<' CL zone in Figure 3,3)

:\1L ln<•rganic: U. <SO; PI< 4 or plots below A line

\see l\1L zone m Figure 3.3)

OL 0rg;Jnic: (f.L-,:>ven<lriedHU--:tot dnedl < 0.75; LL <50

(&.'f' OL zo:1e m Figure 3.3)
----·······-···-----------
Cll Inorganic; U:? 50: Pl plob on or above A line
(see CH zone in Figure 3.3!

MH Inorganic; LL :2: 50: PI plots bt>low Aline

("""' MH zone in Figure 3.3)

OH Or!(,mic: (IL <wen·dried)!(U·- nnt dried!< 0.75: II~~;){)

(se<> OH mn<' in Figure 3.3)

CLl\H. lnorgaric. p:or m tht' hatclwd zone in Figun: 3.3

---------------------------
Pt Peat, muck, and other highly orgaruc so1l,;,

70
CH
or
60
OH
50
CL
or"
20
OL '·
·x or
"CL- ML. OH
ML
10 ''···., /'
or
QL
oL--.t-o_t_6_2~0--3~o---~~~s~o--~~~~7~o--~so~~oo~~~oo·
Liquid limit

. Plasticity chart

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 Group S_ymool Group Name

G W __,,----
--=:::::::::: <15'ksand- We II-g radcd gravel
~159<sand­ Well-graded gravel with sand
Gp --=:::::::::: <159<sand- Poorly graded gravel
~159tsand- Poorly graded gravel with sand

GW-GM~ < l 5 % s a n d - Well-graded ""nd with silt

~15%sand­ Well·graded gravel with silt and sand
GW-GC~ < l 5 % s a n d - Well-graded gravel with clay (or s•lty clay)
~15%sand- Well-graded gravel with ci11y and sand (or silty clay and sand)

GP-GM <15<J<sand- Poorly graded gravel with silt

~15%sand­ Poorly graded gravel with silt and sand
GP-GC <15%sand- Poorly graded gravel with day (or silty clay)
? 1 5 ' k s a n d - Poorly graded gravel with clay and sand (or silty clay_ and SJlnd)

GM -=::::::::::
<15%,sand- Silty gravel
~15%sand­ Silty gravel with sand

GC -=::::::::::
< l 5 % s a n d - Clayey gravel
? 1 5 % s a n d - Clayey gravel with sand
GC-GM ~ < 1 5 4 s a n d - Silry clayey gravel
~15'ksand- Silty clayey gravel with sand

<15%gravel- Well-graded sand

~154 g r a v e l - Well-graded sand with gravel
<15~gravel­ Poorly !;!Taded sand
?15% g r a v e l - Poorly graded sand with gravel

SW-SM ~ <15% g r a v e l - Well-!;!raded sand with silt

~15% g r a v e l - Well-graded sand with silt and gravel
SW-SC ~ <15-k g r a v e l - Well-graded sand with clay (or silty cia)'')
~159< g r a v e l - Wdl-graded sand with day and gravel (or silty clay and gravel)

SP-SM~ <159< g r a v e l - Poorly graded sand with silt

2:15%gravel- Poorly graded sand with stlt and gravel
SP-SC~ <15% g r a v e l - Poorly graded sand with clay (or silty clay)
~15% g r a v e l - Poorly graded sand with clay and gravel (or silty clay and gravel)

SM -=:::::::::: <15%
2:15%
gravel-
gravel-
Silty sand
Silt) sand with gravel
sc -oc:::::::::::::..:::--- <15% gravel- Clayey sand
? IS% gravel- Clayey sand with gravel
SC-SM ~ < IS% gravel- Silty clayey sand
?15'k gravel- Silty clayey sand with gravel

End of Annexure

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