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24-Bld-A6 Geotechnical Materials and Analysis: December 2016

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  1. Question 1
  2. Question 2
  3. Question 3
  4. Question 4
  5. Question 5

Start with Question 1 →

07-Bld-A6 Geotechnical Materials and Analysis — National Exam, December 2016. Closed book, 3 hours; drawing instruments required; the formula sheet and charts printed at the back of the exam are reproduced inline where used. Five questions of 20 marks each, all answered below.

Reference texts: B. M. Das, Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, 9th ed. (compaction, permeability, seepage/flow nets, stress distribution, consolidation, shear strength); R. F. Craig / J. Knappett, Craig's Soil Mechanics, 9th ed. (flow nets, Mohr circle construction); Canadian Foundation Engineering Manual (CFEM), 4th ed.

Check — assumptions adopted across this paper. (1) Question 2's dam length along its axis is not given; the seepage loss is reported per metre length of dam, the standard convention for a 2-D flow-net analysis. (2) Question 4 gives only a single (moist/total) unit weight for the sand layer; the same numerical value is used below the water table after subtracting $\gamma_w$ to obtain the submerged weight, since no separate saturated value is printed. (3) The net foundation pressure in Question 4 is computed by subtracting the TOTAL overburden stress removed at the footing base (the usual simplification when the water table sits below the footing base, as it does here).