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16-Civ-A4 Geotechnical Materials and Analysis: May 2015

Nivaar worked solution (AI-drafted; not reviewed by a licensed engineer)

  1. Question 1 Index, strength, permeability and fabric concepts
  2. Question 2 Shear-strength testing for a cyclically loaded oil tank
  3. Question 3 One-dimensional consolidation — thickness scaling
  4. Question 4 Vertical stress increase beneath a footing with a central opening
  5. Question 5 Rankine active earth pressure on a layered c–φ backfill
  6. Question 6 Pore pressure and Skempton coefficients from a CU triaxial test

Start with Question 1 →

Paper format: National Examination 98-Civ-A4 Geotechnical Materials and Analysis — May 2015. Closed book, 3 hours, 100 marks. Six questions, answer all. Newmark and rectangular m–n influence charts and a formula sheet are provided at the back of the paper.

Reference texts: Das & Sobhan, Principles of Geotechnical Engineering (Cengage); Craig, Soil Mechanics; Holtz, Kovacs & Sheahan, An Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering. Canadian practice: effective-stress, consolidation and Rankine methods as summarised in the Canadian Foundation Engineering Manual (CFEM, 4th ed.).