TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES

Quezon City
Prelim Examination 1st Sem AY 2015-2016
Soil Mechanics
Directions: Solve the following questions carefully. Provide a clear and organized solution (if needed) on the space provided. AVOID ERASURES. You are not allowed to
look at your classmates paper at any cost; else, you will fail the course. Round off answer/s to two (2) decimal places only.
I.

II.

Identification. Identify the term/personality related to soil mechanics described

in the following:
1. He defined the clay-size fractions as the percentage by weight of
particles smaller than 2 microns in size. He also explained the
consistency of cohesive soils by defining liquid, plastic, and
shrinkage limits.
2. He developed the theory of consolidation for clays. He is known as
the father of modern soil mechanics.
3. This type of rock is formed by solidification of molten magma ejected
from deep within Earths mantle.
4. It is the process of breaking down rocks by mechanical and chemical
processes into smaller pieces.
5. These soils are formed by transportation and deposition in glaciers.
6. These soils are formed by deposition in the seas.
7. The three important clay minerals are: kaolinite, illite, and _____.
8. It is the term that refers to the slow movement of soils in steep
natural slope due to gravity.
9. It is the type of soil having natural moisture content that may range
from 200-300% which is formed from the decomposition of aquatic
plants.
10. These particles are mostly flake-shaped microscopic and submicroscopic particles of mica, clay minerals, and other minerals.
11. According to MIT, this range represents the fraction of sand.
12. According to USDA, this range represents the fraction of silt.
13. According to AASHTO, this range represents the fraction of gravel.
14. It is the moisture content limit from which the soil can be deformed
without breaking.
15. This line is represented by the equation, PI = 0.73(LL-20).

Situation 4. The result of sieve analysis is as follows. Use LL = 45%, and PL =

24%. The moisture content of the soil is 34%.

Computation:
Situation 1. For s given soil, the following are given: Gs = 2.67; moist unit
weight = 17.61 kN/m3, moisture content = 10.8%. Determine:
16. Dry unit weight
17. Void ratio
18. Porosity
19. Degree of saturation

Name: _______________________________ Date: __________________

Section: _______________________________

Situation 2. The unit weight of a soil is 14.94 kN/m3. The moisture

content of this soil is 19.2% when the degree of saturation is 60%.
Determine:
20. Void ratio
21. Specific Gravity of soil solid
22. Saturated unit weight
Situation 3. Classify the following soils according to AASHTO. Determine
also the group indices.
Soil

No. 4

No. 19

No. 40

No. 200

Liquid Limit

23
24
25
26

80
94
90
100

72
80
88
100

62
51
76
96

38
15
68
72

28
26
46
58

Plasticit
y Index
10
12
21
23

Situation 4. Classify the following according the USCS. Give the group symbol
and group names:
Soil
No 4
No 200
LL
PL
Cu
Cc
27
90
8
39
31
3.9
2.1
28
99
57
54
28
----29
88
78
69
31
----30
71
11
32
16
4.8
2.9

US sieve
no.
4
10
20
40
60
80
100
200
Pan

Opening

4.75
2.00
0.85
0.425
0.25
0.18
0.15
0.075
---

Mass of soil
retained on each
sieve (g)
0
44
56
82
51
106
92
85
35

Determine the following: (use approximate method, Mode 3-4)

31. D10
32. D30
33. D60
34. Coefficient of gradation
35. Coefficient of uniformity
36. Suitability Number
37. Liquidity index
38. Plasticity Index.
39. Classification according to AASHTO and Group index
40. Group symbol according to USCS.

Item
Numbe
r
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Answer

Item
Numbe
r
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40

Answer