MURANG’A UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

(A constituent college of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology)

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND CIVIL

UNIT CODE: SEB 1242 UNIT TITLE: SOIL MECHANICS 11

SPECIAL/SUPPLEMENTARY EXAM ACADEMIC YEAR: 2014/2015

TIME: 2.00- 4.00pm DURATION: 2HOURS

DATE: 5TH August 2015

DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

Attempt question one and any other TWO.

Compulsory ( 30 marks)
Q1. (a) Define the following terms;
i. Permability
ii. Flow net
iii. Vadose water
iv. Critical hydraulic gradient (6 marks)
(b) State five factors that affect the coefficient of permeability. (5 marks)
(c) Differentiate between a confined and unconfined aquifer. (4marks)
(d) A saturated sample of soil has a moisture content of 30%. If the specific gravity
Gs- 2.65, calculate;
(i) The void ratio (3marks)
(ii) The porosity (2marks)
(iii)Bulk density (3marks)
(iv) The saturated unit mass (2marks)
(v) The dry unit mass (2marks)
Unit weight of water Yw = 1000kg /M3 9.8 KN/m3
(e) Outline three applications of flow nets. (3 marks)

Q2. (a) A moist sample of soil in a bottle had a Mass of 25.24g and the bottle when empty
had a mass of 14.2g. After over drying for 24 hours, the bottle and soil sample had a
mass of 21.62g. Determine the moisture content of the soil (3marks)
(b) The results of a compaction test are given in table 1. Plot the dry density – moisture
content curve and determine the muximum dry density and optimum moisture
content.

Table 1
Bulk density (Kg/M3) 1790 1990 2140 2100 2060 2020
Moisture content (%) 7.7 11.5 14.6 17.5 19.7 21.2
(10marks)

(c) Differentiate between “compaction” and “consolidation” of soil (4marks)

(d) With the aid of an illustration describe soil as a multi-phase material. (3marks)
Q3. (a) Outline four engineering properties improved by compaction (4marks)
(b) A pumping test was carried out at a level site, where 9m of clay overlies a stratum of fine
sand 1.5 m thick. Immediately under lies impermeable bedrock. After the pumping rate
became steady, at 12.75 l/s,the average water levels in the observation wells were
respectively;
At 6m radius, 4.8m below ground level
At 15 m radius, 4.2m below ground level
Determine the coefficient of permeability of the sand proving any formula used
(9marks)

(c) In order to determine the density of a clay soil, an undisturbed sample was taken in a
sampling tube whose volume was 1.6 x 10-3. The following data were recorded;
Mass of tube (empty) 1.86Kg
Mass of tube + clay sample 5.00 Kg
Mass of tube + clay sample after over drying 4.31Kg
Calculate
(i) The water content (2marks)
(ii) The dry density (2marks)
(iii) The dry density of the soil (3marks)

Q4. (a) Outline four factors that affect the angle of shearing resistance. (4 marks)
(b)The following readings were taken in a shear box test on compacted sand;

Normal Load(N) 90 225 350

Shear Load(N)-Peak 85 215 343
Shear Load(N)-Ultimate 55 143 230

Find the angle of shearing resistance

i)In the compacted state
ii)In the loose state (10 marks)
(c) Explain the meaning of the following terms;
(i) Isobar
(ii) contact pressure
(iii)Isotropy (6marks)

Q5 (a) A water tank of weight 20000KN is supported on a tower with 4 legs. The legs rest on piers
located at the corner of a square 8m on a side. Determine the vertical stress increment due to this
loading at a point 7m beneath the centre of the structure? (8 marks)

(b)With the aid of a sketch explain the variable head permeameter method of determining the
coefficient of permeability of a soil sample. (7 marks)

(c) The results of a flow net plotting for a sheet pilling condition showed that the number of flow
paths Nf =5 and the number of equipotential drops Nd=8.
Calculate the seepage loss under the sheet pile per day if the difference in water levels
H=4.5M and the coefficient of permeability k=0.0044mm/s. (5 marks)