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Ass1 SoilMech UAEU Fall2023

This document contains 12 questions regarding soil mechanics concepts including unit weight, void ratio, porosity, degree of saturation, moisture content, classification, Atterberg limits, grain size distribution, and unified soil classification system (USCS). Calculations are required to determine properties of soil samples based on given mass, moisture content, specific gravity, and sieve/Atterberg test results. Soils must then be classified according to the USCS.

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mouazam Khalid
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22 views

Ass1 SoilMech UAEU Fall2023

This document contains 12 questions regarding soil mechanics concepts including unit weight, void ratio, porosity, degree of saturation, moisture content, classification, Atterberg limits, grain size distribution, and unified soil classification system (USCS). Calculations are required to determine properties of soil samples based on given mass, moisture content, specific gravity, and sieve/Atterberg test results. Soils must then be classified according to the USCS.

Uploaded by

mouazam Khalid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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UAEU

CIVL 340: Soil Mechanics

Assignment 1

Q1.
The weight of a 1 m3 sample of moist soil is 19,260 N. The water content is 12%.
Assuming Gs is 2.67, calculate:
(a) the unit weight of this soil
(b) the dry unit weight
(c) the void ratio,
(d) the porosity, and
(e) the degree of saturation
Q2.
An undisturbed cylindrical soil sample is 60 mm in diameter and 120 mm long. Its
mass is 615 g. After finding the mass of the entire sample, a small proportion was
removed, and a moisture content test was performed.

The results of the moisture content test were:


mass of can = 21.80 g
mass of can & moist soil = 125.22 g
mass of can & dry soil = 113.00 g

Assuming Gs = 2.67, compute , w, d, e, and S.

Q3.
A sample of clay was obtained from a point below the groundwater table.

A moisture content test on this sample produced the following data:


mass of can = 13.20 g
mass of can & moist soil = 118.50 g
mass of can & dry soil = 87.80 g
Compute the moisture content.

Assuming Gs = 2.72, compute the unit weight, moisture content, dry unit weight,
and void ratio.

Q4.
A contractor needs 500 m3 of aggregate base material for a highway construction
project. It will be compacted to a dry density of 2,000 kg/m3. This material is
available in a stockpile at a local material supply yard but is sold by the
tonnes (= 1,000 kg), not by the cubic meters. The moisture content of the
stockpile is 8.5%.

How many tonnes of aggregate base material should the contractor purchase to
have exactly the correct volume of compacted material?
Q5.
Calculate the relative density of a soil at a site if its maximum void ratio is 0.96, its
minimum void ratio is 0.39, and its natural void ratio is 0.62. Classify this soil (i.e.
very loose, or loose, or…).

Q6.
Soils can be broadly classified as fine-grained soil or coarse-grained soil. What do
you understand by these terms? Describe a test that will enable you to classify a soil
into either a fine-grained soil or a coarse-grained soil.

Q7.
What are Atterberg limits? How are Atterberg limits used in the classification of the
fine-grained soils?

Q8.
The shrinkage limit, plastic limit, and liquid limit of a fine-grained soil is 0.10, 0.32,
and 0.62 respectively. If the dry mass of a specimen of the soil is 100 g.
(a) Calculate the mass of water in the soil specimen at the following states: (i)
the shrinkage limit, (ii) the plastic limit and (iii) the liquid limit.
(b) If the natural water content of the soil is 0.41, calculate the mass of water
would the sample take to reach the liquid limit.
(c) What is the value of plasticity index for this soil?

Q9.
The table below (Table Q9) shows the results of a sieve analysis. Determine the
percent finer that passes each sieve and plot the grain size distribution curve on the
graph shown in Figure Q9. Calculate the uniformity coefficient Cu and the coefficient
of gradation Cc and then classify the soil according to the USCS.

Table Q9
Figure Q9

Q10.
Determine the percentages of gravel, sand, silt and clay for each soil shown in
Figure Q10 in accordance with the USCS classification (i.e., for soils A, B, and C).
Calculate the uniformity coefficient Cu and the coefficient of gradation Cc. Classify
the 3 soils using the USCS classification system. (Soil B: LL=35, PL=22. Soil C:
LL=63, PI=31)

C
B

Figure Q10
Q11.
Grain size distributions are given for the soils (1, 2, and 3) in Figure Q11.
Classify the three soils according to the USCS system. Assume that the
fines in curve 2 are silt.

(a)

Soil 2 – Fines are


nonplastic silt

Figure Q11

Q12.
Grain size distributions and Atterberg Limits are given for soils (1 & 2) in
Figure Q12. Classify the two soils according to the USCS system.

Soil 1
LL=50, PL=27

Soil 2
LL=26, PI=3

Figure Q12

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