Geo-technical Engineering – Question Bank for Class -II (Civil)

(1) Write short notes on

1. Laser Particle Size Analyser

2. Nuclear Density Moisture Gauge
3. Los Angele’s Abrasion Test
4. Dynamic Triaxial Test
5. Ground Penetration Radar
6. Slope Stability Analysis
7. Drainage in Embankment & Cutting
8. Erosion Control Measures
9. Quality Control of Earthwork
10. Soil survey and exploration
11. Field Compaction Trial
12. Atterberg’s Limits of Soil
13. Impact Test on Ballast
14. Residual Shear Strength
15. Direct Shear Test
16. Reinforced Earth Construction
17. Unsuitable Soils for Railway Formation
18. Functions of Blanket Layer
19. Functions of Ballast
20. Consolidation of Soil
21. Optimum Moisture Content & Maximum Dry Density
22. Relative Density of Soil
23. Weak/Unstable Formation
24. Total Stress & Effective Stress
25. Formation Width
26. Expansive soils
27. Soil sampling
28. Disturbed & Undisturbed soil samples
29. Dispersive Soils
30. Bearing Capacity of soil
31. Vibroflotation
32. Compaction control
33. Pre-compression
34. Pneumatic-tyred rollers
35. Laterites
36. Loess
37. Alluvial soil
38. Grading of soils
39. Uses of Particle Size Distribution Curve
40. Shape of particles in the soil.
41. Dilatancy Test of fine-grained soils.
42. Boundary Classifications of soil as per ISC system.
43. Sensitivity of a soil.
44. Plasticity Index.
45. Black cotton soil and its treatment.
 46. Under reamed piles.
Short Questions

2. If dry density of a soil mass is 2.0 g/cc, then calculate its bulk density at
moisture content of 10%.

3. Determine water content of soil at saturation if its void ratio is 0.5 and Specific
Gravity of soil is 2.65.

4. Describe various types of Geosynthetics & their area of application to a Railway

Formation.

5. What is Jute-Geotextile ? How it can be applied in erosion control of

embankment slopes ?

6. What are various types of Bearing Capacity of Soil? Write down the Terzaghi’s
Formula for determination of bearing capacity explaining briefly the terms
involved.

7. What is Mohr Circle & Mohr Coulomb Failure Criteria of a Soil.?

8. What is Active Earth Pressure & Passive Earth Pressure. Mention the conditions
when these are applied to a structure.

9. Describe Plate Load Test to determine Bearing Capacity of soil.

[Link] Standard Penetration Test to determine Bearing Capacity of soil.

[Link] Darcy’s Law of Permeability. What are the two tests for determination of
permeability of a soil ?

Descriptive questions

12. Describe the various ballast specifications in detail along with their acceptable
values and its method of measurement, ballast sampling and testing.

[Link] are the various functions of a blanket layer? Write about blanket
specifications & thicknesses specified for various type of soils and describe
methods of mechanical production of blanket materials.

[Link] the types of failures occur in cutting & describe various remedial
measures adopted to prevent rock/boulder fall in rock cuttings.

[Link] is a unstable formation and how it is identified? Describe the various

types of formation failure and various formation rehabilitation methods.

[Link] the method of soil classification and give the relevant IS code. What
are the various soil types exist along with IS symbols and mention their
performance for construction of embankment.
[Link] Retaining walls are used? What are different types of retaining walls and
what are the design factors considered in the design of a retaining wall ?

[Link] Triaxial test in detail. What are the main components of a triaxial
equipment and what are the various types of test combinations which can be
performed on soil samples and give soil parameters wich are determines under
different test conditions.

[Link] are the various stages of Soil Survey and exploration? What are the
objectives of Soil survey ? Describe methods of soil sampling & soil sampling
equipments.

[Link] soft subsoil conditions. What are the Soil Improvement Techniques
commonly adopted in treatment of soft soils and methods of construction of
embankment over soft subsoil ?

21. What is the Terzaghi’s Theory of Consolidation. How degree of consolidation of

a soil is determined in Laboratory. How the total settlement and consolidation
time of a compressible layer is calculated.

22. What do you understand by index properties of soil? What is their

importance?

23. Differentiate between Dry Sieve Analysis and Wet Sieve Analysis? Why is the
Wet Sieve Analysis required?

24. In particle size analysis using Hydrometer Method, state the various
connections required for a hydrometer reading? How these corrections are
determined?

25. What is particle size distribution curve?

26. What are Atterberg’s limits in soil engineering, describe each of them?

27. Define the following terms:

(a) Coefficient of compressibility
(b) Coefficient of volume change
(c) Compression index
(d) Recompression index

28. What is coefficient of consolidation? What is its use in the settlement

analysis?

29. Describe sand drains? How are these designed? Discuss their uses.

30. Describe Direct Shear Test? What are its merits and demerits?

31. Describe the tri-axial shear test? What are the advantages of tri-axial shear
test over the direct shear test?
32. What is liquefaction of sands? How can it be prevented?

33. Differentiate between stress-controlled and strain controlled tests?

34. What is unconfined compression test? What is its advantage over a tri-axial
test?

35. Differentiate between consolidation and compaction of soil? Give examples.

36. What are the factors that affect compaction? Discuss in brief.

37. Describe modified Proctor test?

38. What are different factors of safety used in the stability of slopes?

39. What are different types of slope failures?

40. Discuss the various methods for improving the stability of slopes.

41. What are different types of earth pressure? Give examples?

42. What are the assumptions in Coulomb's theory?

Compare Rankine’s theory and Coulomb’s theory?

43. Define the following terms:

(a) Net safe bearing capacity
(b) Gross safe bearing capacity
(c) Ultimate bearing capacity

44. Differentiate between the general shear failure and the local shear failure.
How the ultimate bearing capacity in local shear is determined.

45. Discuss the effect of water table on the bearing capacity of the soil.

46. What are different types of settlements which can occur in a foundation? How
are these estimated?

47. How would you estimate the settlements of a foundation on cohesionless soils?

48. Describe plate-load test, what are its limitations and uses?

49. What are different types of shallow foundations? Explain with the help of
sketches.

50. How would you fix the depth of foundation?

51. Discuss various types of loads that are to be considered in the design of
foundations.

52. Consider compaction of two types of sandy soils with the same compactive
 effort. Sand 'A' is uniform and has rounded particles. Sand 'B' is well graded
with angular particles.
(a) Which sand will have the larger void ratio?
(b) Which sand will have the larger friction angle?
Give reasons in each case.

53. Discuss Core Cutter Method for determining mass density of soil.

54. Classify the soil with the following properties according to Indian Standards
Classification System :

Liquid Limit Plasticity Index % of passing % Passing 75µ

4.75mm Sieve sieve
40 % 10 % 60 % 45 %

Use Plasticity Chart (ISC) supplied.

55. What is the effect of compaction on the engineering properties of the soil?

56. How would you decide whether the soil should be compacted the dry of
optimum or the wet of optimum?

57. What are the different methods of compaction adopted in the field?

58. How would you select the type of roller to be used for compacting different
types of soils and soil layers of different thick nesses?

59. What are the causes of failure of foundations and what method would you
adopt to ensure the stability of the structure?

60. What are the characteristics of "Black Cotton Soil" ? What precautions would
you take in designing and laying foundations in Black Cotton Soil?

61. Briefly describe the methods for dealing with foundations on bad soils.
Illustrate with neat sketches.

62. (a) What do you understand by the term "Foundation"?

(b) Why are foundations necessary?

63. What are the minimum and maximum bearing capacities of the following
soils:
(a) Black cotton soil
(b) Hard Moorum
(c) Compact Gravel
(d) Soft rock
64. Why is surface exploration necessary? State the different methods of
exploration of the sub-soil conditions.

65. (a) What is soil classification? Why it is necessary?

(b) What should be the basic requirements for a soil -
 classification system to be useful to the Geo-technical Engineer?

66. Describe the method for determination of shrinkage limit of a soil.

67. What do you understand by calibration of a hydrometer? How is it done?

68. How is allowable bearing pressure for a shallow foundation determined using
plate load test ?

69. Give the salient features of guidelines issued by RDSO for execution of
earthwork for construction of embankment for New Line, Doublings and
Gauge Conversions.

70. A stretch of track with 2 m height of bank requires 10 attentions per year,
How would you analyse the cause of the problem and how to solve it ?

71. Discuss various methods to safeguard against Boulder falls in cuttings.

72. How can the expected settlement of foundation over clay be predicted?

73. Explain working principle of GPR.

74. Write down the modes of failure in the embankments .

75. Explain the following -

a. Centrifugal effect in the formation.
b. SASW technique.
c. List out the various rock fall preventions methods.
d. Significance of use of geo-grid in formation.
e. Dedicated freight corridor.

76. Describe the CC + 8 +2 loading being introduced on some sections on IR.

Also give the benefits of it.

77. What are the Differences between destructive and non-destructive testing
techniques in embankment?

78 . What are the specifications of an ideal blanket layer along with the specified
layer thickness w.r.t. various types of soils used as sub-grade?

79. What are the various sub soil treatment methods and explain about stage
construction method ?

80. What are the various rehabilitation methods and explain about one of them?

81. Describe the Formation Rehabilitation Machine and it benefits in respect of

G.E aspects?

82. What are the differences between Coal Ash and LD Slag. Also explain the use
of these wastes of thermal plants in railway formation ?