Geology: Soil and Rock Quiz

Unit 1: Soil and Rock

• Major rock types and processes of formation: Study the different types of rock (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic) and how they form.
• Types of weathering: Understand the processes of mechanical and chemical weathering.
• Soil formation agents: Identify factors like climate, organisms, topography, parent material, and time.
• Soil transportation and deposition agents: Learn about wind, water, ice, and gravity.
• Types of soil deposits: Recognize various soil deposits like alluvial, glacial, lacustrine, etc.

Unit 2: Soil Moisture

• Soil moisture calculation: Understand the formula and how to apply it.

Unit 3: Mass Volume Relationships

• Three phases of soil: Solid, liquid, and gas are the phases.
• Soil vs. soil solids: Soil includes solids, water, and air; soil solids are just the solid portion.
• Phase diagram use: Learn how to use the phase diagram for related calculations.
• Bulk specific gravity (G) vs. specific gravity of soil solids (Gs): Distinguish between the two.
• Bulk density vs. density of soil solids: Understand the difference.
• Soil unit weight calculation: Learn how to calculate and convert units (N to kN).
• Total volume, water volume, void volume, solid volume: Differentiate between these soil volumes.
• Void ratio, porosity, degree of saturation calculations: Master the formulas and calculations.
• Fully saturated soil: Understand the meaning in terms phase relationships.

Unit 4: Soil Types

• Soil definitions: Review defined terms.
• 4 main soil categories: Know the main types.
• ASTM/AASHTO particle size ranges (clay, silt, sand, gravel): Master the size ranges for each category per standard method.
• Gravel, sand, silt, and clay behavior differences: Recognize the distinct characteristics.
• Silt vs. clay: Understand the differences and their properties.
• Clay-water interaction: Understand how water affects clay's behavior.
• Soil structure: Know what defines soil structure, as well as factors that impact it.
• Single-grained, honeycombed, flocculated, dispersed clay structures: Recognize and understand the differences between these structures.
• Cohesionless soil types (3): Learn about their behavior related to void ratio.
• Clay minerals (3): Learn about the stability of the types.

Unit 5: Grain Size - Sieve Analysis

• Grain size distribution graph: Understand how to interpret and plot data.
• Sieve analysis wash: Know the purpose, procedures, and calculation methodology for wash loss.
• Sieve analysis purpose: Recognize the purpose behind the process.
• Grading envelope: Know how to use and interpret it to determine sample compliance.
• Sieve analysis calculations: Know how to calculate wash loss, total fines, mass changes, percent retained, percent passing.
• Reporting requirements: Follow the correct formatting for sieve analysis results.

Unit 5: Grain Size, Hydrometer Analysis

• Hydrometer analysis purpose: Understand the principle related to sedimentation.
• 151H vs. 152H hydrometers: Know the differences between the two.
• Composite correction purpose: Understand what the correction corrects (3 factors).

Unit 6: Plasticity

• Atterberg limit test: Understand the relation of the test to fine-grained soil behavior at varying moisture content.
• Water's role in clay consistency (plastic, liquid): Understand how moisture content affects clay properties.
• Liquid limit, plastic limit, solid, semi-solid: Define each state.
• Liquid limit definitions (moisture content and lab test): Know the meaning of liquid limit in these two contexts.
• Plastic limit definitions (moisture content and lab test): Know the meaning in these two contexts.
• Plasticity index: Understand the meaning and significance of the index.
• Water-clay interaction in plastic soils: Recognize the interaction's role.
• Liquidity index: Understand how to interpret the liquidity index.
• Soil activity: Understand how it relates to shrink-swell potential.
• Liquidity index's interpretation: Learn how to interpret what the liquidity index shows.

Unit 7: Classification

• Classification systems' necessity: Understand why classification systems are useful.
• USCS and AASHTO: Know what the acronyms stand for and their importance.
• USCS and AASHTO classification systems: Understand and apply the classification systems.
• % gravel, sand, silt, clay calculation (ASTM/USCS and AASHTO): Utilize the mechanical sieve and hydrometer analysis and grain size curve data.
• Particle size classification based on AASHTO and USCS: Recognize how different particle sizes relate to the classification systems.
• USCS group symbol interpretation: Know the meaning and interpretation of the group symbol letters.
• USCS reporting (group symbol, description, visual): Understand proper reporting of USCS classification results.
• D60, D30, D10 calculation: Use grain size distributions to calculate these values.
• Cu and Cc calculation: Know how to calculate these values.
• Group Index (GI) calculation (AASHTO): Master the formula and calculation.

Quiz Composition, Labs

• Moisture content: Know the formula and calculation methods.
• Specific gravity calculation (fine-grained soils): Know the procedures and calculations for the pycnometer method, along with temperature (t) corrections.
• Specific gravity of soil solids definition: Master the definition.
• Aggregate sampling reasons (4): Understand the reasons for sampling coarse and fine aggregates.
• Aggregate sampling methods (4): Recognize and understand procedures.
• Aggregate reduction methods (3): Understand how to reduce aggregate field samples to testing size, relevant to the material type.
• Mechanical sieve analysis (data analysis and reporting): Know how to handle the data to calculate results and follow reporting requirements.
• Sieve analysis vs. grading envelope: Understand how sieve analysis matches with specification for compliance / failure evaluation.
• % Gravel, %Sand, %Fines (ASTM/USCS and AASHTO): Understand how to calculate these values based on different classification criteria.
• Hydrometer analysis, meniscus reading, sieve size, hydroscopic moisture correction, volume of test cylinder: Understand the procedure, location for reading and calculation purpose behind these aspects of analysis.
• Specific gravity use in hydrometer correction: Know how to utilize the specific gravity to get correction factors.
• Hydrometer analysis calculation & combining mechanical test results: Understand the process and calculation.
• Atterberg Limits (sieve size, definitions, liquid/plastic limits, plasticity index, plastic soil, liquid limit device, accuracy in weighing, factors affecting liquid limit, Casagrande device crank speed, water type): Master the definitions, procedure considerations, and calculation process.