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QUIZ: SOIL MECHANICS AND ENGINEERING PART 1: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (MCQs) 1. Which of the following best describes soil in engineering? a) Loose surface of the earth formed from weathering of rocks b) Uncemented aggregate of mineral grains and decayed organic matter c) Materia...

QUIZ: SOIL MECHANICS AND ENGINEERING PART 1: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (MCQs) 1. Which of the following best describes soil in engineering? a) Loose surface of the earth formed from weathering of rocks b) Uncemented aggregate of mineral grains and decayed organic matter c) Material where plants grow d) Naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals 2. Which of these scientists introduced the concept of the angle of repose? a) Henri Gautier b) Charles Agustin Coulomb c) Joseph Valentin Bousinesq d) Albert Mauritz Atterberg 3. What is the main focus of geotechnical engineering? a) The application of soil mechanics and rock mechanics to construction b) The study of soil texture and moisture c) The classification of rocks and minerals d) The study of organic materials in soil 4. Which soil structure is typical of freshwater cohesive soils? a) Flocculated b) Dispersed c) Honeycombed d) Single grained 5. In the Atterberg Limits, which test determines the moisture content at which soil transitions from a liquid to a plastic state? a) Plastic Limit Test b) Liquid Limit Test c) Shrinkage Limit Test d) Consistency Test 6. Which of the following particles is the largest in size? a) Clay b) Gravel c) Silt d) Sand 7. What is the primary disadvantage of the Standard Penetration Test (SPT)? a) It cannot be used in clay soils. b) It provides only disturbed samples. c) It is not suitable for weak rocks. d) It requires high capital investment. 8. Which classification system uses a group index (GI) to further describe soil properties? a) USCS b) AASHTO c) USDA d) ISSMGE 9. What is the purpose of the zero air void curve in soil compaction? a) It determines the moisture content for maximum compaction. b) It represents the theoretical maximum dry unit weight when saturation is 100%. c) It measures the hydraulic conductivity of soil. d) It identifies soil shear strength. 10. Which of the following is not a method of soil exploration? a) Wash boring b) Trial pits c) Split-barrel sampling d) Sieving analysis 11. The gradation curve plots which two parameters? a) Percent finer vs. particle size b) Hydraulic conductivity vs. particle shape c) Moisture content vs. dry density d) Consistency index vs. moisture content 12. Calculate the void ratio (e) if the total void volume (Vv​) is 12 cm³ and the volume of solids (Vs​) is 48 cm³. a) 0.25 b) 0.40 c) 0.50 d) 0.75 13. If the liquid limit (LL) of a soil is 45% and the plastic limit (PL) is 25%, what is the plasticity index (PI)? a) 15% b) 20% c) 25% d) 30% 14. Which soil type is most susceptible to liquefaction? a) Saturated, loosely packed sands b) Dense, unsaturated gravels c) Stiff clays d) Organic silts 15. What is the primary advantage of the Cone Penetration Test (CPT)? a) High variability in results b) Disturbed sampling c) Continuous soil profiling d) Suitable for coarse-grained soils 16. Which roller is best suited for compacting clayey soils? a) Smooth-wheel roller b) Pneumatic rubber-tired roller c) Vibratory roller d) Sheepsfoot roller 17. Calculate the degree of saturation (S) if the volume of water (Vw​) is 6 cm³, and the total volume (V) is 20 cm³. Assume void volume (Vv​) is 8 cm³. a) 0.30 b) 0.75 c) 0.50 d) 1.00  18. Which test is used to measure soil consistency in situ? a) Standard Proctor Test b) Vane Shear Test c) Sieve Analysis d) Permeability Test 19. What is the minimum number of boreholes required for a structure with an area of 1200 m²? a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) 4 20. What is the effective size (D10​) in soil gradation analysis primarily used for? a) Determining particle shape b) Calculating hydraulic conductivity c) Measuring soil moisture d) Identifying Atterberg limits PART 2: TRUE OR FALSE 21. The moisture content at which a soil thread of 3.2 mm breaks is the liquid limit. 22. Kaolinite is a clay mineral with high swelling and shrinkage characteristics. 23. The Casagrande cup method is used to determine the shrinkage limit. 24. Saturated soil has all its voids filled with water. 25. The coefficient of uniformity (CuC_uCu​) is calculated using Cu=D60D10C_u = \frac{D_{60}}{D_{10}}Cu​=D10​D60​​. 26. A soil sample is classified as non-plastic if it cannot be rolled into threads at any moisture content. 27. The A-line in the plasticity chart separates organic clays from silts. 28. The hydrometer test is used for particle size analysis of coarse-grained soils. 29. Trial pits are used for shallow-depth soil exploration. 30. The Atterberg limits are directly influenced by the mineralogy of the soil. 31. Soil compaction increases the dry unit weight by removing air from the voids. 32. The Standard Penetration Test (SPT) provides undisturbed soil samples. 33. The zero air void curve represents the maximum dry density achievable when no air is present in the soil. 34. The plasticity index (PI) is given by PI=LL−PLPI = LL - PLPI=LL−PL. 35. Well-graded soils have a uniform gradation curve. 36. The vane shear test is suitable for coarse-grained soils. 37. The group index (GI) is used in the AASHTO classification system. 38. Soil liquefaction occurs due to the loss of strength in loosely packed, waterlogged sediments during ground shaking. 39. Geotechnical engineers are responsible for providing guidance during tunnel construction. 40. Gravels transported by running water are classified as alluvial deposits. ANSWER KEY PART 1: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1. b 2. a 3. a 4. a 5. b 6. b 7. b 8. b 9. b 10. d 11. a 12. c 13. b 14. a 15. c 16. d 17. b 18. b 19. c 20. b PART 2: TRUE OR FALSE 21. False 22. False 23. False 24. True 25. True 26. True 27. False 28. False 29. True 30. True 31. True 32. False 33. True 34. True 35. False 36. False 37. True 38. True 39. True 40. True