Previous year question paper for SFE (Diploma Civil Engineering 6th)

1. Introduction: (03 hrs)

1.1 Importance of soil studies in Civil Engineering

1.2 Geological origin of soils with special reference to soil profiles in India:

residual and transported soil, alluvial deposits, lake deposits, local soil

found in J&K, dunes and loess, glacial deposits, black cotton soils,

conditions in which above deposits

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3. Classification and Identification of Soils (04 hrs)

3.1. Particle size, shape and their effect on engineering properties of soil,

particle size classification of soils

3.2 Gradation and its influence on engineering properties

3.3 Relative density and its use in describing cohesionless soils

3.4 Behaviour of cohesive soils with change in water content, Atterberg’s limit - definitions, use and practical significance

3.5 Field identification tests for soils

3.6 Soil classification system as per BIS 1498; basis, symbols, major divisions

and sub divisions, groups, plasticity chart; procedure for classification of a

given soil

4. Flow of Water Through Soils: (04 hrs)

4.1 Concept of permeability and its importance

4.2 Darcy's law, coefficient of permeability, seepage velocity and factors

affecting permeability

4.3 Comparison of permeability of different soils as per BIS

4.4 Measurement of permeability in the laboratory

5. Effective Stress: (Concept only) (04 hrs)

5.1 Stresses in subsoil

5.2 Definition and meaning of total stress, effective stress and neutral stress

5.3 Principle of effective stress

5.4 Importance of effective stress in engineering problems

6. Deformation of Soils (04 hrs)

6.1 Meaning, conditions/situations of occurrence with emphasis on practical

significance of:

a) Consolidation and settlement

b) Creep

c) Plastic flow

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d) Heaving

e) Lateral movement

f) Freeze and thaw of soil

6.2 Definition and practical significance of compression index, coefficient of

consolidation, degree of consolidation.

6.3 Meaning of total settlement, uniform settlement and differential settlement;

rate of settlement and their effects

6.4 Settlement due to construction operations and lowering of water table

6.5 Tolerable settlement for different structures as per BIS

7. Shear Strength Characteristics of Soils: (09 hrs)

7.1. Concept and Significance of shear strength

7.2 Factors contributing to shear strength of cohesive and cohesion less soils,

Coulomb's law

7.3 Examples of shear failure in soils

8. Compaction: (04 hrs)

8.1 Definition and necessity of compaction

8.2 Laboratory compaction test (standard and modified proctor test as per BIS)

definition and importance of optimum water content, maximum dry

density; moisture dry density relationship for typical soils with different

compactive efforts

8.3. Compaction control; Density control, measurement of field density by core

cutter method and sand replacement method, moisture control, Proctor's

needle and its use, thickness control, jobs of an embankment supervisor in

relation to compaction

9. Soil Exploration:

(08 hrs)

9.1 Purpose and necessity of soil exploration

9.2 Reconnaissance, methods of soil exploration, Trial pits, borings (auger,

wash, rotary, percussion to be briefly dealt)

9.3 Sampling; undisturbed, disturbed and representative samples; selection of

type of sample; thin wall and piston samples; area ratio, recovery ratio of

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samples and their significance, number and quantity of samples, resetting,

sealing and preservation of samples.

9.4 Presentation of soil investigation results

10 Bearing Capacity of soil

(10 hrs)

10.1 Concept of bearing capacity

10.2 Definition and significance of ultimate bearing capacity, net safe bearing

capacity and allowable bearing pressure

10.3 Guidelines of BIS (IS 6403) for estimation of bearing capacity of soil

10.4 Factors affecting bearing capacity

10.5 Concept of vertical stress distribution in soils due to foundation loads,

pressure bulb

10.6 Applications of SPT, unconfined compression test and direct shear test in

estimation of bearing capacity

10.7 Plate load test (no procedure details) and its limitations

10.8 Improvement of bearing capacity by sand drain method, compaction, use

of geo-synthetics.

11. Foundation Engineering: (10 hrs)

Concept of shallow and deep foundation; types of shallow foundations: isolated,

combined, strip, mat, and their suitability. Factors affecting the depth of shallow

foundations, deep foundations, type of piles and their suitability; pile classification

on the basis of material, pile group and pile cap.