Previous year question paper for GE (B-TECH civil engineering 5th)

 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

1. Basic Concepts: Definition of soil and soil mechanics common soil problems in Civil Engineering field. Principal types of soils. Important properties of very fine soil i.e. adsorbed water, Base Exchange and soil structure. Characteristics of main Clay mineral groups i.e. montmorilonite, illite and kaollite, Basic definitions in soil mechanics. Weight volume relationship theory and determination of specific gravity from picnometer test. Field denesity from sand replacement method and other methods.

2. Index Properties: Grain size analysis. Stock’s law and Hydrometer analysis. Consistency and sensitivity Clay as per I.S. Code Atterberge Limits Flow Index and Toughness Index. Underlying theory of shrinkage limit determination. Classification of coarse grained soils. Classification of fine-grained soils as per Indian standard classification system (IS-1498-1970).

3. Compaction: Definition and object of compaction and concept of O.M.C. and zero Air Void Line. Modified proctor Test. Factors affecting compaction Effect of compaction on soil properties and their discussion. Field compaction methods- their comparison of performance and relative suitability. Field compacative effor. Field control of compaction by proctor.

4. Consolidation: Definition and object of consolidation difference between compaction and consolidation. Concept of various consolidation characteristics i.e. av, mv and cv primary and secondary consolidation. Terzaghi's Differential equation and its derivation Boundary conditions for Terzaghi's solution for one dimensional consolidation concept of cv, tv & U. consolidation test determination of cv from curve fitting methods, consolidation pressure determination. Normally consolidated and over consolidated clays. Causes of over-consolidation. Effect of disturbance on e-Log sigma curves of normally consolidated clays, importance of consolidation settlement in the design of structures.

5. Permeability and Seepage: Concept of effective stress principal, seepage pressure, critical hydraulic gradient and quick sand condition. Capillary phenomenon in soil. Darcy’s Law and its validity, seepage velocity, co-efficient of permeability and its determination in the laboratory. Average permeability of startified soil mass, factors affecting 'K' and brief discussion.

6. Shear Strength: Stress analysis of a two dimensional stress system by Mohr circle. Concept of pole. Coulomb's law of shear strength coulomb - Mohr strength theory. Relation between principal stesses at failure. Direct, triaxial and unconfined shear strength tests. Triaxial shear tests based on drainage conditions typical strength envelopes for clay obtained from these tests. Derivation of skempton's pore pressure parameters. Stress strain and volume change characteristics of sands.

7. Earth Pressure: Terms and symbols used for a retaining wall. Movement of all and the lateral earth pressure. Earth pressure at rest. Rankine states of plastic equilibrium and derivations of expressions for Ka and Kp for horizontal backfills. Rankine’s theory both for active and passive earth pressure for Cohesionless backfill with surcharge and fully submerged case. Cohesive backfill condition. Rankine’s Earth pressure for a cohesionless backfill with sloping surface (with proof) concept of active and passive Earth pressure on the basis of stability of a sliding wedge. Coulomb's method for cohesion less backfill. Merits and demerits of Ranking and Coulomb's theories graphical construction and Rebhan's graphical construction (without surcharge load).