Hydraulics, Geotechnical Engineering, and Structural
Mechanics: Key Concepts and Principles Questions And
Answers 2025 \2026
What is porosity? - CORRECT ANSWER-The ratio of the volume of voids to the
volume of soil.
What is void ratio? - CORRECT ANSWER-The ratio of the volume of voids to the
volume of soil solids.
What is degree of saturation? - CORRECT ANSWER-The ratio of the volume of
water to the volume of soil.
What is the range for porosity? - CORRECT ANSWER-0 ≤ n ≤ 100.
What is the range for void ratio? - CORRECT ANSWER-0 ≤ e.
What is the range for degree of saturation? - CORRECT ANSWER-0 ≤ S ≤ 100.
What does the unit phase diagram for a soil mass represent? - CORRECT ANSWER-
The total volume is taken as unity.
,What does 'loam' mean? - CORRECT ANSWER-A mixture of sand, silt, and clay size
particles in approximately equal proportions.
What principle relates submerged unit weight and saturated unit weight of soil? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Archimedes' Principle.
What is soil in civil engineering? - CORRECT ANSWER-The unaggregated and
uncemented deposits of minerals and organic particles covering the earth's crust.
What happens when the water table rises above the ground surface? - CORRECT
ANSWER-It causes an equal increase in pore water pressure and total stress.
What is the shear strength of a soil? - CORRECT ANSWER-It is directly proportional
to the angle of internal friction of the soil.
What is effective stress on soil? - CORRECT ANSWER-It decreases voids ratio and
increases permeability.
What is the coefficient of compressibility of soil? - CORRECT ANSWER-It is the ratio
of stress to strain.
What is considered a stiff cohesive soil deposit? - CORRECT ANSWER-A cohesive
soil deposit with unconfined compression strength between 100 to 200 kPa.
What is considered a soft cohesive soil deposit? - CORRECT ANSWER-A cohesive
soil deposit with unconfined compression strength between 0 to 25 kPa.
, What is considered a very soft cohesive soil deposit? - CORRECT ANSWER-A
cohesive soil deposit with unconfined compression strength between 0 to 25 kPa.
What is the angle between two planes if the shearing stress is zero? - CORRECT
ANSWER-135°.
What fills voids for rapid compression of soil? - CORRECT ANSWER-Water.
What is cohesionless soil? - CORRECT ANSWER-Soil types such as sand.
What is a consolidated undrained test? - CORRECT ANSWER-A triaxial compression
test where drainage is allowed during the first stage only.
Where is the metacenter for stable equilibrium? - CORRECT ANSWER-Above the
center of gravity.
What happens when the metacenter is lower than the center of gravity? -
CORRECT ANSWER-The body will be in unstable equilibrium.
What is metacentric height? - CORRECT ANSWER-The distance between the center
of gravity of the floating body and the metacenter.
What is specific weight? - CORRECT ANSWER-The weight per unit volume of a
liquid at standard temperature and pressure.
Mechanics: Key Concepts and Principles Questions And
Answers 2025 \2026
What is porosity? - CORRECT ANSWER-The ratio of the volume of voids to the
volume of soil.
What is void ratio? - CORRECT ANSWER-The ratio of the volume of voids to the
volume of soil solids.
What is degree of saturation? - CORRECT ANSWER-The ratio of the volume of
water to the volume of soil.
What is the range for porosity? - CORRECT ANSWER-0 ≤ n ≤ 100.
What is the range for void ratio? - CORRECT ANSWER-0 ≤ e.
What is the range for degree of saturation? - CORRECT ANSWER-0 ≤ S ≤ 100.
What does the unit phase diagram for a soil mass represent? - CORRECT ANSWER-
The total volume is taken as unity.
,What does 'loam' mean? - CORRECT ANSWER-A mixture of sand, silt, and clay size
particles in approximately equal proportions.
What principle relates submerged unit weight and saturated unit weight of soil? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Archimedes' Principle.
What is soil in civil engineering? - CORRECT ANSWER-The unaggregated and
uncemented deposits of minerals and organic particles covering the earth's crust.
What happens when the water table rises above the ground surface? - CORRECT
ANSWER-It causes an equal increase in pore water pressure and total stress.
What is the shear strength of a soil? - CORRECT ANSWER-It is directly proportional
to the angle of internal friction of the soil.
What is effective stress on soil? - CORRECT ANSWER-It decreases voids ratio and
increases permeability.
What is the coefficient of compressibility of soil? - CORRECT ANSWER-It is the ratio
of stress to strain.
What is considered a stiff cohesive soil deposit? - CORRECT ANSWER-A cohesive
soil deposit with unconfined compression strength between 100 to 200 kPa.
What is considered a soft cohesive soil deposit? - CORRECT ANSWER-A cohesive
soil deposit with unconfined compression strength between 0 to 25 kPa.
, What is considered a very soft cohesive soil deposit? - CORRECT ANSWER-A
cohesive soil deposit with unconfined compression strength between 0 to 25 kPa.
What is the angle between two planes if the shearing stress is zero? - CORRECT
ANSWER-135°.
What fills voids for rapid compression of soil? - CORRECT ANSWER-Water.
What is cohesionless soil? - CORRECT ANSWER-Soil types such as sand.
What is a consolidated undrained test? - CORRECT ANSWER-A triaxial compression
test where drainage is allowed during the first stage only.
Where is the metacenter for stable equilibrium? - CORRECT ANSWER-Above the
center of gravity.
What happens when the metacenter is lower than the center of gravity? -
CORRECT ANSWER-The body will be in unstable equilibrium.
What is metacentric height? - CORRECT ANSWER-The distance between the center
of gravity of the floating body and the metacenter.
What is specific weight? - CORRECT ANSWER-The weight per unit volume of a
liquid at standard temperature and pressure.
