Geotechnical Engineering Exam Questions with Correct Answers Latest Update 2025
Slightly plastic - Answers Soil which has a plasticity index between 1 to 5 is described to have
High plasticity - Answers Soil which has a plasticity index between 20 to 40 is described to have
Very high plasticity - Answers Soil which has a plasticity index greater than 40 is described to have
Shrinkage limit - Answers The moisture content in percent at which the volume of the soil mass ceases
to change
Liquidity index - Answers The relative consistency of a cohesive soil in the natural state can be defined
by a ratio called a
Consistency index - Answers The ratio between the difference between the liquid limit and water
content to the difference between the liquid limit and plasticity limit
0 - Answers The If the in-situ moisture content is equal to the liquid limit the consistency index is equal
to
Activity - Answers Skempton defined the ratio of the plasticity index to the percentage of clay size
fraction, by weight as
Soil structure - Answers The geometric arrangement of soil particles with respect to another is callled
Single grained and honeycomed - Answers Two major categories of structures generally encountered in
cohesionless soils
Clay - Answers When a soil has 50% or more particles with sizes of 0.002 mm or less, the soil is called
Sand - Answers Soils classified on the particle size limits with size ranging from 2 to 0.05 m in diameter
as classified by USDA is known as
Silt - Answers Soils classified on the particle size limits with stress ranging from 0.05 to 0.002 mm in
diamter as classified by USDA is known as
LIquid limit - Answers The moisture content in percent required to close a distance of 12.7 mm along the
bottom of the groove after 25 blows is known as
Platic limit - Answers The moisture content of the point of transition from semi-liquid to plastic state is
known as
Liquid limit - Answers The moisture content of the point of transition from plastic to liquid state is
known
Flow curve - Answers The moisture content of the soil in percent and the corresponding number of
blows N are plotted on semilogarithmic graph paper, which describes the relationship between moisture
content and the log N approximated as straight line which is referred to as
, Shrinkage ratio - Answers The ratio of the volume of soil as a percentage of the dry volume to the
corresponding change in moisture content
Geotechnical engineering - Answers The subdiscipline of civil engineering that involves natural materials
found close to the surface of the earth. It includes the application of the principles of soil and rock
mechanics to the design of foundations, retaining structures, and earth structures known as
Soil mechanics - Answers The branch of science that deals with the study of the physical properties of
soil, and the behavior of soil masses subjected to various types of forces is known as
Soil - Answers An uncemented aggregate of mineral grains and decayed organic matter with liquid and
gas in the empty spaces between the particles is known as
Weathering - Answers The process of breaking down rocks by mechanical and chemical process into
smaller pieces is known as
Residuals soils - Answers Soils formed by the weathered products at their place of origin
Glacial soils - Answers Saoils formed by transportation and deposition of glaciers
Alluvial soils - Answers Soils transported by running water and deposited along streams
Lacustrine soils - Answers Soils formed by deposition in quiel lakes
Marine soils - Answers Soils formed by deposition in the seas
Aelian soils - Answers Soils transported and deposited by wind
Colluvial soils - Answers Soils formed by movement of soil from its original place by gravity such as
during landslides
Metamorphosis - Answers The process of changing the composition and texture of rocks without
melting by heat and pressure
Gravel soils - Answers Soil with occasional particles of quartz, fieldspar and other materials
Double layer water - Answers The force of attraction between water and clay decreases with distance
from the surface of particles. All the water held to clay particles by force of attraction is known as
Specific gravity - Answers The ratio of the unit weight of a given material to the unit weight of water is
known as
Sieve analysis - Answers Method of mechanical analysis generally used to find particle size distribution
of soil with particle sizes larger than 0.075 mm in diameter
Hydrometer analysis - Answers Method of mechanical analysis generally used to find particle-size
distribution of soil with particle sizes smaller than 0.075 diameter
Slightly plastic - Answers Soil which has a plasticity index between 1 to 5 is described to have
High plasticity - Answers Soil which has a plasticity index between 20 to 40 is described to have
Very high plasticity - Answers Soil which has a plasticity index greater than 40 is described to have
Shrinkage limit - Answers The moisture content in percent at which the volume of the soil mass ceases
to change
Liquidity index - Answers The relative consistency of a cohesive soil in the natural state can be defined
by a ratio called a
Consistency index - Answers The ratio between the difference between the liquid limit and water
content to the difference between the liquid limit and plasticity limit
0 - Answers The If the in-situ moisture content is equal to the liquid limit the consistency index is equal
to
Activity - Answers Skempton defined the ratio of the plasticity index to the percentage of clay size
fraction, by weight as
Soil structure - Answers The geometric arrangement of soil particles with respect to another is callled
Single grained and honeycomed - Answers Two major categories of structures generally encountered in
cohesionless soils
Clay - Answers When a soil has 50% or more particles with sizes of 0.002 mm or less, the soil is called
Sand - Answers Soils classified on the particle size limits with size ranging from 2 to 0.05 m in diameter
as classified by USDA is known as
Silt - Answers Soils classified on the particle size limits with stress ranging from 0.05 to 0.002 mm in
diamter as classified by USDA is known as
LIquid limit - Answers The moisture content in percent required to close a distance of 12.7 mm along the
bottom of the groove after 25 blows is known as
Platic limit - Answers The moisture content of the point of transition from semi-liquid to plastic state is
known as
Liquid limit - Answers The moisture content of the point of transition from plastic to liquid state is
known
Flow curve - Answers The moisture content of the soil in percent and the corresponding number of
blows N are plotted on semilogarithmic graph paper, which describes the relationship between moisture
content and the log N approximated as straight line which is referred to as
, Shrinkage ratio - Answers The ratio of the volume of soil as a percentage of the dry volume to the
corresponding change in moisture content
Geotechnical engineering - Answers The subdiscipline of civil engineering that involves natural materials
found close to the surface of the earth. It includes the application of the principles of soil and rock
mechanics to the design of foundations, retaining structures, and earth structures known as
Soil mechanics - Answers The branch of science that deals with the study of the physical properties of
soil, and the behavior of soil masses subjected to various types of forces is known as
Soil - Answers An uncemented aggregate of mineral grains and decayed organic matter with liquid and
gas in the empty spaces between the particles is known as
Weathering - Answers The process of breaking down rocks by mechanical and chemical process into
smaller pieces is known as
Residuals soils - Answers Soils formed by the weathered products at their place of origin
Glacial soils - Answers Saoils formed by transportation and deposition of glaciers
Alluvial soils - Answers Soils transported by running water and deposited along streams
Lacustrine soils - Answers Soils formed by deposition in quiel lakes
Marine soils - Answers Soils formed by deposition in the seas
Aelian soils - Answers Soils transported and deposited by wind
Colluvial soils - Answers Soils formed by movement of soil from its original place by gravity such as
during landslides
Metamorphosis - Answers The process of changing the composition and texture of rocks without
melting by heat and pressure
Gravel soils - Answers Soil with occasional particles of quartz, fieldspar and other materials
Double layer water - Answers The force of attraction between water and clay decreases with distance
from the surface of particles. All the water held to clay particles by force of attraction is known as
Specific gravity - Answers The ratio of the unit weight of a given material to the unit weight of water is
known as
Sieve analysis - Answers Method of mechanical analysis generally used to find particle size distribution
of soil with particle sizes larger than 0.075 mm in diameter
Hydrometer analysis - Answers Method of mechanical analysis generally used to find particle-size
distribution of soil with particle sizes smaller than 0.075 diameter
