King Saud University CE 480 Soil Mechanics

College of Engineering 1st Semester 1428/1429 H

Civil Engineering Department Time Allowed 100 minutes

1st Mid-Term Exam

Question #1:

For the concrete dam shown in Fig. 1 below, calculate the rate of seepage under the
dame if the coefficient of permeability is 3.5xlO-4cm/sec. What are the heads at the
points 1,2,3,4, 5, and 6.

50m

Fig.!

--
--

...
63
...:::.-- :::;

" J 0
 .-- - - - -. - -. - - . --

Question #2:

The results of a consolidation test are shown in Fig.2. You are requested to:
a. Determine the preconsolidation pressure using the Casagrande's method.
b. Calculate the OCR if the overburden pressure is 80 kPa.
c. Determine the compression index, Cc if the initial void ratio is 0.95.
d. Determine the swell index.

0.9

0.8

0.7
Cl)

+:i
o 0.6

~ 0.5
:E 0.4
o o",e
> 0.3

0.2

0.1

o
10 100 1000
2
scale), kN Im

-
Cl' effective (10 g

Fig. 2. Consolidation test results on clay sample.

-C'c- - :;;:csz\
-OCR
be
/30
-. /,be
0-: ~0../30 C5
~
le.v --III
the
62 8'0
-
-0,95-
-(). 0,40
;' S ~b\.- jl5 6 01 013
t}O
~10;) &~K;lt'fjde s"hown F/5. Z above
\ ~ 7-
30-;-' -\-(0."1\ p(oc.ediJ.'tfJ
103 3/1J- J30 Or'l
{~9&
Question #3:

A footing is to be located 2 m below ground level, as shown in Fig. 3. The base of

the square footing is 2 m x 2 m and carrying a load of 2000 kN. The value of the
compression index, Cc =0.28 and the initial void ratio eo=0.85.
a. Compute the expected primary consolidation settlement for the normally
consolidated clay layer.
b. Calculate the time required for 90% of settlement to complete in days if the
coefficient of consolidation cv=0.003cm2/sec.

2000 kN

//// !~ 4m Sand Layer

Unit weight =17 kN/m2
------------------------------- - ~

Sand Layer - ----------f---------------

Unit weight =19 kN/m2 2m

8m

Sand Layer
///// Unit weight =18.5 kN/m2

BedRock

Fig. 3. Schematic diagram of soil profile.

S'c :;'
Cc H 10 (U: \ +t>cr-')
If- eo J 0:-\
o
q J1- -1- (Iq
-If .. <-7,~I).:;6 2 -t- Lf ~(ig-9,I) ~'

-_' - bu. -t 4- t::>tC +' DD:

6
J (~
t YY\ b
)

\tVI\
-J
t' r l'
./ --B'-'-
/1
7-"'-
:;:J- -" 2

-::: f?oo r.-,v /ro 2.

"
oc
 af --rn. ",;JJ/- "".fj.- "'::J<, > i"" f" If i>-hj5.;1i jl-" Od'''5
net" h ~ :;::0,045 if 80 0 ~ '22, 5 ic;1///YJ L

-theV\ l::>C\ ::: 6.02-6 j 600 ;; Il. S tr1//m"L

~J -fVI. e v'\
'2.

bo :::' -Z- (50 +L.f 1c-2-2,,5-t /2,f) ::: Z5.qbll/vY1

== 15 l1-\M

h)

1 1i
Cv-LJrn
---
- z.-
-- ~ ~().
-Do '5 CYtA7... /~eL
lidr

bO
t:;:- 01 r/!f.x (LJ)L

o I 0(;) 'S (%tj Dt/) (~cf.~ )

10 ODo
 o

LIB = 1

2 1.5

z
B

5
0.0 0.2 0.8 1.0

Figure 5.28 Stress increase under the center of a uniformly loaded flexible area