Geotechnical Engineering Questions and Answers – Soil Structure

Geotechnical Engineering Objective Questions

This set of Geotechnical Engineering Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on “Soil Structure”.

1. What are the Soil properties, which are influenced by soil structure?

A) Permeability
B) Compressibility
C) Shear strength
D) All of the mentioned

Answer is D)
Explanation: Soil structure is an important factor which influences many soil properties such as permeability, compressibility, and shear strength.

2. The single grained structure is a characteristic of ___________

A) Coarse-grained soil
B) Fine-grained soil
C) None of the mentioned
D) All of the mentioned

Answer is A)
Explanation: Single grained structure is usually found in coarse-grained soil.

3. Soil structure usually defines _____________

A) Arrangement of soil particles and Stage of aggregation of soil particle in soil
B) Composition of the soil mass
C) None of the mentioned
D) All of the mentioned

Answer is A)
Explanation: Soil structure is defined as the arrangement and state of aggregation of soil particle in a soil mass.

4. An arrangement composed of ‘flocs’ of soil particle is known as __________

A) Dispersed structure
B) Cohesive matrix structure
C) Honey comb structure
D) Flocculent structure

Answer is D)
Explanation: An arrangement composed of ‘flocs’ of soil particle is known as flocculent structure. As the particles are oriented ‘edge-to-edge’ (or) ‘edge-to-face’ with respect to one another.

5. An arrangement composed of soil particle having a parallel orientation is ___________

A) Dispersed
B) Coarse grained skeleton
C) Honey comb
D) Single grained

Answer is A)
Explanation: In dispersed structure of particle are oriented face to face with one another in a dispersed state.

6. The skeleton and matrix structure represent ___________

A) Coarse-grained soil
B) Fine-grained soil
C) Composite soil
D) Loose-grained soil

Answer is C)
Explanation: An arrangement of coarse grains forming a skeleton and matrix represent composite soils.

7. The soil structure, having comparative loose stable structure is ____________

A) Honey comb
B) Cohesive matrix
C) Flocculent
D) Single grained

Answer is A)
Explanation: Honey comb structure is composed of loosely arranged bundle of particle. Hence they have comparatively less stable structure than others.

8. The honey comb, flocculent and dispersed structure are found in ___________

A) Fine-grained soil
B) Coarse grained soil
C) Composite soil
D) All of the mentioned

Answer is B)
Explanation: Fine grained soil usually contains a combined structure of honeycomb, flocculent and dispersed.

9. Coarse-grain skeleton structure, consist of arrangement of __________

A) Soil forming honey comb structure
B) Coarse grain forming a skeleton
C) Soil oriented ‘edge-to-edge’ with one another
D) None of the mentioned

Answer is B)
Explanation: An arrangement of coarse grains forming a skeleton with its interstices partly filled by relatively loose aggregation of the finest soil grains is shown in coarse-grained skeleton structure.