Geotechnical Engineering Questions and Answers – Interparticle Force in a Soil Mass

Geotechnical Engineering Objective Questions

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

1. Unified soil classification system (USCS) was developed by ____________

A) Kozney
B) Atterberg
C) Casagrande
D) Rankine

Answer is c)
Explanation: In 1940, casagrande originally developed the unified soil classification system (USCS).

2. The USCS system was used for which of the following purpose during World War 2?

A) Air field construction
B) Dam construction
C) Foundation
D) Earth slopes

Answer is A)
Explanation: In earlier stages of World War 2, the USCS system was used for air field construction.

3. According to USCS, the fined grained soil are classified on the basis of_____________

A) Plasticity
B) Grain size distribution
C) Group index
D) Particle size composition

Answer is A)
Explanation: According to USCS the fine grained soils, whose behavior is controlled by plasticity, are classified on the basis of their plasticity.

4. By USCS system, soil are classified in to___________Major groups.

A) 2
B) 5
C) 6
D) 4

Answer is D)
Explanation: Various soil are classified in to four major groups i. Coarse grained ii. Fine grained iii. Organic soils iv. Peat.

5. A soil is considered as coarse grained, if it retains more than ___________ in a sieve.

A) 90% of the soil
B) 70% of the soil
C) 50% of the soil
D) 20% of the soil

Answer is C)
Explanation: If more than 50 % of the soil is retained on a NO.200 US sieve (0.075), it is designated as coarse grained soil.

6. Coarse grained soils, containing fines between 5-12%, are designated by ___________ Symbol.

A) GW-GM and SP-SM
B) CL-ML
C) None of the mentioned
D) All of the mentioned

Answer is A)
Explanation: If the percentage of fines lies between 5 to 12 %, coarse grained soils are designated by dual symbols GW-GM or SP-SM.

7. Fine grained soil are sub divided in to ___________

A) Silt and clay
B) Sand and clay
C) Organic and silt
D) Gravel and peat

Answer is A)
Explanation: Based on their liquid limit and plasticity index, fine grained soil are subdivided in to silt and clay.

8. Fine grained soil are subdivided based on ___________

A) Liquid limit and Plasticity index
B) Group Index
C) None of the mentioned
D) All of the mentioned

Answer is A)
Explanation: Based on the liquid limit and plasticity index, fine grained soil is subdivided.

9. Coarse grained soil is sub-divided in to _______________

A) Gravel and clay
B) Gravel and sand
C) Sand and silt
D) Silt and clay

Answer is B)
Explanation: Based on the soil size, coarse grained soil is divided in to gravel and sand.

10. In Casagrande’s plasticity chart, the numbers in the chart denotes ____________

A) Relative suitability
B) Grade of the soil
C) Division of the group
D) None of the mentioned

... Answer is A)
Explanation: In Casagrande’s plasticity chart, the numbers denote relative suitability with No.1 as the best and No. 10 as the worst.