Geotechnical Engineering Questions and Answers – Types of Bearing Capacity Failures

Geotechnical Engineering Objective Questions

Civil Engineering MCQs

This set of Geotechnical Engineering Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on “Types of Bearing Capacity Failures”.

1. When a footing fails due to insufficient bearing capacity, distinct failure patterns are developed depending upon _________

A) Failure mechanism
B) Plastic equilibrium
C) Shear strength
D) All of the mentioned

Answer is A)
Explanation: Experimental investigations have indicated that when a footing fails due to insufficient bearing capacity, distinct failure patterns are developed, depending upon the type of failure mechanism.

2. Vesic observed _____________ types of bearing capacity failures.

A) 2
B) 4
C) 3
D) 5

Answer is C)
Explanation: In 1963, Vesic observed three types of bearing capacity failures: i) General shear failure ii) Local shear failure iii) Punching shear failure.

3. In general shear failure, continuous failure is developed between ______________

A) Ground surface and footing
B) Edge of the footing and ground surface
C) Foundation and the ground surface
D) None of the mentioned

Answer is B)
Explanation: In the case of general shear failure, continuous failure surface develops between the edges of the footing and the ground surface.

4. Which of the following is a characteristic of general shear failure?

A) Failure is accompanied by compressibility of soil
B) Failure is sudden
C) Bulging of shearing mass of soil
D) All of the mentioned

Answer is C)
Explanation: A typical characteristic of general shear failure is a) Failure is sudden with pronounced peak resistance b) There is considerable bulging of sheared mass of soil adjacent to the footing.

5. In local shear failure, the development of plastic equilibrium is ______________

A) Full
B) Partial
C) Zero
D) None of the mentioned

Answer is A)
Explanation: In local shear failure there is only partial development of state of plastic equilibrium and there is a significant compression of the soil under the footing.

6. Punching shear may occur in loose sand with density less than ___________

A) 45 %
B) 50 %
C) 35 %
D) 20 %

Answer is C)
Explanation: Punching shear may occur in relatively loose sand with relative density less than 35 %.

7. Local shear failure is associated with soils having _________

A) High compressibility
B) High pore pressure
C) Low porosity
D) Low compressibility

Answer is A)
Explanation: Local shear failure occurs in soil having high compressibility and in sands having relative density lying between 35 and 70 percent.

8. Which of the following is not one of the characteristics of a local shear failure?

A) Failure is defined by large settlements
B) Failure surface do not reach the ground surface
C) Failure is sudden
D) Ultimate bearing capacity is not well defined

Answer is C)
Explanation: In local shear stress there is no tilting of footing and therefore the failure is not sudden.

9. In local shear failure, the failure surface do not reach the ground surface because ____________

A) Compression of soil under the footing
B) Ultimate bearing capacity is not well defined
C) Failure is defined by large settlements
D) All of the mentioned

Answer is A)
Explanation: In local shear failure there is a significant compression of the soil under the footing and only partial development of state of plastic equilibrium. Due to this reason, the failure surface does not reach the ground.

10. State of equilibrium is fully developed in which of the following bearing capacity failures?

A) Local shear failure
B) General shear failure
C) Punching shear failure
D) All of the mentioned

... Answer is B)
Explanation: In general shear failure, when the pressure approaches the value of qf, the state of equilibrium is reached initially in the soil around the soil and gradually spreads, ultimately the state of plastic equilibrium is fully developed throughout the soil above the failure surfaces.