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Soil and Geology Procedure for Foundation Design


Quiz Questions

1. The objective of foundation investigations are to determine the stratigraphy and nature of subsurface materials and their expected behavior under structure loadings and to permit savings in design and construction cost.
True
False
2. Atterberg limits indicates the range of water content over which a cohesive soil behaves plastically.
True
False
3. The upper limit of this range is known as the liquid limit (LL); the lower limit, as the plastic limit (PL)
True
False
4. Which one of the following properties are particular interest to foundation engineer.
Compaction
Permeability
Consolidation-swell
Shear strength
Stress-strain modulus of elasticity
Poison ratio
All the above
5. relative density of cohesionless soils has a considerable influence on the angle of internal friction, allowable bearing capacity, and settlement of footings.
True
False
6. The swelling potential is an index property and equals the percent swell of a laterally confined soil sample that has soaked under a surcharge of 1 pound per square inch after being compacted to the maximum density at optimum water content according to the standard compaction test method.
True
False
7. The shear strength of soils is largely a function of the effective normal stress on shear plane, which equals the total normal force less the pore water pressure.
Ture
False
8. borings may have to be spaced at 40 feet or less when erratic subsurface conditions are encountered, in order to delineate lenses, boulders, bedrock irregularities, etc.
Ture
False
9. Standard penetration test provides a rough approximation of the relative density or consistency of foundation soils and should always be made when piles are to be driven.
True
False
10. Loads causing settlement always include the estimated dead load and a portion or all of the live load. For office buildings, about 50 percent of the estimated building live load may be assumed to cause settlement. For heavy loaded warehouses and similar structures, the full live load should be used.
Ture
False
11. In settlement analysis there is no need to calculate the effective overburden stresses in the soil before or after loading.
True
False
12. Stresses transmitted by a foundation to underlying soils must not cause bearing-capacity failure or excessive foundation settlement.
True
False
13. The ultimate bearing capacity depends on the size and shape of the loaded area, the depth of loaded area below the strength of foundation materials, and the manner in which the load is applied.
True
False
14. The general design procedure for radar tower foundation provides minimum footing dimensions complying with criteria for tilting rotations resulting from operational wind loads.
True
False
15. A deep foundation derived its support from competent strata at significant depths below the surface or, alternatively , has a depth to diameter ratio greater than 4. A deep foundation is used in lieu of a tolerable settlements can not be obtained with a shallow foundations.
True
False
16. In pile foundation, bearing piles are deep foundations used to transmit foundation loads to rock or soil layers having adequate bearing capacity to support the structure and to preclude settlement resulting from consolidation of soil above these layers.
True
False
17. Vibrocompaction methods such as blasting, terraprobe, and vibratory rollers can be used for rapid densification of saturated cohesionless soils.
True
False
18. Vibrations are transmitted through soils by stress waves. For most engineering analysis, the soil may be treated as an ideal homogenous, isotropic elastic material to determine the characteristic of the stress waves.
True
False
19. Vibrations caused by steady state or transient loads may cause settlement of soils, excessive motions of foundations or structures, or discomfort or distress to personnel.
True
False
20. Grouting is a high-cost soil stabilization method that can be used where there is sufficient confinement to permit required injection pressures. It is usually limited to zones of relatively small volume and to special problems
True
False