Geography

Soil and Foundation Engineering

584 Questions

Soil and foundation engineering questions address the physical and mechanical properties of soil critical for construction and stability. The topics include shear strength, soil compaction, void ratios, and subsurface investigation techniques. These advanced geotechnical concepts are typically evaluated in civil engineering and specialized recruitment examinations.

Soil compactionShear strengthBearing capacityVoid ratio analysisSubsurface exploration

Soil and Foundation Engineering Questions

Multiple choice

Radha took some soil in a container. She heated up with a covered lid. After some time she observed some drop lets under the lid. What does this experiment show?

  1. Soil has Gravel

  2. Soil has air

  3. Soil has humus

  4. Soil has moisture

  5. Soil has Sand
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Radha's experiment shows that the soil contains moisture, because when the soil is heated up, the moisture in the soil starts evaporating from the soil in the form of steam, but as the container was covered with the lid it started collecting under the lid.

Multiple choice

Match the following:

 
1. Low water table A. Water percolates through this
2. Organic impurities B. Summer
3. Non-porous rocks C. Organisms
4. Porous rocks D. Water table formed above this

  1. 1 - C, 2 - A, 3 - B, 4 - D

  2. 1 - D, 2 - B, 3 - C, 4 - A

  3. 1 - B, 2 - C, 3 - D, 4 - A

  4. 1 - A, 2 - B, 3 - C, 4 - D

  5. 1 - B, 2 - C, 3 - A, 4 - D
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

This is the right answer, as low water table occurs in summer because of rise in temperature of earth. Organic impurities causes harmful effects on organisms, water table is formed above the non-porous rocks and porous rocks are the rocks which cause the water to pass through them.

Multiple choice

Match the following.

1. Water table A. water percolates through this layer
2. Non porous rock B. layer of ground water reserve
3. Porous rock C. underground water reserve lies on it

  1. 1 - A, 2 - B, 3 - C

  2. 1 - B, 2 - A, 3 - C

  3. 1 - A, 2 - C, 3 - B

  4. 1 - B, 2 - C, 3 - A

  5. 1 - C, 2 - B, 3 - A
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer. The water table is the level at which the ground water is found. Percolation is filtering of fluids through porous materials, So the water percolates through the porous rocks and water table is formed just above the non porous rocks.

Multiple choice

For underground cables, the depth of the trench is approximately

  1. 30 cm

  2. 60 cm

  3. 200 cm

  4. 120 cm
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Underground cables are typically laid at a depth of approximately 120 cm (about 4 feet) to protect them from external damage, excavation activities, and environmental factors. This depth provides adequate protection while keeping excavation costs manageable. The exact depth can vary based on voltage rating and local regulations.

Multiple choice

The physical properties of soil depend on its

  1. porosity
  2. water retentivity
  3. pH
  4. Topography Choose your answer from the choices given below

  1. 1, 2, 3

  2. 2, 3, 4

  3. 1, 2

  4. All of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Physical properties of soil include porosity (pore space for air and water movement) and water retentivity (ability to hold water). pH is a chemical property, not physical. Topography is an external factor influencing soil formation but is not itself a soil property.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a property of clay soil?

  1. It is made of a relatively high proportion of fine particles.

  2. This soil have very less space between particles and are tightly packed.

  3. The water can be trapped in the tiny gaps between the particles.

  4. This soil is heavy and hold more water.

  5. The water absorption is very high as the water passes quickly through these spaces.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

 This is a characteristic of sandy soil. Clayey soil holds water, not absorbs it.

Multiple choice

'Water table' refers to

  1. the lower limit of the zone of saturation

  2. the upper limit of the zone of saturation

  3. seepage of water into fissures lying underground

  4. the contact zone of the permeable and impermeable rocks
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The water table is the upper limit of the zone of saturation where all pores and fissures in soil and rocks are completely filled with water. It fluctuates seasonally, rising during wet periods and falling during dry periods. Below the water table is the saturated zone; above it is the unsaturated (vadose) zone where air and water coexist in pores.

Multiple choice

A soil sample took 30 min for 200 ml of water to percolate calculate the rate of percolation.

  1. 7 ml / min

  2. 10 ml / min

  3. 6.66 ml / min

  4. 6 ml / min
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Rate of percolation = Volume of water ÷ Time taken = 200 ml ÷ 30 min = 6.67 ml/min (approximately). Option C (6.66 ml/min) is the closest and most accurate answer, using the exact calculation 200 ÷ 30 = 6.666... ml/min. Option A (7) is too high, B (10) is incorrect, and D (6) is too low.

Multiple choice

In an experiment 100 gm of soil sample was poured into a funnel with a filter paper 200 ml of water was poured slowly into funnel after complete filtration 1 water, it was observed 70 ml of water left in the measuring cylinder. Calculate the amount of water retained by the soil sample.

  1. 30 ml

  2. 130 ml

  3. 100 ml

  4. 70 ml
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The soil absorbed water that didn't pass through. Starting with 200 ml total and only 70 ml collected means the soil retained: 200 - 70 = 130 ml. This is straightforward subtraction - what went in minus what came out equals what stayed.