Workshop Questions – Site characterization

Match the suitable exploration method to the purpose of the site characterization. The first column is “Site characterization” and the second column is “Method”

Select all that apply. To yield useful information from a seismic refraction survey, which of the following conditions should be met?

What geophysical method would generally be most effective to map deeply buried (150′ deep) bedrock?

What site exploration technique is used to detect karstic soils?

Match the typical geophysical method with the desired parameter it will provide. The first column is “Engineering Parameters“ and the second column is “Geophysical Method”

A thin-walled tube is manufactured to outside diameter of the sampler, D_o = 76.30 mm, wall thickness = 1.63 mm, and diameter at the sampler cutting tip, D_e = 72.30 mm. If this sampler is used to collect a long sample, the state of the sample will be

The load-settlement behavior of an in situ soil deposit will be determined from laboratory oedometer testing. The type of soil specimen that will provide the most reliable load-deformation characteristics is a soil sample obtained from:

Match the suitable exploration method to the anticipated subsurface condition or the purpose of the geotechnical exploration. The first column is “Subsurface condition or Purpose of the geotechnical exploration“ and the second column is “Exploration Method“

The Standard Penetration Test (SPT) is widely used as a simple and economic means of obtaining which of the following?

 The blow counts for an SPT test at a depth of 5 m in a coarse-grained soil at every 0.152 m are 10, 13, and 16. A donut automatic trip hammer and a standard sampler were used in a borehole 150 mm in diameter. Corrected N value for this test is most nearly:

The soil cone penetrometer is recommended as a measuring device to provide a standard uniform method of characterizing the penetration resistance of soils. The rate (mm/s) of travel at which the cone should be pushed into the soil is most nearly:

Static cone penetration test at a site at depth of 30 ft revealed the following
Unit weight of soil γ =117 pcf
Cone resistance q_c = 125 tsf
Friction ratio F_r= 1.3%
If the variable stress exponent, n = 0.5, the normalized cone resistance (tsf) is most nearly:

Static cone penetration test at a site at depth of 30 ft revealed the following
Cone resistance q_c = 92 tsf
Friction ratio F_r= 1.3%
The soil is classified as:

A CPT test is being conducted in the field. The cone is penetrating at a faster rate of penetration. What do you suggest:

A vane tester with diameter and height of 0.3021 ft and 0.6042 ft, respectively, requires a torque of 17.0 ft-lb to shear a clayey soil. The undrained shear strength (psf) for uniform mobilization is most nearly:

Match the typical in situ test method with the desired engineering parameter it will provide. The first column is “Engineering Parameters“ and the second column is “In-situ test Method“

Bentonite plug is used in a piezometer installation at

Select all that apply. Lacustrine soils are the soils

A soil has the following characteristics
% passing No. 4 sieve       65%
% passing No. 200 sieve  40%
LL  55
PL  20
using the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) match the information below.

Classify a soil using the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) that has the following characteristics
% passing No. 4 sieve       95%
% passing No. 200 sieve  11%
Cu = 16 and Cc = 3.6
LL =  40 and PL =   30

What Liquid Limit (LL) and Plasticity Index (PI) values would be associated with a soil classified CH?

Figure 1 shows a gradation curve for a soil. Using Figure 2, you determine the best USDA textural classification of this soil is:

Which of the following soils has highest moisture content:

The results of a particle size analysis of a soil are given in the following table. No Atterberg limits tests were conducted.

According to AASHTO soil classification, which of the following statements are correct.

Foliation is:

Faults where displacement is both vertical and horizontal are called:

The compass direction of a line formed by the intersection of an inclined plane and a horizontal plane is called:

For site investigation purposes in highway construction, the minimum depth (ft) of core drilling in bedrock is

Based on the figure below, the Rock Quality Designation (RQD) is most nearly:

Note the symbols used: BJ (bedding joint), JT (Joint), MB (mechanical break); and FZ (fracture zone). Other symbols that may be used are: IJ (incipient joint), IF (incipient fracture), and RF (random fracture).