Soil Mechanics – Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. 109. What is 'groundwater table'?

   • A. The upper surface of the zone of saturation
   • B. where the pore water pressure is atmospheric
   • C. The lower surface of the zone of saturation
   • D. The surface of dry soil

2. 110. What is 'perched water table'?

   • A. A localized groundwater table that occurs above the main groundwater table
   • B. due to an impermeable layer
   • C. The main groundwater table
   • D. A temporary water table

3. 111. What is 'artesian well'?

   • A. A well where groundwater flows naturally to the surface under pressure
   • B. A well that requires pumping
   • C. A dry well
   • D. A shallow well

4. 112. What is 'consolidation settlement' vs 'elastic settlement'?

   • A. Consolidation settlement is time-dependent and due to pore water expulsion; elastic settlement is immediate and due to elastic deformation
   • B. Both are immediate
   • C. Both are time-dependent
   • D. Consolidation is elastic

5. 113. What is 'preconsolidation pressure'?

   • A. The maximum effective vertical stress that a soil sample has experienced in its past geological history
   • B. Current effective stress
   • C. Initial effective stress
   • D. Overburden pressure

6. 114. What is 'creep' in soils?

   • A. Time-dependent deformation of soil under constant effective stress after primary consolidation
   • B. Elastic deformation
   • C. Immediate settlement
   • D. Liquefaction

7. 115. What is 'stress path'?

   • A. A graphical representation of the changes in stress state of a soil element during loading or unloading
   • B. A path for water flow
   • C. A path for particle movement
   • D. A path for settlement

8. 116. What is 'critical state soil mechanics'?

   • A. A framework that describes the mechanical behavior of soil based on a unique state (critical state) where soil deforms continuously at constant volume and constant effective stress
   • B. Elastic soil mechanics
   • C. Plastic soil mechanics
   • D. Viscous soil mechanics

9. 117. What is 'effective stress principle'?

   • A. The principle that the shear strength and volume change of a soil are governed by the effective stress
   • B. Total stress principle
   • C. Pore water pressure principle
   • D. Confining pressure principle

10. 118. What is 'negative skin friction' on piles?

    • A. A downward shear force on the pile surface due to settling soil around it
    • B. Positive skin friction
    • C. Uplift force
    • D. Lateral force

11. 119. What is 'pile group effect'?

    • A. The interaction between piles in a group
    • B. leading to a reduction in the bearing capacity of individual piles and an increase in total settlement
    • C. No interaction
    • D. Increased bearing capacity

12. 120. What is 'undrained shear strength' (c_u)?

    • A. The shear strength of a soil measured under conditions where no drainage of pore water is allowed
    • B. Drained shear strength
    • C. Cohesion
    • D. Angle of internal friction