Soil Mechanics – Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. 97. What is 'swelling' of clay soils?

   • A. The increase in volume of expansive clay soils when they absorb water
   • B. The decrease in volume
   • C. The liquefaction
   • D. The compaction

2. 98. What is 'collapsible soils'?

   • A. Soils that undergo a significant decrease in volume (collapse) upon wetting
   • B. under constant applied stress
   • C. Soils that swell upon wetting
   • D. Soils that do not change volume

3. 99. What is 'frost heave'?

   • A. The upward movement of soil due to the formation of ice lenses in freezing conditions
   • B. Downward movement
   • C. Horizontal movement
   • D. No movement

4. 100. What is 'thawing settlement'?

   • A. The settlement of soil that occurs when ice lenses melt
   • B. reducing the volume of the frozen soil
   • C. Frost heave
   • D. Swelling

5. 101. What is 'soil nailing' used for?

   • A. Slope stabilization
   • B. Foundation construction
   • C. Road construction
   • D. Bridge construction

6. 102. What is 'ground anchors'?

   • A. Structural elements installed in the ground to transfer tensile forces from a structure to a deeper
   • B. more stable soil or rock mass
   • C. Piles
   • D. Footings

7. 103. What is 'soil grout'?

   • A. A fluid mixture (cement
   • B. bentonite
   • C. chemicals) injected into the soil to improve its properties (e.g.
   • D. strength

8. 104. What is 'vibro-compaction'?

   • A. A ground improvement technique that uses vibratory probes to densify granular soils
   • B. A method for cohesive soils
   • C. A method for excavation
   • D. A method for dewatering

9. 105. What is 'stone columns'?

   • A. A ground improvement technique where columns of compacted granular material are installed in soft cohesive soils to improve bearing capacity and reduce settlement
   • B. A type of pile
   • C. A type of footing
   • D. A type of raft

10. 106. What is 'drainage' in soil mechanics?

    • A. The process of controlling and removing excess water from the soil
    • B. Adding water to soil
    • C. Compacting soil
    • D. Stabilizing soil

11. 107. What is 'geosynthetic clay liner' (GCL)?

    • A. A factory-manufactured hydraulic barrier consisting of a layer of bentonite clay encapsulated between two geotextiles
    • B. used for containment applications
    • C. A permeable liner
    • D. A drainage layer

12. 108. What is 'retaining wall drainage'?

    • A. A system designed to collect and remove water from behind a retaining wall to prevent buildup of hydrostatic pressure
    • B. Adding water behind wall
    • C. Compacting soil behind wall
    • D. Stabilizing soil behind wall