Foundation Engineering Questions and Answers – Earth Pressure at Rest

This set of Foundation Engineering Questions and Answers for Entrance exams focuses on “Earth Pressure at Rest”.

1. The coefficient of active earth pressure is_______ than the coefficient of passive pressure.
a) less than
b) greater than
c) equal to
d) insufficient data
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: The coefficient of active earth pressure is less than that of the coefficient of passive earth pressure. The coefficient of active earth pressure is also less than that of the coefficient of earth pressure at rest.

2. The coefficient earth pressure at rest is _______________
a) less than coefficient of active pressure
b) greater than coefficient of active pressure
c) equal to coefficient of active pressure
d) one
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: The coefficient earth pressure at rest is greater than that of the coefficient of active earth pressure. But, he coefficient earth pressure at rest is less than the coefficient of passive earth pressure.

3. For earth pressure at rest, there will be no ______
a) vertical stress
b) shear stress
c) horizontal stress
d) both vertical and horizontal stress
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: For earth pressure at rest, there is horizontal stress as well as the vertical stress. For earth pressure at rest, there will be no shear stresses.
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4. The lateral strain in the horizontal direction is _______
a) \(∈_h=\frac{1}{E} [σ_h-μ(σ_v)] \)
b) \(∈_h=\frac{1}{E} [σ_h-μ(σ_h-σ_v)]\)
c) \(∈_h=\frac{1}{E} [σ_h-μ(σ_h+σ_v)]\)
d) \(∈_h=\frac{1}{E} [σ_h-(σ_h-σ_v)]\)
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: The lateral strain ∈h in the horizontal direction is given by,
\(∈_h=\frac{1}{E} [σ_h-μ(σ_h-σ_v )],\)
where, σh =horizontal stress
σv =vertical stress
E=elastic modulus
μ= Poisson’s ratio.

5. The lateral earth pressure at rest with respect to Poisson’s ratio is _______
a) σh=μ(σhv)
b) σh=μ(σhv)
c) σh=μ(σhv)
d) σh=-μ(σhv)
View Answer

Answer: c
Explanation: The earth pressure at rest has the condition corresponding to ∈h=0.
Since, \(∈_h=\frac{1}{E} [σ_h-μ(σ_h-σ_v)],\)
∴ σh=μ(σhv).
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6. The coefficient of earth pressure at rest is given by _________
a) \(K_0=\frac{μ}{1-μ}\)
b) \(K_0=\frac{μ}{1+μ}\)
c) \(K_0=\frac{2μ}{1-μ}\)
d) \(K_0=\frac{1}{1-μ}\)
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: The coefficient of earth pressure at rest is the ratio of the horizontal stress to the vertical stress.
since, σh=μ(σhv),
∴ \(\frac{σ_h}{σ_v} = \frac{μ}{1-μ}.\)
∴ \(K_0 = \frac{μ}{1-μ}.\)

7. If γ is the unit weight of soil, then the lateral earth pressure at depth z of soil mass is ______
a) \(σ_h=\frac{3}{2} K_0 z\)
b) σh=γz
c) σh=-K0 γz
d) σh=K0 γz
View Answer

Answer: d
Explanation: Since the lateral earth pressure is given by,
σh=μ(σhv )=K0 σv,
substituting σv=γz,
∴ σh=K0 γz.
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8. The pressure distribution diagram for earth pressure at rest is _______
a) circular
b) triangular
c) rectangular
d) square
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: The pressure distribution diagram for earth pressure at rest is triangular. If the retaining wall has a height of H, then the pressure at the base of wall is K0γH. At the top of wall, the pressure is zero.

9. The total earth pressure P0 at rest per unit length for vertical height H is _______
a) \(P_0=\frac{1}{2}K_0γH^2\)
b) P0=γH2
c) P0=K0 γH2
d) \(P_0=\frac{1}{2}K_0H^2\)
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: The pressure intensity P0 is given by,
P0=K0 γz,
The total earth pressure P0 at rest per unit length is,
\(P_0=\int_0^H K_0 γz.dz \)
∴ \(P_0=\frac{1}{2}K_0γH^2.\)
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10. The coefficient of earth pressure at rest is represented as _________ expression given by Jaky.
a) K0=1-sinφ
b) K0=sinφ
c) K0=1-cosφ
d) K0=cosφ
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: The coefficient of earth pressure at rest is also computed from the expression given by Jaky in 1944 as,
K0=1-sinφ,
where, φ=angle of internal friction of the soil specimen.

11. For cohesion-less soil, the angle of internal friction is 45°, find the K0.
a) 0.429
b) 0.784
c) 0.293
d) 0.334
View Answer

Answer: c
Explanation: Given,
φ=450
K0=1-sinφ=1-sin45=0.293.

12. A backfill of a retaining wall consists of γ=19 kN/m3 which is 6 m high. Find the total earth pressure per meter length. Given coefficient of earth pressure at rest is 0.5.
a) 165 kN/m
b) 178 kN/m
c) 171 kN/m
d) 345 kN/m
View Answer

Answer: c
Explanation: Given,
γ=19 kN/m3
H=6 m
\(P_0=\frac{1}{2}K_0γH^2\)
\(P_0=\frac{1}{2}(0.5)(19)6^2 = 171 kN/m.\)

13. If K0=0.4, then find the value of µ.
a) 0.438
b) 0.286
c) 0.472
d) 0.592
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: Given,
K0=0.4
\(K_0=\frac{μ}{1-μ}\)
\(μ=\frac{K_0}{1-K_0}\)
\(μ=\frac{0.4}{1-0.4}\)
μ=0.286.

14. For μ=0.3, find K0.
a) 0.429
b) 0.289
c) 0.536
d) 0.375
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Given,
μ=0.3
\(K_0=\frac{μ}{1-μ}=\frac{0.3}{1-0.3} \)
K0=0.429.

15. A backfill of a retaining wall consists of γ=19 kN/m3 which is 6 m high. Find the lateral earth pressure per meter length. Given coefficient of earth pressure at rest is 0.5.
a) 43 kN/m2
b) 57 kN/m2
c) 48 kN/m2
d) 76 kN/m2
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation:
Given,
γ = 19 kN/m2
z = 6 m
K0 = 0.5
P0 = K0 γz = 0.5×19×6
P0 = 57 kN/m2.

Sanfoundry Global Education & Learning Series – Foundation Engineering.

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Manish Bhojasia, a technology veteran with 20+ years @ Cisco & Wipro, is Founder and CTO at Sanfoundry. He lives in Bangalore, and focuses on development of Linux Kernel, SAN Technologies, Advanced C, Data Structures & Alogrithms. Stay connected with him at LinkedIn.

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