16-Civ-A4 Geotechnical Materials and Analysis
Worked solutions to 14 past sittings (2013–2019), 82 questions. Pick a sitting, or start from a topic below.
- December 2019
- December 2018
- May 2018
- December 2017
- May 2017
- December 2016
- May 2016
- December 2015
- May 2015
- December 2014
- May 2014
- December 2013
- May 2013
- Undated paper
Topics across the sittings
Topics that come up in more than one sitting, taken from the headings of our worked solutions. A topic counts once per sitting.
- Consolidation Settlement (4 sittings): December 2018 Q4 · May 2018 Q4 · December 2017 Q4 · May 2013 Q6
- Effective stress (4 sittings): December 2017 Q6 · May 2016 Q5 · December 2013 Q5 · May 2013 Q5
- Flow net (4 sittings): December 2016 Q2 · May 2016 Q5 · May 2013 Q5 · Undated paper Q5
- Compaction (3 sittings): May 2017 Q1 · December 2015 Q1 · December 2014 Q1
- Permeability (3 sittings): December 2018 Q3 · December 2015 Q1 · May 2015 Q1
- Pore pressure (3 sittings): December 2018 Q5 · December 2017 Q5 · May 2015 Q6
- True / False with Justification (3 sittings): December 2018 Q1 · May 2018 Q1 · December 2017 Q1
- Consolidation (2 sittings): December 2014 Q1 · December 2013 Q5
- Gradation (2 sittings): December 2018 Q3 · May 2017 Q1
- Heave (2 sittings): December 2018 Q4 · May 2018 Q4
- Index (2 sittings): May 2015 Q1 · December 2014 Q1
- One-dimensional consolidation (2 sittings): December 2019 Q4 · May 2015 Q3
- Seepage (2 sittings): December 2017 Q6 · December 2014 Q3
- Strength (2 sittings): December 2015 Q1 · May 2015 Q1
- True/False with justification (2 sittings): December 2013 Q1 · May 2013 Q1
Questions by sitting
December 2019
- Question 1: Concept multiple-choice bank
- Question 2: Short-discussion concepts
- Question 3: Vertical stress increase under an L-shaped raft
- Question 4: One-dimensional consolidation — spring analogy and test selection
- Question 5: Consolidation parameters from a virgin compression curve
- Question 6: Shear-strength parameters from drained triaxial tests
December 2018
- Question 1: True / False with Justification
- Question 2: Multiple Choice with Reasoning
- Question 3: Gradation, Shear Strength and Permeability
- Question 4: Consolidation Settlement and Heave
- Question 5: Seepage Flow Net — Heads and Pore Pressures
- Question 6: CU Triaxial — Effective Strength Parameters
May 2018
- Question 1: True / False with Justification
- Question 2: Short-Answer Soil Behaviour
- Question 3: Test Selection from the Consolidation Analogy
- Question 4: Oedometer — Consolidation Settlement and Heave
- Question 5: Effective Stress under Downward and Upward Seepage
- Question 6: Vertical Stress Increase below a Rectangular Load
December 2017
- Question 1: True / False with Justification
- Question 2: Stress Distributions Beneath a Point Load
- Question 3: Vertical Stress Increase Beneath a Frame Footing
- Question 4: Consolidation Settlement and Swelling
- Question 5: Pore Pressure and Consolidation State from a CU Test
- Question 6: Seepage, Effective Stress and Exit Gradient (Flow Net)
May 2017
- Question 1: Compaction, Structure, Gradation and Undrained Strength
- Question 2: Effective Stress under a Dam Spillway (Flow Net)
- Question 3: Effective Shear-Strength Parameters and A f from CU Triaxial Tests
- Question 4: Consolidation Settlement of a Clay Layer under a Footing
- Question 5: Vertical-Stress Increase between Two Footings (Two Methods)
December 2016
- Question 1: Justified true/false and conceptual statements
- Question 2: Flow net and seepage under a dam with two cutoff walls
- Question 3: Vertical stress increase under an L-shaped foundation
- Question 4: Consolidation settlement of the clay layer
- Question 5: Drained direct-shear strength of a silty sand
May 2016
- Question 1: Justified true/false statements
- Question 2: The three limit lateral earth pressures
- Question 3: Settlement of a structure on organic (peat) soil
- Question 4: Vertical stress increase by superposition
- Question 5: Cut-off wall — flow net and effective stress
- Question 6: Drained triaxial tests — angle of shearing resistance
December 2015
- Question 1: Compaction, permeability, strength and pore-pressure concepts
- Question 2: Shear-strength testing for an earth dam on normally consolidated clay
- Question 3: Effective vertical stress in a clay layer over an artesian sand
- Question 4: Vertical stress increase beneath a footing with a central opening
- Question 5: Water level required to prevent bottom heave of a cut over artesian sand
- Question 6: Undrained strength beneath an embankment from Skempton pore pressures
May 2015
- Question 1: Index, strength, permeability and fabric concepts
- Question 2: Shear-strength testing for a cyclically loaded oil tank
- Question 3: One-dimensional consolidation — thickness scaling
- Question 4: Vertical stress increase beneath a footing with a central opening
- Question 5: Rankine active earth pressure on a layered c–φ backfill
- Question 6: Pore pressure and Skempton coefficients from a CU triaxial test
December 2014
- Question 1: Index, compaction, consolidation and strength concepts
- Question 2: The three limiting lateral earth pressures
- Question 3: Seepage and the stability of a homogeneous earth dam
- Question 4: Vertical stress increase below a corner by superposition
- Question 5: Flow net for a cutoff wall and seepage quantity
- Question 6: CU triaxial strength from CD effective parameters
May 2014
- Question 1: Multiple statements with justification
- Question 2: Limit lateral earth pressures and Mohr circles
- Question 3: Time rate of consolidation
- Question 4: Vertical stress increase below a frame footing
- Question 5: Seepage under a dam with a cut-off wall
- Question 6: CU triaxial strength parameters from the modified failure envelope
December 2013
- Question 1: True/False with justification
- Question 2: Phase relationships of a compacted sample
- Question 3: Proctor compaction — wet and dry side of optimum
- Question 4: Stress distribution beneath a loaded footing
- Question 5: Consolidation, seepage heads and effective stress
- Question 6: Shear strength parameters from CD triaxial tests
May 2013
- Question 1: True/False with justification
- Question 2: Effective stress under an added load — drained vs undrained
- Question 3: Grain-size analysis of four soils
- Question 4: Increase in vertical stress below point A by superposition
- Question 5: Seepage under a cut-off wall — flow net, quantity, effective stress, stability
- Question 6: Stress profile with capillary rise, and consolidation settlement
Undated paper
- Question 1: Multiple-Choice Concept Bank
- Question 2: Short-Answer Concept Questions
- Question 3: Stress Increase Below a Square Footing
- Question 4: Consolidation Test — e–log σ′ Curve, p c and C c
- Question 5: Seepage Under a Sheet Pile — Flow Net
- Question 6: Consolidated-Undrained Triaxial Series