Engineering Questions with Answers - Multiple Choice Questions
Terzaghi’s Analysis
1 - Question
An analysis of the condition of complete bearing capacity failure is usually termed as ___________
a) General shear failure
b) Terzaghi’s analysis
c) Bearing failure
d) All of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: An analysis of the condition of complete bearing capacity failure is termed as a general shear failure, can be made by assuming that the soil behaves like an ideally plastic failure.
2 - Question
The concept of analysis of bearing capacity failure was first developed by ___________
a) Terzaghi
b) Meyerhof
c) Prandtl
d) Darcy
View Answer
Answer: c
Explanation: The concept of failure analysis was first developed by Prandtl, and later extended by Terzaghi, Meyerhof and others.
3 - Question
For purely cohesive soil, the bearing capacity is given by which of the following equation?
a) qf = 5.7 c + σ̅
b) qf = c + σ̅
c) qf = 5.7 c
d) All of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: For purely cohesive soil the bearing capacity is
qf = c Nc + σ̅ Nq = 5.7 c + σ̅
Where σ̅ = γ D if the water table is below the base of the footing.
4 - Question
The parameters Nc, Nq, Nγ in the equations of bearing capacity failure are known as _________
a) Constant head
b) Bearing capacity factors
c) Effective pressure
d) Load intensity
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: The parameters Nc, Nq, Nγ are the dimensionless numbers, known as bearing capacity factors depending only on the angle of shearing resistance of the soil.
5 - Question
For purely cohesive soil, local shear failure may be assumed to occur when the soil is ___________
a) Medium to soft
b) Soft to medium
c) Hard
d) All of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: For purely cohesive soil, local shear failure may be assumed to occur when the soil is soft to medium, with an unconfined compressive strength qu ≤ 100 kN/m2.
6 - Question
Which of the following is a limitation, of assumption in Terzaghi’s analysis?
a) φ changes when the soil is compressed and strip footing has a rough base
b) Soil is homogeneous
c) None of the mentioned
d) All of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: As the soil compress, φ changes; slight downward movement of footing may not develop fully the plastic planes.
7 - Question
Which of the following are original Terzaghi values for Nγ?
a) 34° and 48°
b) 60°
c) None of the mentioned
d) All of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: The values of Nγ for φ of 34° and 48° are the original Terzaghi values which were used by Bowles to back compute Kpγ.
8 - Question
According to the assumptions in Terzaghi’s analysis, the soil is _______________
a) Homogeneous and Isotropic
b) Non Homogeneous
c) None of the mentioned
d) All of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: In Terzaghi’s analysis the soil is homogeneous and isotropic and its shear strength is represented by Coulomb’s equation.
9 - Question
The Terzaghi’s general bearing capacity equation is represented as ___________
a) qf = 5.7 c + σ̅
b) qf = c Nc + σ̅. Nq + 0.5γBNγ
c) qf = c Nc + σ̅. Nq
d) qf = c Nc
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: “qf = c Nc + σ̅. Nq + 0.5γBNγ” is known as Terzaghi’s general bearing capacity equation for a continuous footing.
10 - Question
Local shear failure generally occurs in ___________
a) Dense sand
b) Non-cohesive soil
c) Loose sand
d) All of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: c
Explanation: Local shear failure generally occurs in loose sand while general shear failure occurs in dense sand.
11 - Question
The curve for Nq and Nγ for the transition state from φ = 28° and φ = 38° was given by __________
a) Peck
b) Hanson
c) Thorn burn
d) All of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: Peck, Hansen, and Thorn burn gave curves for Nq and Nγ for the transition state from φ = 28° and φ = 38°, in which they assumed general shear failure when φ > 28°.
12 - Question
Terzaghi’s bearing capacity equation is not applicable for ____________
a) Depth effect and Inclination factor
b) Narrow slope
c) None of the mentioned
d) All of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: Terzaghi assumed the value of angle ψ = φ, which is not true. Since footings are normally rough, ψ has been found close to 45° + φ/2 than to φ, thus Terzaghi’s bearing capacity equations do not have provision for including depth effects, inclination factors, etc.
13 - Question