FREE Master of Civil Engineering Questions and Answers

Question 1

When failure is imminent, the plastic state of stress was studied by .

Accepted Answer

Rankine

Answer

William Rankine, a Scottish civil engineer, developed the Rankine earth pressure theory, which is widely used in geotechnical engineering. This theory specifically analyzes the state of stress in soil when it is on the verge of failure, or in a plastic state, providing a method to calculate lateral earth pressures on retaining structures under these critical conditions.

Question 2

__________ is utilized in maintaining the ground surface at different elevations.

Accepted Answer

Retaining wall

Answer

A retaining wall is a civil engineering structure designed to resist the lateral pressure of soil or other granular material. Its primary function is to hold back soil masses and maintain the ground surface at different elevations, preventing erosion or collapse of higher ground onto lower ground.

Question 3

The retaining wall's substance is referred to as .

Accepted Answer

backfill

Answer

In the context of a retaining wall, the 'backfill' refers to the material, typically soil, gravel, or other granular aggregate, that is placed behind the wall. This material exerts lateral pressure on the retaining wall, which the wall is designed to resist and support.

Question 4

The backfill's top surface is present.

Accepted Answer

both horizontal and inclined

Answer

The top surface of the backfill material behind a retaining wall can have various configurations depending on the site's topography and design requirements. It can be horizontal, level with the top of the wall, or it can be inclined, sloping upwards or downwards from the wall. The design of the retaining wall must account for both horizontal and inclined backfill surfaces, as they influence the earth pressure distribution.

Question 5

The minor primary stress 3 in the active state is .

Accepted Answer

horizontal direction

Answer

In the active state of earth pressure, a retaining wall moves slightly away from the soil, allowing the soil mass to expand horizontally. This horizontal expansion causes a reduction in the horizontal stress within the soil. Consequently, the minor principal stress (σ3) in the active state is typically oriented in the horizontal direction, representing the minimum stress component when the soil is yielding.

ME or MEng Master of Engineering Practice Test

ME or MEng Master of Engineering Practice Test

FREE Master of Civil Engineering Questions and Answers