Final Exam Flashcards
How are earth materials classified for foundation design?
According to particle size, organic content, and sensitivity to moisture
What is the primary characteristic of consolidated rock (bedrock)?
It is dense, continuous, and can be removed by drilling or blasting
Which of the following is NOT a type of particulate soil defined by ASTM D2487?
Peat
-Peat, topsoil, and other organic soils are not suitable for the support of building foundations.
Which soil particles are generally flat or plate-shaped?
Clay
What is the primary factor that gives cohesive soils their strength?
Cohesion between particles
Which soil type tends to expand or contract with changes in moisture content?
Clay
-Clay soils may also be expansive, that is, prone to expand or contract with changes in moisture content. Clays with very small particle size and high liquid limits are most susceptible to this behavior.
What is the term used to describe the gradual reduction in soil volume due to water being pressed out of it?
Consolidation
Which type of soil is most susceptible to soil liquefaction during an earthquake?
!Sand! , Gravel , Silt
What is the primary purpose of the Unified Soil Classification System?
To classify soil based on particle size and other properties
What is the maximum allowable slope or angle of repose?
The angle at which soil will not slide back into an excavation
What is the purpose of slurry in a slurry wall construction?
To exert pressure against earth walls and hold them in place
What is the purpose of tiebacks in excavation support?
To anchor and stabilize the shoring while maintaining an open excavation
-Where soil conditions permit, tiebacks can be used instead of bracing to support the shoring while maintaining a fully open excavation.
Which type of soil is commonly used for general-purpose fill due to its compaction and stability?
Gravel , Sand
What is the primary purpose of crosslot bracing or sloping rakers in excavation support?
To brace the shoring against earth and water pressures
-As an excavation deepens, its support system must be braced against earth and water pressures (Figure 2.20). Crosslot bracing uses temporary steel wide-flange columns that are driven into the earth at points where braces will cross. As the earth is excavated down around the shoring and the columns, tiers of horizontal bracing, usually of steel, are added to support walers, which are beams that span across the face of the sheeting. Where the excavation is too wide for crosslot bracing, sloping rakers are used instead, bearing against temporary footings.
What is the significance of the term “gradation” in soil mechanics?
It refers to the range of particle sizes present in a soil sample
-Within any soil sample, the range of particle sizes present, or gradation, may vary.
Which soil type exhibits greater resistance to internal sliding due to friction between particles?
Cohesive soils
What is the primary benefit of using tiebacks over traditional bracing methods?
They allow for a fully open excavation without obstructions.
What does the term “water table” refer to in soil mechanics?
The elevation at which soil is fully saturated with groundwater
-Water below the ground surface is called groundwater, and the elevation at which soil is fully saturated with groundwater is called the water table.
What is the primary role of slurry walls in foundation construction?
They serve as excavation support and may become part of the foundation
-A slurry wall is a more complex method of constructing a complete, steel-reinforced, concrete wall in the ground, even many stories below the surface, before excavation takes place. It is a relatively expensive form of excavation support that is usually economical only if it becomes part of the permanent foundation of the building.
What is the purpose of backfilling in construction?
To compact the soil for stability
What is the primary role of a foundation?
To prevent building collapse
Which type of loads act on buildings?
Dead load, live load, rain and snow loads, wind loads, seismic loads, soil and hydrostatic pressure loads
Which load includes the weights of occupants, furnishings, and movable equipment?
Live load
-Live loads, nonpermanent loads caused by the weights of the building’s occupants, furnishings, and movable equipment
What is a major concern when it comes to building foundations settling?
Encouraging uniform settlement , Minimizing differential settlement , Avoiding structural distress and damage to nonstructural components
What kind of settlement occurs when different parts of a building settle at different rates?
Differential settlement
What can differential settlement lead to?
Distorted building frame, cracked walls, and inoperable doors
Which type of foundation encloses habitable space below ground?
Substructure
-the habitable portion below ground
What is the purpose of well points in dewatering an excavation?
To lower the water table around the excavation
-Well points are used to depress the water table.
Which method of dewatering is commonly used in excavations to keep them dry?
Pumping water from pits (sumps)
-The most common method of dewatering is by pumping as the water accumulates in pits, called sumps, located at low points in the excavation.
What is the primary purpose of spread footings?
To distribute concentrated loads from above
-Spread footings take concentrated loads from above and spread them out across an area of soil large enough that a safe soil pressure is not exceeded.
What is the main reason for using caissons or piles in foundation construction?
To reach more suitable bearing strata beneath the substructure
- Caissons are concrete cylinders poured into drilled holes. They reach through weaker soil to bear on competent soil beneath.
What type of foundation is practical when closely spaced bearing strata can be reached?
Mat foundation
Which type of foundation can develop load-carrying capacity through frictional resistance?
Friction pile foundation
- If no firm bearing layer can be reached, a pile may still develop a considerable load-carrying capacity through frictional resistance between the sides of the pile and the soil through which it is driven; in this case, it is known as a friction pile.
What is the purpose of reinforced concrete pile caps?
To distribute the load of the column or wall above among the piles
-Pile caps are reinforced to transmit column loads equally into all the piles in the cluster
What type of foundation is heavily reinforced and may be 6 feet or more in thickness?
Mat foundation
Which method of pile installation relies on heavy weights dropped on top of the pile?
Pile hammering
-Conventional piles are driven with pile hammers, heavy weights lifted by the energy of steam, compressed air, compressed hydraulic fluid, or diesel fuel combustion, then dropped on the top of the pile.
What type of foundation would be appropriate in areas with excessive differential settlement concerns?
Deep foundations , spread footings
In which situation would well points be an ineffective dewatering method?
When the water table is low
What type of loads primarily act downward on building roofs?
Rain and snow loads
What is the primary purpose of a foundation’s mat (raft) foundation?
To support the entire building on low-bearing capacity soil
-In situations where the bearing capacity of the soil is low in relation to building loads, column footings may become so closely spaced that it is more effective to merge them into a single mat (raft) foundation that supports the entire building.