Soil

Question 1

The top layer of earth’s surface, consisting of disintegrated rock and decayed organic matter suitable for the growth of plant life.

Answer 1

Soil

Question 2

The fertile surface layer of soil, as distinct from the subsoil.

Answer 2

Topsoil

Question 3

The bed or layer of earth immediately beneath the surface soil.

Answer 3

Subsoil

Question 4

Perennially frozen subsoil in arctic or subarctic regions.

Answer 4

Permafrost, pergelisol

Question 5

The unbroken, solid rock that underlies all unconsolidated material on the earth’s surface, such as soil, clay, sand or rock fragments.

Answer 5

Bedrock

Question 6

Soil containing a large amount of organic matter, usually very compressible and having poor load-sustaining properties.

Answer 6

Organic Soil

Question 7

A diagram of a vertical section of soil from the ground surface to the underlying material, showing a succession of horizons developed by weathering, deposition, or both.

Answer 7

Soil Profile

Question 8

Any of a series of relatively distinct layers of soil or its underlying material found in a vertical section of land.

Answer 8

Horizon

Question 9

A single bed or layer of sedimentary earth or rock having the same composition throughout, lying between beds of another kind.

Answer 9

Stratum

Question 10

A process for determining the particle-size distribution in an aggregate, soil or sediment.

Answer 10

Soil Analysis

Question 11

A numerical classification of soil by texture, used by the US Department of Agriculture. 1 - Gravel

2 - Sand

3 - Clay

4 - Loam

5 - Loam with some sand

6 - silt-loam

7 - Clay-loam

Answer 11

Soil Class

Question 12

A large, naturally rounded rock, lying on the surface of the ground or partially embedded in it.

Answer 12

Boulded

Question 13

A naturally rounded stone, smaller than a boulder and larger than a pebble, used for rough paving, walls, and foundations.

Answer 13

Cobble, Cobblestone

Question 14

Small pebbles and stones, or a mixture of these with sand, formed either naturally or by crushing rock, esp such material that will pass a 3in sieve and be ratained on a no.4 (4.8mm) sieve.

Answer 14

Gravel

Question 15

Gravel having one or more fractured faces produced by mechanical crushing.

Answer 15

Crushed Gravel

Question 16

Stone having well-defined edges produced by the mechanical crushing of rocks or boulders.

Answer 16

Crushed Stone, Crushed Rock

Question 17

A small-diameter, natural gravel, usually 1/4” to 3/8” (6.4 to 9.5mm) in size, screened to specification.

Answer 17

Pea Gravel

Question 18

A small, rounded stone, especially one worn smooth by the action of water.

Answer 18

Pebble

Question 19

A loose, granular material resulting from the disintegration of rocks, consisting of grains smaller than gravel but coarser than silt.

Answer 19

Sand

Question 20

A well-graded, naturally occurring sand often used as a base or subbase material, having about 10% clay or just enough to make the mixture bind tightly when compacted.

Answer 20

Sand Clay

Question 21

Loose sedimentary material consisting of fine mineral particles between 0.002mm and 0.05mm in diameter.

Answer 21

Silt

Question 22

A natural, earthy material that is plastic when moist but hard when fired and is used for making brick, tile, and pottery, composed mainly of fine particles of hydrous aluminum silicates less than 0.002mm in diameter.

Answer 22

Clay

Question 23

Soil containing 27% to 40% clay and 20% to 45% sand.

Answer 23

Clay Loam

Question 24

A clay formed by the decomposition of volcanic ash, having the ability to absorb large amounts of water and expand to several times its natural volume.

Answer 24

Bentonite

Question 25

A rich soil containing a relatively equal mixture of sand and silt and a smaller proportion of clay and organic matter.

Answer 25

Loam

Question 26

An unstratified, cohesive, loamy deposit deposited by wind,

Answer 26

Loess

Question 27

Of or pertaining to the practical applications of geological science in civil engineering.

Answer 27

Geotechnical

Question 28

The branch of civil engineering that deals with the mechanical behavior of soil when compressed or sheared, or when water flows through it.

Answer 28

Soil Mechanics

Question 29

The arrangement and aggregation of soil particles in a soil mass.

Answer 29

Soil Structure

Question 30

An undisturbed, cylindrical sample of earth or rock obtained by means of a core drill and used for analysis and testing of bearing capacity.

Answer 30

Core, Boring

Question 31

The investigation and classification of a foundation soil based on observation and tests of material disclosed by borings or excavations to obtain the information necessary for the design of a foundation system, including the shearing strength, compressibility, cohesion, expansiveness, permeability and moisture content of the soil, the elevation of the water table, and the anticipated total and differential settlement.

Answer 31

Foundation Investigation, Subsurface Investigation

Question 32

The levels of water content defining the boundaries between the different states of consistency of a plastic or cohesive soil, as determined by standard tests.

Answer 32

Atterberg Limits

Question 33

The water content, expressed as a percentage of dry weight, at which a soil passes from a plastic to a liquid state.

Answer 33

Liquid Limit

Question 34

The numerical difference between the liquid limit and the plastic limit of a soil.

Answer 34

Plasticity index

Question 35

The water content, expressed as a percentage of dry weight, at which a soil loses its plasticity and begins to behave as a solid.

Answer 35

Plastic Limit

Question 36

A soil that can be rolled into threads 1/8" in diameter without crumbling.

Answer 36

Plastic Soil

Question 37

The water content, expressed as a percentage of dry weight, at which a reduction in water content will not cause a further decrease in the volume of a soil mass.

Answer 37

Shrinkage Limit

Question 38

Soil that has considerable strength when unconfined and air-dried, and significant cohesion when submerged.

Answer 38

Cohesive Soil

Question 39

Soil that has little or no strength when unconfined and air-dried, and little or no cohesion when submerged.

Answer 39

Cohesionless Soil

Question 40

The consolidation of sediment by the weight of overlying deposits, or a similar compression of soil, aggregate, or cementitious material by rolling, tamping, or soaking.

Answer 40

Compaction

Question 41

The water content of a soil at which maximum density can be attained through compaction.

Answer 41

optimum moisture content

Question 42

Any gravel, sand or silt that exhibits no cohesiveness or plasticity.

Answer 42

Granular Material

Question 43

The property of a porous material that allows a gas or liquid to pass through its pore spaces.

Answer 43

Permeability

Question 44

The ratio of the volume of void spaces to the volume of solid particles in a soil mass.

Answer 44

Void Ratio

Question 45

The void ratio corresponding to the critical density of a soil mass.

Answer 45

Critical Void Ratio

Question 46

The unit weight of a saturated granular material above which it will gain strength and below which it will lose strength when subjected to rapid deformation.

Answer 46

Critical Density

Question 47

A test for measuring the density of granular soils and the consistency of some clays at the bottom of a borehole, recording the number of blows required by a hammer to advance a standard soil sampler.

Answer 47

Penetration Test

Question 48

The unit load required to produce a specified penetration into a soil at a specified rate of penetration.

Answer 48

Penetration Resistance

Question 49

Any permeable soil that allows the relatively free movement of water.

Answer 49

Pervious Soil

Question 50

Any fine-grained soil, such as clay, having pores too small to permit water to pass except by slow capillary action.

Answer 50

IMpervious Soil

Question 51

The property of a soil that enables its particles to resist displacement with respect to one another when an external force is applied, due largely to the combined effects of cohesion and internal friction.

Answer 51

Shearing Strength, Shearing Resistance