SOIL ENGINEERING NOTES – Week 14

Question 1

Three main soils for building or not building

Answer 1

Cohesionless – do not stick together – usually sand, but can be silts
Cohesion – particles stick together and may be plastic and sticky – silts and clays
Organic – fluffy and can not support weight

Question 2

Three main soils for building or not building:

_______ – do not stick together – usually sand, but can be silts
_______ – particles stick together and may be plastic and sticky – silts and clays
_______ – fluffy and can not support weight

Answer 2

Cohesionless

Cohesion

Organic

Question 3

What are the three Atterburg limits?

Answer 3

Liquid Limit – the phase where drying soil out from solution to plastic
Plasticity Limit - the phase where drying soil out from plastic to semi-solid
Shrinkage Limit - the phase where drying soil out from semi-solid to solid

Question 4

Atterburg limits – moisture and consistency capabilities that mark the points of solidity, semisolidity, plasticity and solution – these determine the soil ability to support weight
_______ Limit – the phase where drying soil out from solution to plastic
_______ Limit - the phase where drying soil out from plastic to semi-solid
_______ Limit - the phase where drying soil out from semi-solid to solid

Answer 4

Liquid Limit

Plasticity Limit

Shrinkage Limit

Question 5

What is a penetrometer used for?

Answer 5

It is pressed into the soil to get a idea of the soils compressibility.

Question 6

—–Pond Construction—–

Four reasons for constructing ponds

Answer 6

Livestock Watering
Irrigation
Fire Emergency (Dry Hydrants)
Fish & Wildlife Production