GATE CE 2022 Set 2 — Question 17
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Geotechnical Engineering → Earth Pressure → Effect of Water Table
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Question
Read the following statements:
(P) While designing a shallow footing in sandy soil, monsoon season is considered for critical design in terms of bearing capacity.
(Q) For slope stability of an earthen dam, sudden drawdown is never a critical condition.
(R) In a sandy sea beach, quicksand condition can arise only if the critical hydraulic gradient exceeds the existing hydraulic gradient.
(S) The active earth thrust on a rigid retaining wall supporting homogeneous cohesionless backfill will reduce with the lowering of water table in the backfill.Which one of the following combinations is correct?
(P) While designing a shallow footing in sandy soil, monsoon season is considered for critical design in terms of bearing capacity.
(Q) For slope stability of an earthen dam, sudden drawdown is never a critical condition.
(R) In a sandy sea beach, quicksand condition can arise only if the critical hydraulic gradient exceeds the existing hydraulic gradient.
(S) The active earth thrust on a rigid retaining wall supporting homogeneous cohesionless backfill will reduce with the lowering of water table in the backfill.Which one of the following combinations is correct?
Correct answer
(A) (P)-True, (Q)-False, (R)-False, (S)-False
Solution
- (P) True: In monsoon, the water table rises. This reduces the effective stress in sandy soil, which in turn reduces the bearing capacity. Thus, it is the critical design condition.
- (Q) False: Sudden drawdown is a very critical condition for the stability of the upstream slope of an earthen dam because pore water pressure remains high while the stabilizing water pressure on the face is removed.
- (R) False: Quicksand condition occurs when the upward seepage pressure equals the submerged weight of the soil, i.e., when the existing hydraulic gradient () is equal to or greater than the critical hydraulic gradient (). The statement says , which is the stable condition.
- (S) False: Lowering the water table increases the effective unit weight of the soil (from to ). While the hydrostatic pressure is removed, the increase in effective earth pressure due to higher unit weight often results in a net increase in thrust, or at least the statement is not universally true for all conditions as stated. (Note: In many standard interpretations for this GATE question, S is considered False).
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