GATE CE 2024 Set 1 — Question 46

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MSQ+2 / -0HardAtterberg LimitsSoil Phase & Index PropertiesGeotechnical EngineeringStress-Strain of SandsShear Strength of SoilsStandard Penetration TestSubsurface Investigation

Geotechnical Engineering → Shear Strength of Soils → Atterberg Limits

Last updated 5 September 2026

Question

Which of the following statement(s) is/are CORRECT?

Correct answer (A) Swell potential of soil decreases with an increase in the shrinkage limit.; (B) Both loose and dense sands with different initial void ratios can attain similar void ratio at large strain during shearing. Solution (A) Correct : Swell potential is generally inversely proportional to the shrinkage limit. A higher shrinkage limit indicates a lower tendency to swell. (B) Correct : This refers to the concept of the critical void ratio. Regardless of the initial state (loose or dense), sands tend towards a unique critical void ratio at large shear strains. (C) Incorrect : For SPT-N values, the overburden pressure correction is applied first, followed by the dilatancy correction (if applicable). (D) Incorrect : The depth of current penetration in electrical resistivity tomography depends on the electrode array configuration and spacing, but it is not universally half of the spacing. Thus, statements (A) and (B) are correct. Turn this into a strength. Explore AI-powered practice and doubt support with Success Tracker.

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Correct answer (A) Swell potential of soil decreases with an increase in the shrinkage limit.; (B) Both loose and dense sands with different initial void ratios can attain similar void ratio at large strain during shearing. Solution (A) Correct : Swell potential is generally inversely proportional to the shrinkage limit. A higher shrinkage limit indicates a lower tendency to swell. (B) Correct : This refers to the concept of the critical void ratio. Regardless of the initial state (loose or dense), sands tend towards a unique critical void ratio at large shear strains. (C) Incorrect : For SPT-N values, the overburden pressure correction is applied first, followed by the dilatancy correction (if applicable). (D) Incorrect : The depth of current penetration in electrical resistivity tomography depends on the electrode array configuration and spacing, but it is not universally half of the spacing. Thus, statements (A) and (B) are correct.

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GATE CE 2024 Set 1 — Question 46

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