GATE CE 2025 Set 2 — Question 57
Go beyond PYQs with Success TrackerAI-powered personalised practice and doubt support. Unlimited practice on eligible plans; AI usage limits apply.NAT+2 / -0MediumPile Group EfficiencyDeep FoundationsGeotechnical EngineeringPile Capacity in Clays
Geotechnical Engineering → Deep Foundations → Pile Capacity in Clays
Last updated
Question
A group pile, with each pile 20 m long and 500 mm in diameter, is installed in a square pattern in a clayey soil, as shown in the figure. The average unconfined compressive strength of the soil is 100 kN/m, and the adhesion factor is 0.8. Neglect the bearing at the tip of the piles. For a group efficiency factor of 1.0, the centre to centre spacing () of the piles (in m) would be ________ (round off to two decimal places).

Correct answer
1.5 to 1.52
Solution
For a pile group in clay, the ultimate capacity is the minimum of the sum of individual capacities and the block capacity. Given group efficiency , we have:Individual pile capacity (neglecting tip bearing):Total capacity of 16 piles:Block capacity:Equating the two:Rounding to two decimal places, m.
Continue learning with Success Tracker
A step still unclear? Work through it with support
Use Success Tracker to ask about the reasoning, then try another GATE CE question to check your understanding.
AI-powered practice· Unlimited practice on eligible plans
- PYQs with solutions
- Attempt available previous-year questions, then compare your reasoning with the worked solution. Coverage varies by stream.
- Practice that adapts
- Choose a topic, work on weaker areas and bookmark questions to revisit. Your attempts feed your progress tracking.
- AI doubt support
- Ask follow-up questions about a step or concept while practising, instead of stopping at the final answer.
Unlimited practice is available on eligible plans. Free practice and AI usage have limits; check the current plan allowances before choosing.
This page stays readable without an account. AI responses can be wrong; check them against the solution and source material.
More questions on Deep Foundations
2026 Set 1 Q18The name of a person in Column 1 is to be matched with the test mentioned in Column 2. | Column 1 |…2026 Set 2 Q21Based on the Casagrande’s plasticity chart, plasticity index (in ) of inorganic clays having a…2026 Set 2 Q22Information related to foundation design is provided in table below. | Column 1 | Column 2 | | :---…2026 Set 1 Q31For a liquid, the permeability of a sandy soil having a void ratio of was determined as…2026 Set 1 Q32To obtain undisturbed clay soil sample, an Area Ratio of needs to be achieved for a…