Lyceum of the Philippines University–Laguna

CIVIL ENGINEERING IN-HOUSE REVIEW

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING AND HYDRAULICS EXAM

MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. What is the capillary depression for mercury in a glass capillary tube
3mm in diameter in millimeter? Use σ = 0.942 N/m, ϴ = 140°.
A. -7.94 B. -8.36 C. -6.74 D. -7.21

2. A 75mm diameter pipe, 2m long is just filled with oil (G=0.822) and then
capped, and placed on a horizontal position. It is rotated at 27.5 rad/sec
about a vertical axis 0.5m from one end (outside the pipe). Determine the
pressure in KPa at the far end of the pipe.
A. 77.70 B. 1942.62 C. 1864.91 D. 1243.28

3. A ship with vertical sides near the water line, weighs 40 MN including its
cargo and has a draft of 6.7 meters in seawater (s.g.=1.026). Unloading 2 MN of its
cargo, the draft decreases to 6.4 m. With its cargo reduced, the ship enters a harbor
of freshwater. Evaluate the depth of the ship in freshwater in meters.
A. 6.43 B. 6.55 C. 6.69 D. 6.61

4. The ratio between the volume of water and the volume of the voids in a soil
mass is referred to as:
A. Porosity B. Degree of Saturation
C. Water Content D. Void Ratio

5. A single wave is initiated in a sea by a strong jolt during an earthquake.

Taking the average water depth to be 2 km and the density of seawater to be 1.030
kg/m, determine the speed of propagation of this wave, in m/s.
A. 130 B. 140 C. 150 D. 160

6. This sieve separates gravel from sand.

A. No. 8 B. No. 16 C. No. 4 D. No. 40

7. Is a material passing No. 200 sieve that is non-plastic, and has a little
strength when dry (PI < 4)?
A. Clay B. Peat C. Silt D. Fine sand

8. Formed by deposition in quiet lakes.

A. Alluvial Soil B. Glacial C. Lacustrine D. Aeolian

9. Soil has compression index of 0.283, Gs=2.68. Plastic Limit is equal to

20. What is the Plasticity index?
A. 20 B. 30 C. 15 D. 65

10. Opening of size of sieve No. 10.

A. 2.36 B. 1.00 C. 2.00 D. 1.40

11. Which of the following statements are true?

I. If metacenter is above the center of gravity. The body will be having
a righting moment.
II. Water hammer is the resulting shock in a pipeline caused by the
sudden increase of motion of the fluid.
III. Maximum value of porosity is equal to 1.
A. I only B. I & II C. I & III D. II only

12. Based on NSCP 302.3.2. The ground surface shall be prepared to receive
fill by removing vegetation, non -complying fill, topsoil and other unsuitable
materials, and by scarifying to provide a bond with the new fill. Where the
natural slopes are stepper than _____ and the height is greater than 1.5m,
 Lyceum of the Philippines University–Laguna
CIVIL ENGINEERING IN-HOUSE REVIEW
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING AND HYDRAULICS EXAM

the ground surface shall be prepared by benching into sound bedrock or

competent material as determined by geotechnical engineer.
A. 10% B. 20% C. 33% D. 50%

13. A vertical jet of water thru a nozzle supports a load of 150 N. The velocity
and diameter of the jet at the nozzle tip are 17.46 m/s and 3 cm. Find the distance
of load from the nozzle tip in meters.
A. 4 B. 8 C. 6 D. 10

14. A mercury barometer at the gulf of Albay reads 760 mm. At the same time, another
barometer at the top of Mt. Mayon reads 538 mm. Assuming the unit weight of air to
be constant at 12 N/m3, evaluate the approximate height of Mt. Mayon in meters from
these barometric readings.
A. 2648 B. 2846 C. 2468 D. 2864

15. A cylindrical tank 6 m in diameter and 4 m high is filled with water. If an

orifice 200 mm in diameter with coefficient of discharge of 0.86 is placed at the
bottom of the tank. How long (minutes) will it take for the water surface to drop
from 4 m to 2 m depth?
A. 4.26 B. 4.62 C. 6.24 D. 6.42

16. A closed cylindrical tank 2 m in diameter and 8 m deep with axis vertical
contains 6 m deep oil (SG = 0.8). The air above the liquid surface has a pressure
of 0.8 kg/cm2. Determine the total normal force in kilograms acting on the wall at
its location from the bottom of the tank.
A. 128500Π B. 132900Π C. 168200Π D. 156800Π

17. Estimate the height to which water will rise (mm) in a capillary tube of diameter
3 mm. Use σ = 0.0728 N/m and γ = 9810 N/m3.
A. 7.7 B. 9.9 C. 8.8 D. 10.1

18. A hydraulic press is used to raise an 80 kN cargo truck. If oil of SG = 0.82

acts on the piston under a pressure of 10 MPa, what diameter (mm) of piston required?
A. 50 B. 150 C. 100 D. 200

19. A square plate having one of its side equal to 3 m is immersed in water in a
vertical position such that the two edges of the square would be horizontal in order
that the center of pressure shall be 8 cm from the center of gravity. How far
(meters) below the water surface should the upper plate be submerged?
A. 9.455 B. 9.375 C. 9.955 D. 7.875

20. A 60° horizontal pipe bend reduces from a diameter of 200 mm to a diameter of
150 mm. The pressure at the 200 mm inlet pipe is 138 kPa. Water flows in the bend
at the rate of 8.5 L/s. Determine the horizontal component of the total force (kN)
acting on the bend.
A. 4.144 B. 5.246 C. 3.216 D. 4.202

21. Water is allowed to overflow in a dam at a rate of 4m3/s per meter width.
It is discharged from toe of a dam at a velocity of 10m/s, into a concrete
apron having negligible slope. A hydraulic jump occurs in the apron which
is 50m wide and the depth of the flow downstream from the jump is 2.2m. if
n=0. 014.Determine the hydraulic jump in meters.
A. 0.54 B. 1.66 C. 0.75 D. 1.45

SITUATIONAL
SITUATION 1 - An open channel is to be designed to carry 2.3 m3/s at a slope of
0.008. The channel material has an n value of 0.013.
 Lyceum of the Philippines University–Laguna
CIVIL ENGINEERING IN-HOUSE REVIEW
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING AND HYDRAULICS EXAM

22. Find the most efficient cross section for a semi-circular section in millimeters.
A. 593 B. 678 C. 1186 D. 1331

23. Find the most efficient cross section for a rectangular section in millimeters.
A. 542 B. 598 C. 608 D. 376

24. Find the most efficient cross section for a triangular section in millimeters.
A. 1216 B. 1083 C. 754 D. 987

SITUATION 2 - The canal shown in the cross section in FIG. HYDRO-001 runs 40 m into
the paper.

25. Determine the horizontal hydrostatic force (kN). Use unit weight = 9.79 kN/m3
A. 65,112 B. 61,127 C. 63,439 D. 58,786

26. Determine the magnitude of the total hydrostatic force (kN).

A. 175,002 B. 154,207 C. 118,130 D. 131,284

SITUATION 3 - A soil sample has a dry unit weight of 15 kN/m3 and a void ratio of
0.50.

27. Evaluate the specific gravity of the soil

A. 2.29 B. 2.56 C. 2.44 D. 2.65

28. Obtain the unit weight of the sample in kN/m3 when fully saturated.
A. 19.6 B. 21.3 C. 18.3 D. 20.6

29. What is hydraulic gradient at hydraulic

A. 1.43 B. 1.35 C. 1.28 D. 0.86

SITUATION 4 - An impervious layer underlies 4 layers of permeable soil. The

thickness and coefficient of permeability of each layer from top to bottom are:
Layer k, cm/sec Thickness, m
1 2×10-4
2 1×10-5
3 2×10-3
4 1×10-3

30. Evaluate the equivalent horizontal coefficient of permeability of the

deposit, in cm/sec.
A. 0.000803 B. 0.000847 C. 0.000647 D. 0.000779

31. Calculate the rate of flow per meter width of the deposit, in cm3/sec, if
the hydraulic gradient for the soil formation is 0.70.
A. 64.5 B. 54.5 C. 67.5 D. 79.5

32. Calculate the discharge of the aquifer in m3/day.

A. 8.45 B. 9.85 C. 6.33 D. 5.83

SITUATION 5 - A concrete dam retaining water as shown in figure below. If unit

weight of concrete is 23.5 kN/m3,

33. Calculate the hydrostatic force (kN).

A. 184.75 B. 155.26 C. 176.20 D. 194.17

34. Calculate the factor of safety against overturning. Use μ = 0.48

 Lyceum of the Philippines University–Laguna
CIVIL ENGINEERING IN-HOUSE REVIEW
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING AND HYDRAULICS EXAM

A. 3.42 B. 1.86 C. 2.75 D. 1.54

35. Calculate the minimum pressure (kPa) intensity.

A. 56.9 B. 73.4 C. 64.7 D. 82.6

SITUATION 6 - A triangular gate of height 1.2 m and base 0.9 m is installed in a

position that its plane is inclined 60 degrees with the horizontal with its vertex
at the top and the base is parallel to the water surface. The vertex is at a depth
of 2 m vertically below the water surface. Fresh water is on one side of the gate.
36. Evaluate the total hydrostatic force on the gate in kN.
A. 14.3 B. 12.4 C. 18.2 D. 13.8
37. Locate the point of action (meters) of the total hydrostatic force from the
vertex on the plane of the gate.
A. 0.8329 B. 0.8257 C. 0.8732 D. 0.857
38. If the gate is hinged at the bottom, evaluate the force (kN) normal to the gate
at its vertex that will be required to open it.
A. 3.43 B. 5.32 C. 4.45 D. 3.85

SITUATION 7 - A footing whose base is 0.76m and 0.61m from the ground surface is
subjected for carrying a load. Using γ=18.08 kN/m3, C = 19.15 KPa, ø = 25 deg,
Nc=25.13, Nq=12.72, Nγ=8.34.
39. Find the ultimate bearing capacity (kPa) under general shear failure.
A. 846.73 B. 678.82 C. 811.74 D. 742.12
40. Determine the allowable bearing capacity (kPa) if the FS=4.
A. 185.53 B. 202.94 C. 169.71 D. 211.68
41. Determine the allowable capacity (kN) if the FS=4.
A. 122.27 B. 160.87 C. 98.02 D. 128.98

SITUATION 8 - The laboratory apparatus shown in the figure below maintains a constant
head in both the upper and lower reservoirs. The soil sample is a silty sand with a
hydraulic conductivity k=5x10-3 cm/sec. and a moisture content of 18.5%. Specific
gravity of soil sample is 2.70.

42. Determine the seepage velocity in cm/sec.

A. 0.015 B. 0.011 C. 0.016 D. 0.028
43. Determine the time (minute) required for the plug of colored water to pass
through the soil. Assume also that the colored water has the same unit weight and
viscosity as plain water.
A. 38.59 B. 30.25 C. 33.33 D. 36.49
44. Determine the discharge (m3/sec) of water.
A. 0.287 B. 0.229 C. 0.341 D. 0.446

45. For a constant head laboratory permeability test on a fine sand, the
following are given:
Length of specimen = 250 mm
Diameter of specimen = 62.5 mm
 Lyceum of the Philippines University–Laguna
CIVIL ENGINEERING IN-HOUSE REVIEW
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING AND HYDRAULICS EXAM

Head difference = 450 mm

Water collected in 2 min. = 484 mm3
Determine the discharge velocity in mm/sec.
A. 0.001491 B. 0.002148 C. 0.001315 D. 0.001174

46. From the field consolidation data shows that the soil has the following
properties:
Water content = 40% Plasticity index = 0.64
Plastic limit = 20%
Determine the primary compression index.
A. 0.441 B. 0.371 C. 0.429 D. 0.394

47. An unconfined compression test was carried out on a saturated clay sample. The
maximum load the clay sustained was 130 kN and the vertical displacement
was 0.8 mm. The diameter of the soil sample was 40 mm diameter and 75
mm long. Determine the undrained shear strength (kPa).
A. 51.18 B. 50.16 C. 54.19 D. 52.34

48. A vertical retaining wall 6 m. high is supporting a backfill having

a dry unit weight of 15.6 kN/m3. Drained friction angle = 30˚.
Over consolidation ratio = 2
Determine the lateral force per unit length of wall so that the wall is restrained
from yielding.
A. 185.47 B. 198.52 C. 192.36 D. 184.44

49. The thickness of the clay layer under a layer of sand is equal to 5 m. The
ground surface is subjected to a uniformly distributed load of 40 kPa and
resulted to a primary consolidation settlement of 180 mm. Determine the secondary
settlement (mm) of the clay layer 5 years after the completion of the primary
consolidation settlement. Time of completion of primary settlement is 1.5 yrs.
Secondary compression index Cα = 0.02 and void ratio of 0.54.
A. 36 B. 34 C. 32 D. 30

50. An open lank in a petroleum company lab contains a layer of oil on top of a
layer of water. The water height is 5 times the oil height “h”. The oil has a
specific gravity of 0.79. If the gage pressure at the bottom of the tank indicates
26.9 cm of mercury, determine the oil height “h” in cm.
A. 70.1 B. 74.2 C. 72.9 D. 73.5

“Remember that life’s

greatest lessons are
usually learned at the
worst times and from the
worst mistakes.”