ASBOG - Engineering Geology exam fully
solved & 2026/2027 updated
Strain - ANSWER-An alteration in the shape or volume of a soil
related to stress. It is calculated as the ratio of the new shape
compared to the original shape
Effective Stress - ANSWER-The total amount of stress placed on a soil
minus the pore-water pressure
Normal Stress - ANSWER-The component of total stress that acts
perpendicular to the plane.
Shear stress - ANSWER-The component of total stress that acts
parallel to any point in question.
Dilatancy - ANSWER-Tendency of a material to increase in volume
when subjected to a shape change. Assume a closed-packed
structure from an open-packed structure
Quick Condition - ANSWER-Tendency of some soils that lack cohesion
to allow water to flow rapidly between grains and to liquefy the
material. Soil does NOT possess significant bearing capacity
Elastic Modulus - ANSWER-Measure stiffness in a material (bulk,
shear, Young's(Elastic))
, ASBOG - Engineering Geology exam fully
solved & 2026/2027 updated
Triaxial Test - ANSWER-Test for mechanical properties of deformable
solids.
Direct Shear test - ANSWER-Measure shear strength when sample is
surrounded withstand subjected to mechanical stresses.
Unconfined compressive strength test - ANSWER-Similar to triaxial
but without external confining pressure.
Consistency - ANSWER-General amount of cohesion in soil particles
Critical void ratio - ANSWER-Void ratio of soil that stays the same
even during shearing events.
Mohr circle - ANSWER-Graph showing stresses that act on a single
point on a plane. The x-axis - normal stress. Y-axis - shear stress
Seepage - ANSWER-The flow of a fluid through soil pores.
4-inch diameter; three lifts; 25 blows by 5.5 lb hammer; falling 12-
inches - ANSWER-Proctor Test
five lifts; 10lb hammer; 18-inches - ANSWER-Modified Proctor Test
, ASBOG - Engineering Geology exam fully
solved & 2026/2027 updated
Differentiate between the three different types of modulus: bulk
(incompressibility) modulus, shear (rigidity) modulus, Young's
(elasticity) modulus. - ANSWER-There are three different kinds of
modulus, or ways to measure the
stiffness of the material:
• bulk modulus (K; otherwise known as incompressibility
modulus): a measure of a substance's resistance to uniform
compression. It is defined as the pressure increase needed
to affect a given relative decrease in volume
• shear modulus (G; also known as rigidity modulus): refers
to the deformation of a solid when exposed to a force
parallel to one of its surfaces as its opposite face is exposed
to an opposing force. This will cause an object that is
shaped like a rectangular prism to be deform into a
parallelpiped
• Young's modulus (E; also known as the modulus of
elasticity): a measure of the stiffness of a given material.
Defined as the ratio, for small strains, of the rate of change
of stress with strain
Define the terms used to describe volume changes in soils:
, ASBOG - Engineering Geology exam fully
solved & 2026/2027 updated
dilatancy, dry strength, quick condition. - ANSWER-The following
terms are used to describe volume changes in soils:
dilatancy: the tendency of a material to increase in volume
when subjected to a shape change. Also refers to material
which can assume a close-packed structure from a openpacked
structure
• dry strength: the resistance that a dry soil possesses to
being crushed. A soil that is composed of clays and gravels
will have relatively high dry strength
quick condition: the tendency of some soils that lack
cohesion to allow water to flow rapidly between grains and
to liquefy the material. Such a soil does not possess
significant bearing capacity. Bearing capacity is the ability
of soils to support the loads imposed by buildings or
structures
Distinguish between the following types of tests: direct shear test,
triaxial test, unconfined compressive strength test. - ANSWER-The
following tests are designed to quantify engineering parameters
of soils:
• triaxial test: a common method to measure the mechanical
properties of many deformable solids. The test is used for
solved & 2026/2027 updated
Strain - ANSWER-An alteration in the shape or volume of a soil
related to stress. It is calculated as the ratio of the new shape
compared to the original shape
Effective Stress - ANSWER-The total amount of stress placed on a soil
minus the pore-water pressure
Normal Stress - ANSWER-The component of total stress that acts
perpendicular to the plane.
Shear stress - ANSWER-The component of total stress that acts
parallel to any point in question.
Dilatancy - ANSWER-Tendency of a material to increase in volume
when subjected to a shape change. Assume a closed-packed
structure from an open-packed structure
Quick Condition - ANSWER-Tendency of some soils that lack cohesion
to allow water to flow rapidly between grains and to liquefy the
material. Soil does NOT possess significant bearing capacity
Elastic Modulus - ANSWER-Measure stiffness in a material (bulk,
shear, Young's(Elastic))
, ASBOG - Engineering Geology exam fully
solved & 2026/2027 updated
Triaxial Test - ANSWER-Test for mechanical properties of deformable
solids.
Direct Shear test - ANSWER-Measure shear strength when sample is
surrounded withstand subjected to mechanical stresses.
Unconfined compressive strength test - ANSWER-Similar to triaxial
but without external confining pressure.
Consistency - ANSWER-General amount of cohesion in soil particles
Critical void ratio - ANSWER-Void ratio of soil that stays the same
even during shearing events.
Mohr circle - ANSWER-Graph showing stresses that act on a single
point on a plane. The x-axis - normal stress. Y-axis - shear stress
Seepage - ANSWER-The flow of a fluid through soil pores.
4-inch diameter; three lifts; 25 blows by 5.5 lb hammer; falling 12-
inches - ANSWER-Proctor Test
five lifts; 10lb hammer; 18-inches - ANSWER-Modified Proctor Test
, ASBOG - Engineering Geology exam fully
solved & 2026/2027 updated
Differentiate between the three different types of modulus: bulk
(incompressibility) modulus, shear (rigidity) modulus, Young's
(elasticity) modulus. - ANSWER-There are three different kinds of
modulus, or ways to measure the
stiffness of the material:
• bulk modulus (K; otherwise known as incompressibility
modulus): a measure of a substance's resistance to uniform
compression. It is defined as the pressure increase needed
to affect a given relative decrease in volume
• shear modulus (G; also known as rigidity modulus): refers
to the deformation of a solid when exposed to a force
parallel to one of its surfaces as its opposite face is exposed
to an opposing force. This will cause an object that is
shaped like a rectangular prism to be deform into a
parallelpiped
• Young's modulus (E; also known as the modulus of
elasticity): a measure of the stiffness of a given material.
Defined as the ratio, for small strains, of the rate of change
of stress with strain
Define the terms used to describe volume changes in soils:
, ASBOG - Engineering Geology exam fully
solved & 2026/2027 updated
dilatancy, dry strength, quick condition. - ANSWER-The following
terms are used to describe volume changes in soils:
dilatancy: the tendency of a material to increase in volume
when subjected to a shape change. Also refers to material
which can assume a close-packed structure from a openpacked
structure
• dry strength: the resistance that a dry soil possesses to
being crushed. A soil that is composed of clays and gravels
will have relatively high dry strength
quick condition: the tendency of some soils that lack
cohesion to allow water to flow rapidly between grains and
to liquefy the material. Such a soil does not possess
significant bearing capacity. Bearing capacity is the ability
of soils to support the loads imposed by buildings or
structures
Distinguish between the following types of tests: direct shear test,
triaxial test, unconfined compressive strength test. - ANSWER-The
following tests are designed to quantify engineering parameters
of soils:
• triaxial test: a common method to measure the mechanical
properties of many deformable solids. The test is used for
