GERTC Civil Engineering (CE) Hydraulics and Principles of Geotechnical Engineering (HPGE) Past Board Practice Exam

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• On a planar retaining wall, where does the resultant lateral earth pressure typically act?
• Outline a basic procedure to design a simple water distribution network using nodal analysis.
• Which concept explains that soil strength depends on the difference between total stress and pore water pressure?
• Define the basic relationship of Darcy's law for groundwater seepage and explain the significance of hydraulic conductivity in geotechnical design.
• CPTu adds what measurement compared to CPT?
• Explain major and minor head losses and where each arises.
• If a sprinkler operator fires a jet at 30 degrees, what is the qualitative shape of the jet's trajectory?
• What is the effect of head losses on the EGL along the flow path?
• Which of the following is not a characteristic of a cohesionless soil?
• What is a flow net and how is it used in seepage analysis under a dam?
• What is the purpose of the Moody chart in pipe-flow analysis?
• What is the normal depth in open-channel flow and how is it determined for a given discharge Q and channel slope S?
• The weight and pressure that keep the grains stuck together is called what?
• State the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion and give the typical form of shear strength for soils: τ_f = c' + σ' tan φ'.
• In soil mechanics, the parameter φ is used to denote which of the following?
• What is the ratio of the volume of voids to the total volume of soil called?
• Define Manning's roughness coefficient n and briefly describe how it is determined for typical conduits.
• In a flow net used for seepage analysis, what do equipotential lines represent?
• What is the primary purpose of a seepage blanket in dam seepage control?
• Define ultimate bearing capacity and explain how to obtain allowable bearing capacity using a factor of safety.
• In the Joukowsky equation, what does c represent?
• A soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) relates what properties for unsaturated soils?
• In seepage-control design for dams and levees, relief wells serve what function?
• The Standard Penetration Test N-value is most directly related to which soil property?
• What are the principal factors used in designing an earth-retaining structure to resist lateral earth pressures?
• What is the elastic tendency of liquids that makes them acquire the least surface area possible?
• Which ground-improvement method is primarily used to densify granular layers with vibro-replacement and vibrocompaction?
• Which statement expresses the law of buoyancy?
• If the deviator stress is increased in a soil sample, the shear stress will increase on which plane?
• Which statement best defines NPSH_available, NPSH_required, and the cavitation criterion?
• In pipe flow, the transition between laminar and turbulent flow is typically indicated by Reynolds number ranges.
• Which expression represents the typical ultimate bearing capacity equation for shallow foundations including cohesion and friction terms?
• The hydraulic radius R is defined as A divided by P, where A is the cross-sectional area and P is the wetted perimeter. Which option correctly states this definition?
• What does a Standard Penetration Test (N-value) indicate about soils?
• A pressure surge or wave caused when a fluid in motion is forced to stop or change direction suddenly (momentum change) is referred to in hydraulics as:
• In a rectangular channel with width b and depth y, what is the hydraulic radius R?
• Define the Froude number and how it indicates flow regime in open-channel flow.
• Define specific energy in open-channel flow and explain how it relates to depth and discharge.
• In Darcy's law for seepage q = k i, which of the following defines the hydraulic gradient i?
• When the path lines of the individual particles of a flowing liquid are irregular curves and continually cross each other and form a complicated network, the flow is called:
• Describe the cavitation phenomenon in pumps and what NPSH considerations prevent it.
• What is the practice or procedure used to assess the particle size distribution (gradation) of a granular material?
• A branch of fluid mechanics that deals with the study of forces exerted by liquids in motion.
• What is the typical final deliverable of a geotechnical site characterization program?
• On what fundamental concept is the continuity of flow primarily based?
• What are typical uses of the energy grade line in hydraulic design?
• Mass conservation in fluid flow leads to which principle?
• Distinguish between uniform flow and gradually varied flow (GVF) in open channels; what parameter characterizes GVF?
• In Terzaghi's one-dimensional consolidation concept, what does the degree of consolidation U represent?
• In CPT, what does the parameter qc indicate?
• Which device is commonly used to absorb transient pressure by providing a cushion of air in the pipe, thereby mitigating water hammer?
• Define the energy grade line and indicate how head losses appear on the line.
• Which statement correctly describes Rankine active and passive earth pressure?
• A flow in which the velocity of the fluid at a fixed point does not change with time is called what?
• According to USCS, what do you call a soil grain with grain size greater than 4.75 mm but less than 75 mm?
• Cohesion in liquids describes which of the following interactions?
• What is Reynolds number and why is it used in pipe flow analysis?
• Which type of settlement occurs due to the dissipation of excess pore pressure in the soil mass?
• What is a hydraulic jump and what is the sequent depth ratio for a horizontal rectangular channel?
• Archimedes' principle relates buoyant force to what?
• Which term quantifies the empty spaces within a soil relative to the total soil volume?
• In open-channel flow, how can you determine whether a given depth corresponds to subcritical or supercritical flow?
• The trajectory of a projectile in a uniform gravitational field (neglecting air resistance) is which shape?
• Which of the following is not a characteristic of a cohesive soil?
• Relative density of sands is defined using which parameters?
• What is a hydraulic transient (water hammer) and state the Joukowsky equation for surge pressure.
• In any stream flowing steadily without friction the total energy contained in the same at every point in its path of flow. This principle is attributed to:
• What is the Muskingum method used for and what are K and X used for?
• Which term represents velocity head in Bernoulli's equation?
• Which statement best defines head loss and distinguishes major and minor losses in pipe systems?
• Which of the following is not a soil component?
• What is the term for the ratio of the volume of water to the volume of voids?
• Which of the following is not affected by minor loss?
• Explain the difference between pump curves and system curves and how they are used to select a pump.
• A pressure surge or wave caused when a fluid in motion is forced to stop or change direction suddenly (momentum change) is referred to in hydraulics as:
• Explain why the energy grade line (EGL) grade is affected by head losses along a flow path; what happens to the EGL slope?
• Which statement is true about Hazen-Williams and Darcy-Weisbach equations?
• Explain the purpose of a pump head curve and how efficiency is defined for a pump.
• In pipe networks, what is the Hardy Cross method used for?
• Which combination of measures helps mitigate swelling potential of expansive soils?
• The ratio of the volume of voids to the volume of the soil mass is known as what?
• Which component of rock or soil is independent of interparticle friction?
• In a pipeline, the line that represents the sum of pressure head and elevation head along the system is the:
• Define surge tank and describe its purpose.
• What is the ratio of the volume of water to the volume of voids called?
• Differentiate between piezometer and velocity head measurement and their roles in EGL/HGL calculations.
• In Terzaghi's principle, the parameter that characterizes shear strength is the angle of friction.
• Which is a typical step in a geotechnical site characterization program?
• A granular soil deposit is considered medium dense if the blow count of a standard penetration test is between:
• For a given soil with effective cohesion c' and friction angle φ', compute its shear strength on a plane with effective normal stress σ'.
• For a sharp-crested broad weir in a stilling well, the discharge equation Q = (2/3) Cd b sqrt(2 g) h^(3/2). In this equation, what do h and b represent, and what is the typical Cd for a well-designed weir?
• What is the purpose of a flow net in geotechnical analysis?
• Which foundation condition does not affect the bearing capacity of the supporting soil?
• Explain seepage force and its effect on earth pressure behind a retaining structure.
• In bearing capacity analysis, how is the factor of safety (FOS) defined?
• Bearing capacity factors Nc, Nq, and Nγ depend on which parameter?
• The pressure exerted onto a liquid is transmitted equally and undiminished to all portions of the liquid. This principle in fluid mechanics is known as:
• In a wide rectangular channel, the Froude number Fr equals 1 at critical flow. Which statement is true about Fr in other regimes?
• Which Atterberg limit defines the water content at which soil changes from semisolid to plastic?
• In USCS, gravel is defined by particle sizes in which range?
• Active lateral earth pressure occurs when the retaining wall moves in which direction?
• Terzaghi's principle relates effective stress to total stress and pore water pressure through which concept?
• Explain the concept of specific energy in open-channel flow and the condition under which minimum specific energy occurs.
• Coulomb earth pressure theory differs from Rankine theory in that it:
• State the effective stress principle and explain why shear strength of soil depends on effective stress.
• Which of the following shear tests of soil is not performed in a laboratory?
• Provide the expression for pump efficiency and mention that peak efficiency occurs at a particular Q.
• What dimensionless time factor is used to describe the progress of consolidation in one-dimensional analysis?
• For a floating body to be stable, where is the metacenter located relative to the center of gravity?
• A relative density Dr approaching 100% indicates which condition?
• What are the energy grade line (EGL) and hydraulic grade line (HGL)? How do they differ?
• Atterberg limits indicate what about soil classification?
• A pressure surge or wave caused when a fluid in motion is forced to stop or change direction suddenly (momentum change) is referred to in hydraulics as:
• In USCS, particles larger than 75 mm are called Cobble.
• Which equation is typically used to compute major head losses in straight pipes?
• Provide the basic expression for ultimate bearing capacity of shallow foundations according to Terzaghi: q_ult = c' N_c + q N_q + 0.5 γ B N_γ. Define N_c, N_q, N_γ.
• Which statement best characterizes a hydraulic jump in an open channel?
• Which of the following is not typically affected by minor losses in piping systems?
• Which parameters are involved in Terzaghi's one-dimensional consolidation to estimate final settlement?
• What does q represent in Terzaghi's bearing capacity expression?
• What term describes the soil's resistance to shearing along a potential failure plane?
• The liquid flow is based on the conservation of what quantity?
• Seepage analysis yields seepage pressures near boundaries primarily based on which factors?
• This occurs when a cohesionless saturated or partially saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in response to an applied stress such as shaking during an earthquake or other sudden change in stress condition, in which material that is ordinarily a solid behaves like a liquid.
• Which soil property governs the rate of water movement through soil under a hydraulic gradient?
• Which statement correctly describes the pore-pressure behavior in drained vs undrained tests?
• Which ground-improvement method is primarily used to reduce permeability and hinder seepage?
• According to USCS, which grain size range defines sand?
• Bearing capacity factors N_c, N_q, N_γ depend on which variables?
• Seepage flow through soil results in seepage force that:
• At what temperature (°C) at which liquid water has the highest density?
• What does the overconsolidation ratio (OCR) represent in soil mechanics?
• How does the overconsolidation ratio affect soil stiffness and settlement behavior?
• Which term describes the attraction between water molecules?
• Which parameters are used to estimate consolidation settlement for a saturated clay layer using Terzaghi's theory?
• Water has its maximum density at which temperature?
• Which term describes a pressure surge when a moving fluid is abruptly stopped?
• Which item is not typically performed in the laboratory for soil testing?
• Which tests are typically used to obtain drained shear strength parameters c' and φ'?
• The shear strength is ______.
• In a standard penetration test, medium dense sands correspond to N-values in which range?
• What is the typical unit for discharge in hydraulic engineering?
• What are common methods to improve soil stability and bearing capacity in geotechnical practice?
• If pore water pressure increases due to drainage conditions, what is the effect on stability?
• The shear strength is ______.
• The ratio between the volume of voids and the volume of the soil mass is known as what?
• A flow net consists of which two components?
• In the context of water hammer, which statement best describes how pressure rise is influenced?
• How is the Darcy-Weisbach head loss equation hf = f (L/D)(v^2/2g) solved for the friction factor f in laminar and turbulent regimes, and how is f typically obtained in practice?
• In the discharge equation Q = Cd A sqrt(2 g h) for a sharp-edged orifice, what does Cd represent and what is its typical range?
• Darcy-Weisbach friction factor f depends on Reynolds number and relative roughness ε/D. Which statement is true for high Re in rough pipes?
• How does increasing suction head affect NPSH_available and cavitation risk?
• Pore water pressure reduces effective stress according to which relation?
• What is the difference between flow nets and standard penetration tests in terms of information they provide for geotechnical design?
• What is the purpose of mass balance at nodes in a water distribution network?
• In evaluating soil for construction purposes, identify the property that is not typically considered a primary design parameter.
• Pressure rise due to water hammer is influenced by which of the following?
• What is the Rankine active earth pressure coefficient Ka for vertical backface with non-cohesive soil?
• In a geotechnical site characterization program, which step follows laboratory testing?
• Which of the following does not affect the settlement of a footing?
• Which soil property controls infiltration rate and the ability to transmit water?
• The line joining the tops of water columns in a series of vertical open pipes indicates the water pressure head relative to elevation; this line is called the:
• A phenomenon in which the strength and stiffness of a soil is reduced by earthquake shaking or other rapid loading is called what?
• Which soil property is most commonly used in engineering analysis and design?
• The ratio of the volume of voids to the total volume is called?
• Which equation expresses head loss due to friction in a pipe (Darcy-Weisbach) and what factors influence the friction factor f for turbulent flow?
• In the Muskingum routing method, increasing X generally implies what change in storage vs pass-through of inflow?
• In civil engineering, soil is best described as which of the following?
• In standard penetration test, the N-value for medium dense sand is between
• Coulomb earth pressure theory yields K values that depend on which factors?
• Determine the critical depth y_c for steady, uniform flow in a wide rectangular open channel with discharge Q and width B. Provide the formula and method to compute y_c.
• Describe the boundary conditions and pressure characteristics that distinguish open-channel flow from closed conduit flow.
• If groundwater table rises as a result of flooding, the bearing capacity of the soil:
• What is the critical condition for open-channel flow and how is it identified?
• In a cohesionless soil, what is the active lateral earth pressure coefficient Ka?
• Bernoulli's principle states that total head along a streamline is constant for which conditions?
• Define equivalent length in pipe network analysis.
• A line joining the points of highest elevation of water in a series of vertical open pipes rising from a pipeline in which water flows under pressure is referred to as:
• Which statement best describes a friction pile?
• Define relative density Dr for granular soils and what a Dr of 0% implies.
• The ratio between the weight of water and the weight of solid particles is known as what?
• Which statement correctly differentiates energy grade line (EGL) and hydraulic grade line (HGL)?
• Differentiate Darcy-Weisbach and Hazen-Williams equations for head loss in pipes and indicate when each is appropriate.
• Explain Terzaghi's one-dimensional consolidation theory and identify the primary variables e0, es, e, cv.
• The metacenter concept is used to assess the stability of which physical system?
• For a sudden expansion, K = (1 − A1/A2)^2. If A2 is much larger than A1, K approaches which value?
• The property of soil through which water percolates throughout its layer is called what?
• Define minor losses and provide typical coefficients for common fittings and devices (entrance, exit, elbow, valve, tee).
• Identify common in-situ tests used in geotechnical site characterization and what they measure.
• State the Mohr-Coulomb shear strength criterion for soils and identify c' and φ'.
• In GVF, how is the energy grade line (EGL) slope used to characterize the flow along the reach?
• For infinite slope stability with seepage, which statement is correct?
• Which soil type is most susceptible to liquefaction under seismic loading?
• Which property measures the ease with which water can move through pore spaces when a unit hydraulic gradient is applied?
• Explain Rankine active and passive earth pressures and their use in retaining-wall design.
• Which flow regime is characterized by irregular, crossing pathlines indicating chaotic motion?
• How are minor losses accounted for in head-loss calculations for a pipe network?
• Describe the difference between a siphon and a pump in terms of energy input and potential head.
• What is the primary purpose of a flow net in seepage analysis under a dam?
• Capillarity effects are most pronounced in which soils, often causing suction and swelling with moisture changes?
• How is the plasticity index defined?
• Which statement is not a characteristic of cohesionless soils?
• In the USCS, which symbol denotes a lean clay?
• Which expressions approximate minor loss coefficients for sudden expansion and contraction in pipe flow?
• Which parameter is used to describe the void space relative to solid particles in soil?
• The friction angle in soil mechanics is used to describe which soil property?
• Which expression represents Bernoulli's equation along a streamline for steady, incompressible, inviscid flow?
• Which parameter measures the water content relative to the solids in a soil sample?
• What does the Proctor compaction test determine?
• Which term describes the measure of the particle size distribution in soils?
• If the groundwater table in a soil formation rises as a result of flooding, the bearing capacity of the soil:
• What is the Reynolds number and how does it influence the friction factor and flow regime?
• In Rankine theory for noncohesive soils, Ka is given by which expression?
• What is the term for the line joining the points of highest elevation of water in a series of vertical open pipes rising from a pipeline where water flows under pressure?
• The ratio between the weight of water and the weight of solid particles is called what?
• Water hammer is caused by rapid valve closure or pump trip leading to a pressure surge. Which of the following is a common mitigation method?
• Compare discharge characteristics of a sharp-crested weir and a V-notch weir; provide standard discharge formulas.
• In minor losses, provide typical values for gate valves and the effect of throttling.
• State the general expression for head losses due to sudden expansion and sudden contraction in a pipe and define their K coefficients.
• The total pressure force on a plane surface is equal to the area multiplied by the intensity of pressure at the centroid if the surface is:
• What is the Hardy Cross method used for in balancing a looped pipe network?
• Which statement best describes hydrodynamics?
• Explain the role of relative density in sands and how it impacts bearing capacity and settlement.
• In a flow net, what do the flow channels represent?
• State the effective stress principle and define sigma' in soil mechanics.
• A flow net is composed of which two elements?
• Which phenomenon occurs when a moving liquid is suddenly stopped or redirected, producing a pressure surge?
• Which statement about Rankine earth pressures for noncohesive soils is true?
• A venturi meter measures discharge by relating a differential pressure across the throat to flow. Which statement best describes its principle?
• According to USCS, particles larger than 75 mm are called:
• Open-channel flow in a natural stream is described using Manning’s equation. State the equation and define A, R, S, and n. Provide typical n values for natural channels and lined channels.
• Which symbol denotes well-graded gravels in USCS?
• Which statement is NOT an assumption of Bernoulli's principle as applied to pipe-flow problems?
• The ease with which water can move through a saturated soil layer under a hydraulic gradient is described by which property?
• Capillary rise in unsaturated soils has what effect on matric suction?
• For open-channel flow, express velocity V using Manning's equation and define the hydraulic radius R.
• According to USCS, a soil grain size greater than No. 200 sieve opening (0.074 mm) but less than that of a No. 4 sieve (4.75 mm) is called:
• Which statement best outlines infinite slope stability assessment for a saturated soil layer on a slope?
• A type of flow where at any instant, the amount of fluid particles passing through a pipe section is constant.
• In seepage-control design, what is the role of drainage blankets?