Question 1

One of the purposes of a desk study is to ascertain whether&#10;A) The walls of the proposed building should be built from brick or stone&#10;B) The roof of the proposed building should be flat or pitched&#10;C) The water, gas and electricity services are connected to the site&#10;D) The garage to the proposed building should be attached or detached&#10;E) The local pub has a darts team

Accepted Answer

The purpose of a desk study is to gather all available information about a site without physically visiting it. This includes information about the services available to the site, such as water, gas, and electricity connections. The other options listed are design decisions that would require further analysis and investigation beyond a desk study.

Question 2

The type of vegetation growing on a site can indicate whether&#10;A) The adjacent road is used by heavy goods vehicles&#10;B) The average wind speed is below 10mph&#10;C) The site adjoins a cemetery&#10;D) The site is close to a mobile phone mast&#10;E) The site has a high water table

Accepted Answer

The type of vegetation growing on a site can indicate the presence of a high water table. Certain plants and trees have adapted to grow in moist environments and can serve as indicators of a high water table.

Question 3

Sedimentary rocks are characterised by&#10;A) Solidification of molten material&#10;B) Consolidation of deposits by heat or pressure&#10;C) Cementing of deposits in layers&#10;D) Crystallisation of deposits in pockets&#10;E) Fusion of deposits by heat and pressure

Accepted Answer

Sedimentary rocks are formed from the accumulation of sediment that has been weathered and eroded from pre-existing rocks or minerals. This sediment is then transported and deposited in layers, and as more sediment accumulates, the weight and pressure cause the sediment to become compacted and cemented together, forming sedimentary rock. Therefore, the correct characteristic for sedimentary rocks is the cementing of deposits in layers.

Question 4

The particle size of non-cohesive soils is&#10;A) Very large&#10;B) Large&#10;C) Average&#10;D) Small&#10;E) Very small

Accepted Answer

Non-cohesive soils, such as sand and gravel, typically have larger particle sizes compared to cohesive soils like clay.

Question 5

The particle shape of cohesive soils is&#10;A) Triangular&#10;B) Rectangular&#10;C) Oval&#10;D) Spherical&#10;E) Angular

Accepted Answer

The answer of The particle shape of cohesive soils is&#10;A)...

Question 6

Organic soils are not generally recommended for building on, because A) They have poor loadbearing capacity B) They contain high amounts of vegetable oil C) They extract CO₂ from the air D) They tend to change colour when wet E) They tend to expand when dry

Accepted Answer

Organic soils have poor loadbearing capacity, which means they may not be able to support the weight of a building and could lead to settling or structural damage over time.

Question 7

Contaminated ground can be overcome by A) Planting sedge on the site B) Pouring phenolic acid into boreholes around the site C) Covering the ground with pulverised fuel ash D) Isolating it within protective barriers E) Heating it to 80⁰C for two hours

Accepted Answer

Isolating the contaminated ground within protective barriers is the best choice as it prevents the spread of contaminants to surrounding areas and allows for safe removal or treatment of the contaminated soil. Planting sedge on the site may help to absorb some contaminants, but it may not be effective for more severe cases. Pouring phenolic acid into boreholes may also be effective in treating contaminated soil, but it may be harmful to surrounding ecosystems. Covering the ground with pulverised fuel ash may help to stabilize the contaminants, but it may not be a long-term solution. Heating the contaminated ground to high temperatures may be effective in destroying some contaminants, but it may also release harmful pollutants into the atmosphere.

Question 8

The core sampler is preferred to the auger for taking soil samples because&#10;A) The samples are undisturbed&#10;B) The samples can be removed from deeper in the ground&#10;C) The samples show a differentiation between soil types&#10;D) The samples can be put back into the ground after testing&#10;E) The samples are lighter to carry back to the laboratory

Accepted Answer

The core sampler extracts a cylindrical sample of soil, which keeps the layers and structure of the soil intact, unlike the auger that can mix and disturb the layers. This means that the samples are undisturbed and can provide a more accurate representation of the soil.

Question 9

The vane test measures&#10;A) The acidity of synthetic soils&#10;B) The degree of compaction of topsoil&#10;C) The tensile strength of organic soils&#10;D) The shear strength of cohesive soils&#10;E) The compressive strength of non-cohesive soils

Accepted Answer

The vane test is a common method for measuring the shear strength of cohesive soils, which are soils that contain a high percentage of clay or silt particles. The vane test involves inserting a cylindrical vane into the soil and twisting it, while measuring the torque required to cause the soil to shear. This test is useful for determining the stability of slopes and foundations built on cohesive soils.

Question 10

The odeometer measures&#10;A) The plasticity of a soil sample&#10;B) The rate of consolidation of a soil sample&#10;C) The amount of sulphate salts in a soil sample&#10;D) The moisture content of a soil sample&#10;E) The pH value of a soil sample

Accepted Answer

The odometer test is used to measure the rate of consolidation of a soil sample under a load. It is commonly used in geotechnical engineering to determine the settlement characteristics of a soil. Option A, C, D, and E are irrelevant to the odometer test.

Deck 3: Site Investigation and the Type of Ground