Question Bank • QB_SUB_SWCE_0280 NAT • 2 Marks

Section 4: Soil and Water Conservation Engineering

Soil Mechanics

Subtopic: Active and passive earth pressures

Question Statement:

For a cohesionless sandy backfill with an angle of internal friction $\phi = 30^\circ$, Rankine's coefficient of active earth pressure $K_a$ is:

Answer Key:

0.333

Step-by-Step Solution & Explanation

Rankine's active earth pressure coefficient: $K_a = \frac{1 - \sin\phi}{1 + \sin\phi} = \frac{1 - \sin(30^\circ)}{1 + \sin(30^\circ)} = \frac{1 - 0.5}{1 + 0.5} = \frac{0.5}{1.5} = 0.333$
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