TCE Geotechnical Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

Different modes of shear failures in soil include general shear failure, punching shear failure, and local shear failure.

• General shear failure occurs along a plane within the soil mass.

• Punching shear failure happens when a foundation settles and punches through the soil beneath it.

• Local shear failure involves the development of shear planes around localized weak zones.

• Other modes of shear failures include slope failure...read more

Pile design concepts involve determining the type, size, and arrangement of piles to support structures on soft or unstable ground.

• Consider the soil conditions and load requirements to determine the type of pile (e.g. driven piles, bored piles, or screw piles)

• Calculate the required pile length based on the depth of stable soil or rock and the expected loads

• Design the pile cap to distribute the loads from the structure ...read more

Termination criteria of a borehole refer to the conditions under which drilling is stopped.

• Termination criteria can include reaching the desired depth, encountering unstable ground conditions, or equipment failure.

• Other factors such as budget constraints or time limitations may also influence termination.

• For example, if the borehole reaches the target depth without encountering any significant obstacles, it may be term...read more

An intermediate Geo material is a material that falls between two extremes in terms of its geotechnical properties.

• Intermediate Geo materials have properties that are neither purely cohesive nor purely granular.

• They may exhibit characteristics of both cohesive and granular materials.

• Examples include silty sands, sandy clays, and clayey gravels.

Foundation type can be identified through site investigation, soil testing, and analysis of building requirements.

• Conduct site investigation to understand soil conditions

• Perform soil testing to determine soil properties and bearing capacity

• Analyze building requirements such as load, type of structure, and environmental factors

• Common foundation types include shallow foundations (e.g. strip, pad, raft) and deep foundatio...read more