Question

The stress component which acts on any point in the surrounding material before the excavation of the shaft can be resolved into __________ parts.

(a) 3

(b) 5

(c) 2

(d) 4

This question was addressed to me in an internship interview.

The question is from Stress Distribution in the Vicinity of Shafts in section Shafts, Tunnels and Conduits of Geotechnical Engineering II

Answer 1

The correct option is (a) 3

Easiest explanation: i) Stresses due to the weight of material and ii) stress due to pressure exerted by the equivalent liquid are the two stress component that acts at any point on the material.