# GATE Questions & Answers of Stress distribution in soils - Boussinesq’s and Westergaard’s theories

## What is the Weightage of Stress distribution in soils - Boussinesq’s and Westergaard’s theories in GATE Exam?

Total 5 Questions have been asked from Stress distribution in soils - Boussinesq’s and Westergaard’s theories topic of Foundation Engineering subject in previous GATE papers. Average marks 1.60.

A  uniformaly distribute line load of 500 kN/m is acting on the ground surface. Based on Boussinesq's theory the ratio of vertical stress at a depth 2 m to that at 4 m, right below the line of loading is

Consider a square-shaped area ABCD on the ground with its centre at M as shown in the figure. Four concentrated vertical loads of P= 5000 kN are applied on this area, one at each corner.

The vertical stress increment (in kPa, up to one decimal place) due to these loads according to the Boussinesq’s equation, at a point 5 m right below M, is____________

The vertical stress at point P1 due to the point load Q on the ground surface as shown in figure is σ2. According to Boussinesq’s equation, the vertical stress at point P2 shown in figure will be