Civil Engineering PE

Answer: C - A consolidation test is performed to determine the magnitude and rate of volume decrease that a laterally confined soil sample undergoes when subjected to varying vertical pressures. Consolidation test results are used to estimate the magnitude and rate of settlement of a structure or filled earth. Compaction tests are performed to determine the optimal moisture content at which a given soil sample will achieve its maximum dry density. Convection tests are typically performed by researchers studying heat transfer, not soil sciences.