Course Details

Course Information Package

Course Unit TitleSOIL MECHANICS II
Course Unit CodeCEG220
Course Unit Details
Number of ECTS credits allocated5
Learning Outcomes of the course unitBy the end of the course, the students should be able to:
  1. Understand the definition and nature of soil failure and identify examples of soil failure in the field.
  2. Perform a shear box test on dense and loose dry sand and derive internal friction angle.
  3. Explain the effect of pore water pressure on soil strength – use of effective stress, volume changes causing pore fluid flow and concept of drained and undrained behaviour.
Mode of DeliveryFace-to-face
PrerequisitesCEG210Co-requisitesNONE
Recommended optional program componentsNONE
Course Contents

Introduction: review of material from Soil Mechanics I course.

Soil strength: inter-particle friction as source of soil strength, its dependence on effective stress and hence pore water pressure; inter-dependency of soil strength and density, concepts of dilation and critical state strengths; effect of permeability on volume change of saturated soils and undrained and drained behaviour; laboratory measurement of shear strength of soils using shear box and triaxial cell.

Shallow foundations: types of shallow foundations, derivation of bearing resistance equations and factors, verification of bearing resistance of example foundations.

Retaining walls: derivation of basic equations of active and passive earth pressure coefficients; verification of ultimate limits states of simple rc cantilever walls; types of retaining walls, their pros and cons and modes of failure.

Piled foundations: shaft friction and end bearing, negative shaft friction; types of piles and installation methods, pros and cons; situations where piled foundations are necessary.
Recommended and/or required reading:
Textbooks
  • “Soil Mechanics: Concepts and Applications”, Powrie, W., 2nd ed., Taylor & Francis.
  • “Soil Mechanics: Principles and Practice”, Barnes, G.E., 2nd ed., Palgrave Macmillan.
References
  • “The Mechanics of Soils and Foundations”, Atkinson, J., 2nd ed., Taylor & Francis.
Planned learning activities and teaching methodsThe course will be presented through theoretical lectures in class and by demonstration and student participation in laboratory classes. The lectures will present to the student the course content and allow for questions. Part of the material will be presented using visual aids. Lecture notes, homework assignments, laboratory data, practice questions, feedback and additional material such as site videos and photographs will be available to students at any time on the e-learning Moodle platform. The learning process will be enhanced with the requirement from the student to solve exercises and to process laboratory data. These include self-evaluation exercises which will be solved in class. Exercises will also be given as homework which will be part of their assessment. The instructor will be available to students during office hours or by appointment in order to provide any additional tutoring.
Assessment methods and criteria
Assignments8%
Laboratory Reports16%
Tests16%
Final Exam60%
Language of instructionEnglish
Work placement(s)NO

 Печать  E-mail