Skip to main content

Unit information: Applied Soil Mechanics 2 in 2016/17

Please note: you are viewing unit and programme information for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.

Unit name Applied Soil Mechanics 2
Unit code CENG20007
Credit points 20
Level of study I/5
Teaching block(s) Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director Professor. Diambra
Open unit status Not open
Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

NOne

School/department Department of Civil Engineering
Faculty Faculty of Engineering

Description including Unit Aims

To enable students to gain a sound grasp of the fundamentals of soil material behaviour. To introduce students to some methods of Geotechnical Analysis.

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the unit the student will be able to

ILO 1. Recognise the nature of stress and pore water pressure in soils; state the definition of the principle of effective stress and state its importance; and calculate profiles of total and effective stress beneath horizontal ground for one-dimensional cases. PLO A2

ILO 2. State the definitions of soil phase relationships and soil properties (void ratio, porosity, moisture content, density, etc.); calculate these properties from their inter-relationships; and recognise their significance and use in practice. PLO A1

ILO 3. Recall and use simple descriptions of one-dimensional stiffness of soils to estimate deformations of soils. PLO B5

ILO 4. Apply the spring/piston analogy for stress change in fine-grained soils and calculate short term and long term responses to changes in total stress. Recognise the nature of soil strength and apply a simple empirical expression for frictional strength. PLO A2

ILO 5. State the definition of ‘total head’ and state its role in controlling the flow of water in soils. Sketch profiles of groundwater pressure, and calculate total head, elevation head and pressure head. PLO A2

ILO 6. Summarise the standard methods of soil classification. PLO A2

ILO 7. explain the fundamental and principles of Engineering Geology; (PLO A2)

ILO 8. explain the basic principles of the seepage in soils, effective stresses, shear and compression behaviour of soils; (PLO A2)

ILO 10. apply the basic principles of the seepage in soils, Mohr’s circle, stress paths, effective stresses, shear and compression behaviour of soils to solve simple geotechnical problems; (PLO A2)

ULO 11. devise mathematical models of simple geotechnical problems; (PLO A1)

ULO 12. apply some methods of Geotechnical Analysis to solve simple problems for two-dimensional flow in soils, slope stability and earth retaining structures (PLO B5)

Teaching Information

30 hours of Lectures

15 hours of Examples classes

5 hours of laboratory work

Assessment Information

Laboratory work (25%)

3 hour written exam (75%)

Reading and References

David Muir Wood Soil mechanics: a one-dimensional introduction.
Lambe TW & Whitman RV Soil mechanics. Wiley

Craig RF. "Soil Mechanics". 7th Ed. E & FN Spon, 2004 and e-book

Scott CR. "Introduction to Soil Mechanics and Foundations". Applied Science.

Powrie W. “ Soil Mechanics, concepts and applications” Second Edition, Spon press, Taylor & Francis group

Feedback