| Unit name | Applied Soil Mechanics 2 |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CENG20007 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2C (weeks 13 - 18) 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 |
To enable students to gain a sound grasp of the fundamentals of soil material behaviour. To introduce students to some methods of Geotechnical Analysis.
At the end of the unit the student will be able to
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.
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.
3. Recall and use simple descriptions of one-dimensional stiffness of soils to estimate deformations of soils. Be able to describe the time dependent effective stress changes in fine-grained soils and calculate short term and long term responses to changes in total stress. .
4. Explain and be able to apply the basic principles of the seepage in both uniform and layered soils, to determine the flow of water around typical geotechnical structures. Be able to calculate and sketch profiles of total head, elevation head and pressure head, pore water pressure and effective stress with seepage.
5. Be able to draw, interpret and use Mohr's circle of stress (total and effective) and stress paths to illustrate and explain soil behaviour. .
6. Be able to describe procedures and basic concepts of standard laboratory tests. Develop some practical experience of using such test results in geotechnical calculations. .
7. Be able to describe and derive the concept of failure criteria for soils. Be able to explain the concept of drained and undrained shear strength and the implications for typical geotechnical problems. Be able to predict the pore water pressure generation during undrained loading and the relevant link between drained and undrained shear strength. Be able to discuss and compare the main similarities and differences between the stressstrain behaviour of sands and clays under consolidation and shearing.
8. Be able explain the factors which influence compaction of soils. Be able to interpret standard compaction tests. Have some knowledge of how earthworks contracts are controlled.
9. Be able to apply some methods of Geotechnical Analysis to solve simple problems for two-dimensional flow in soils, slope stability and earth retaining structures.
30 hours of Lectures
15 hours of Examples classes
6 hours of laboratory work
Laboratory work (25%) (ILOs 6,9)
3 hour written exam (75%) (ILOs 1-5,7-9)
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. CENG20007).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
