Programme And Module Handbook
 
Course Details in 2021/22 Session


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Module Title Soil Mechanics
SchoolSchool of Engineering
Department Civil Engineering
Module Code 04 19733
Module Lead Dr Asaad Farramarzi
Level Masters Level
Credits 20
Semester Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions MSc Geotechnical Engineering (compulsory), MSc Geotechnical Engineering and Management (compulsory)
Exclusions
Description This modules covers the following:
  • Physical Properties of Soils, Description of an assemblage of particles; properties of coarse grained soils; clay mineralogy; properties of fine grained soils; clay shrinkage and trees; frost heave, principle of effective stress for saturated and partially saturated soils.
  • Importance of seepage; groundwater head and Darcy’s Law; general equations for seepage flow; boundary conditions; flow nets; radial flow theory; laboratory permeability tests; field permeability tests and interpretation of test results. Groundwater control using groundwater extraction and exclusion techniques
  • Concepts of anisotropic and isotropic consolidation and compression; overconsolidation ratio; preconsolidation pressure; prediction of settlement; Terzaghi’s theory of consolidation; isochrones; finite difference methods for consolidation problems; calculation of immediate and consolidation settlements, creep settlement, collapse settlements
  • Fundamental theory of stress and strain, drained and undrained shear tests on normally consolidated clays, Dilatancy theory, drained and undrained shear tests on heavily overconsolidated clays, wet and dry soils, Failure criteria, stress paths analysis
  • Routine soil tests interpretation, index tests, Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion, one-dimensional and three-dimensional compression, undrained shear strength, pore water pressure coefficients
  • Critical State Soil Mechanics: Critical State Framework, establishment of State Boundary Surface, Roscoe Surface for normally consolidated clays, normalized q & p/ plots, the Hvorslev surface, sands and the critical state model
  • Routine soil tests interpreted according to the critical state model
Learning Outcomes By the end of the module students should be able to:
  • Comprehensively recall, evaluate and use the basic theories of soil mechanics.
  • Critically distinguish and interpret soil test results
  • Systematically interpret settlements and shear strength behaviour based on soil test data.
  • Critically recall, clarify, evaluate and apply the fundamental principles of permeability and seepage and use these to analyse different engineering problems
  • Critically evaluate, recall and use the concept of soil mechanics and interpret critically the volume change and shearing behaviour of soils.
  • Critically recall, evaluate and apply the unifying concept of critical state soil mechanics.
Assessment 19733-08 : Coursework : Coursework (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions Assessment: 50% Coursework – 50% exam (2hr Centrally Managed)
Reassessment: 100% exam only (online coursework if Cantrally Managed Exams not possible)
Other none
Reading List Knappett J.A. and Craig R.F., 2012, Craig’s Soil Mechanics, 8th Edition, Spon Press
Barnes, G.E. (2009) Soil Mechanics, principle and practice, 3rd ed, Macmillian Press Ltd