The content of the course is organized around the following main areas:
Chapter 1: Plasticity and Shear Strength of Soils: This chapter introduces Mohr's Circle for stress analysis
and the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion to predict soil behavior. Students will explore shear strength
measurement techniques, including direct shear and triaxial tests, and examine differences between drained and undrained conditions. Practical exercises focus on interpreting lab data for design applications.
Chapter 2: Stability of Slopes and Embankments: This section analyzes landslide mechanisms, including
rotational slips and planar failures. Stability methods like Fellenius' and Bishop's approaches are applied to
compute safety factors, accounting for pore pressure and soil heterogeneity. Mitigation techniques, such as
drainage and soil nailing, are discussed through case studies.
Chapter 3: Earth Pressures: Students learn to calculate lateral earth pressures on retaining structures using
Rankine, Boussinesq, and Prandtl theories. The chapter covers at-rest, active, and passive states, emphasizing
their role in designing walls, sheet piles, and excavations. Real-world examples demonstrate how pressure
distributions influence stability.
Chapter 4: Shallow and Deep Foundations: Design principles for shallow foundations (bearing capacity,
settlement) and deep foundations (piles, caissons) are covered. Students will use Terzaghi's theory and in-situ
test data to size footings and estimate pile capacity, ensuring safe load transfer to the ground.
Chapter 5: Retaining Structure: The final chapter focuses on designing gravity walls, cantilever walls, and
sheet piles. Stability checks against sliding, overturning, and bearing failure are emphasized, with practical
examples illustrating design steps and material selection