Résumé de section

  • Course Description

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    Course Overview
    This course covers the analysis and design of foundations, slopes, and earth-retaining structures. Students will learn to evaluate soil behavior under different loading conditions, apply stability theories, and design geotechnical solutions for real-world engineering challenges. The course combines theory with practical applications, including lab work and case studies, to prepare students for professional practice in civil and geotechnical engineering.
     
    A strong foundation in Strength of Materials 1 and Soil Mechanics 1 is required. These courses provide essential knowledge of stress-strain relationships, soil classification, and basic geotechnical principles, ensuring students are prepared for advanced topics like shear strength and slope stability analysis.
     

  • Contact form

    • University:  Mohamed Khider University of Biskra

      Faculty: Architecture, Urbanism, Civil Engineering, and Hydraulics

      Target audience: 3rd Year Licence students in Public Works

      Course title: Foundation and Earth Structures

      Semester: 6

      Coefficient: 02

      Credits: 04

      Teaching Unit: UEF 3.2.2

      Duration: 15 weeks

      Time per week: 01:30 hours lessons and 01:30 hours TD

      Teacher: Dr. Benmebarek Mohamed Amine

      Contact: mohamedamine.benmebarek@univ-biskra.dz 

      Availability:

      At the department: Monday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
      By email: Within 24 hours after receiving the message.

  • Mind-Map

    Have a look at the mind map of our class to get an overview of what we will cover this semester.

  • General objectives


    • The course Foundations and Earth Structures aims to equip students with the essential knowledge and skills in geotechnical engineering required for the analysis, design, and assessment of foundations and soil-related structures in public works. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
      - Understand fundamental principles of soil mechanics and their application to foundation and earth
      structure design.
       
      - Analyze slope stability using common calculation methods (Fellenius, Bishop).
       
      - Evaluate different foundation types for various soil conditions.
       
      - Apply earth pressure theories to retaining structure design.
       
      - Assess geotechnical risks in construction projects

  • Prerequisites

    Before beginning this course, students should have a solid understanding of the following concepts:
     
    - Strength of Materials 1: Stress-strain, beam bending, safety factors
    - Soil Mechanics 1: Soil classification, effective stress, compaction, permeability
     
    To assess these two prerequisites, a written test will be administered during a class session. If the score obtained is insufficient, you will be directed to a more detailed course to strengthen your knowledge.

  • Lesson Plan

    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

  • INTRODUCTION

  • CHAPTER 1: PLASTICITY AND SHEAR STRENGTH OF SOILS

    Shear strength test apparatus. The dotted rectangle shows the sample... | Download Scientific Diagram

  • CHAPTER 2: STABILITY OF SLOPES AND EMBANKMENTS

    Slope Stability Analysis to Correlate Shear Strength with Slope Angle and Shear Stress by Considering Saturated and Unsaturated Seismic Conditions

  • Exit Test

    Final Exams | Mundelein High School

  • References

    A selection of reference works is recommended to deepen the theoretical and technical concepts covered in the course:

    1. Costet, J. & Sanglerat, G. – Cours pratique de mécanique des sols, Dunod, 1981.
      → A comprehensive reference on the principles of soil mechanics applied to engineering.

    2. Phillipponat, G. & Hubert, B. – Fondations et ouvrages en terre, Collection Blanche BTP, 1997.
      → A specialized work on the design of foundations and the stability of geotechnical structures.

    3. Schlosser, F. – Éléments de mécanique des sols, Presses de l’École des Ponts, 1997.
      → A detailed approach to soil behavior and its modeling.

    4. Schlosser, F. – Exercices de mécanique des sols, Presses de l’École des Ponts, 1995.
      → A collection of solved exercises for practice and exam preparation.

    5. Olivari, G., Sanglerat, G., Cambou, B. – Problèmes pratiques de mécanique des sols, Dunod, 1987.
      → Case studies and practical applications based on real-world situations.

    6. Publications OPU, Algeria – Geotechnical Series.
      → Manuals adapted to the local context, often used as resources for tutorials or examinations.

    Geotechnical simulation software:

    • GeoStudio (SLOPE/W) for slope stability analysis.

    • Plaxis 2D for the modeling of foundations and retaining structures.

  • Your opinion

    Feedback: what it is, importance and how to give it - Actio

    • A feedback form is provided to collect valuable insights and suggestions for improving the content and teaching strategies, ensuring a more effective learning experience for the next year.

      Please download the file to fill out the form.

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