Course detail

Soil Mechanics

FAST-BF02Acad. year: 2013/2014

Soil difference of other building materials - particle nature, more-phases system. Soil formation, clay minerals, residual soils.
Properties of soils from the point of view of separate phases. Water in soil. Soil state charakteristics.
Classification of soils for engineering purposes.
Water flowing through soils. Shear strength of soils. Stress path. Soil properties during loading. Consolidation of soils. Practical application.
Stresses in soils. Vertical and horizontal geostatical stress. Stress from external loading.
Limit states. Geotechnical categories. Bearing capacity of soils. Settlement of soils. Failures of constructions due to exceeding of 2nd limit state. Time settlement.
Stability analysis of slope. The principles of slope stability solving. Influence of water to slope stability. Saving of slopes.
Earth pressures. Aim of soil compaction. Influence of compaction to soil parameters. Improvement of soil prperties, stabilization, frezing, grouting.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

5

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Department

Institute of Geotechnics (GTN)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

To provide students with basic knowledge about soil properties and soil behaviour for safe and economical design of foundations, design of earth body and for vertical structures design. Student will master the course objective and will have basic knowledge about soil properties and soil behaviour for safe and economical design of foundations, design of earth body and for vertical structures design.

Prerequisites

Soil formation, types of foundation soils, engineering geological investigation, strength and elasticity of materials, basic principles of structural mechanics, load design.

Co-requisites

Environmental geotechnics, risks of geotechnical structures.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The presented topic is practiced on credit examples including the parts individually discussed. Part of the exercise takes place in soil mechanics laboratory.
Teaching methods depend on the type of course unit as specified in the article 7 of BUT Rules for Studies and Examinations.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Conditions of credit is to develope a final credit examples and laboratory reports and satisfying attendance.The exam will consist of written and oral part. Condition of the oral exam is a written test conditions.

Course curriculum

1. Soil difference of other building materials – particle nature, more-phases system. Soil formation, clay minerals. Properties of soils from the point of view of separate phases.
2. Water in soil. Soil state characteristics.
3. Classification of soils for engineering purposes. Water flowing through soil.
4. Shear strength of soils. Principle of effective stress. Stress paths.
5. Soil properties during loading. Consolidation of soils. Practical applications.
6. Stresses in soils. Geostatical stress. Contact pressure. Stress from external loading.
7. Limit states. Geotechnical categories. Bearing capacity. 1st limit state check.
8. Settlement of soils. 2nd limit state check. Examples of failures.
9. Time settlement. Time settlement monitoring below structures.
10. Stability of slopes. The principles of slope stability analysis. Methods of solution.
11. Influence of water to slope stability. Rehabilitation and protection of slopes.
12. Earth pressures. Active, passive and at rest pressures. Influence of water.
13. Soil compaction– the main aim. Influence of compaction to soil parameters. Improvement of soil properties, stabilization, freezing, grouting etc.

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

To provide students with basic knowledge about soil properties and soil behaviour for safe and economical design of foundations, design of earth body and for vertical structures design.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Extent and forms are specified by guarantor’s regulation updated for every academic year.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

POWRIE, W.: Soil Mechanics: Concepts and Applications. Spon Press, 2002. (EN)
WEIGLOVÁ, Kamila: Mechanika zemin. Brno: AN CERM , s.r.o., 2007. ISBN: 80-7204-507-5. (CS)

Recommended reading

ŠIMEK,J., JESENÁK,J., ECHLER,J., VANÍČEK,I.: Mechanika zemin. SNTL Praha, 1990. (CS)
ATKINSON, John: An Introduction to the Mechanics of Soils and Foundations. McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1993. (EN)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme ARCHURB Bachelor's

    branch ARCH , 1. year of study, summer semester, compulsory

  • Programme B-P-C-ST Bachelor's

    branch VS , 2. year of study, summer semester, compulsory

  • Programme B-P-E-SI Bachelor's

    branch VS , 2. year of study, summer semester, compulsory

  • Programme B-K-C-SI Bachelor's

    branch VS , 2. year of study, summer semester, compulsory

  • Programme B-P-C-SI Bachelor's

    branch VS , 2. year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

1. Soil difference of other building materials – particle nature, more-phases system. Soil formation, clay minerals. Properties of soils from the point of view of separate phases.
2. Water in soil. Soil state characteristics.
3. Classification of soils for engineering purposes. Water flowing through soil.
4. Shear strength of soils. Principle of effective stress. Stress paths.
5. Soil properties during loading. Consolidation of soils. Practical applications.
6. Stresses in soils. Geostatical stress. Contact pressure. Stress from external loading.
7. Limit states. Geotechnical categories. Bearing capacity. 1st limit state check.
8. Settlement of soils. 2nd limit state check. Examples of failures.
9. Time settlement. Time settlement monitoring below structures.
10. Stability of slopes. The principles of slope stability analysis. Methods of solution.
11. Influence of water to slope stability. Rehabilitation and protection of slopes.
12. Earth pressures. Active, passive and at rest pressures. Influence of water.
13. Soil compaction– the main aim. Influence of compaction to soil parameters. Improvement of soil properties, stabilization, freezing, grouting etc.

Exercise

26 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

1. Sampling and sample preparation. Physical - index properties of soils. Phase relationships.
2. Soil classification.
3. Shear strength. Total and effective strength. Peak and residual parameters.
4. Laboratory: physical index properties.
5. Laboratory: mechanical properties.
6. Geostetical stress. Effective stress. Effects of under groundwater.
7. Stress from external loading.
8. Settlement of the ground. Assessment of the II.limit state.
9. The time course of settlement.
10. Bearing capacity of foundation soil. Assessment of the I.limit state.
11. Slope stability - Rodriguez, Petterson. Slope stability under groundwater.
12. Earth pressure.
13. Credit.