Course detail
Earth Structures
FAST-CF001Acad. year: 2018/2019
- Types of earth structures - cuttings, embankments, traffic bodies, dams, landfills.
- Properties of natural, waste, lightweight geomaterials.
- Compaction and stabilization of soils.
- General principles of design of earth structures (ultimate and servisibility limit states).
- Improvement, reinforcement of soils (Preloading, Vacuum consolidation, Vertical drains, Deep dynamic compaction, Vibro compaction, Stone columns, Deep soil mixing, Geosynthetics).
Supervisor
Department
Institute of Geotechnics (GTN)
Learning outcomes of the course unit
Students will acquire these knowledge:
- Mechanical behavior of geomaterials, which are used in transport structures,
- Principles and methods for the design of earth structures with regard to their stability and deformation,
- Technological procedures construction of earth structures (improvement of soil/subsoil, etc.).
Skills:
- Design and assessment of earth structures based on analytical calculation,
- Guidance for the design of earth structures using software.
Prerequisites
Essentials of material behaviour (theory of Elasticity and Plasticity), classification of soils, Mechanical properties of soils, Effective stress.
Co-requisites
Mechanical properties of rocks, Water flow, Numerical modeling
Recommended optional programme components
Optionally, students can attend lectures, field trips and workshops that are offered to them during the semester.
Recommended or required reading
Not applicable.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The presented topic is practiced on a project. Part of the exercise takes place in a classroom PC - application software for the solution of the problem. Project is closed by oral presentations. Technological procedures are presented in the form of short videos. Textbooks are available in electronic form, including references to the literature.
Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes
For successful completion of the course must meet the following conditions:
1st. The credit.
1.1 Conditions for obtaining credit - attendance, examples and project submission.
2nd. Passing exams.
2.1 The written exam consists of theory and example. The minimum threshold for passing the exam is 50% of both parts. In case of a tie result of the written examination followed by an oral part.
Language of instruction
Czech
Work placements
Not applicable.
Course curriculum
1. Introduction of Earth structures.
2. Mechanical properties and specifics of soils.
3. Mechanical properties and specifics of rock material, secondary materials, light weight fills.
4. General principles of designing earth structures – settlements analysis.
5. General principles of designing earth structures – stabilty analysis.
6. Ground improvement – Preloading, Vacuum Consolidation, Vertical drains.
7. Ground improvement – Deep Compaction.
8. Ground improvement - Deep Soil Mixing.
9. Ground improvement – Stone Columns.
10. Geosynthetics - properties; separation, filtration, drainage and erosion function.
11. Geosynthetics - reinforcement function.
12. Technology of Earth structures(embankment, cut-off).
13. Monitoring of Earth structures.
Aims
Aim of this subject is to introduce theoretical and technological issues of earth structures with special emphasis on traffic structures. Theoretical part of the subject introduces basic theoretical principles, design procedures of earth structures (stability, deformation, ground improvement) and their analysis.
Technological part is dedicated to the issues connected with execution of the earth structures. It discusses construction requirements, ground improvement techniques and others.
Students will continuously verify gained knowledge on Seminars by manual calculations as well as by calculations supported by specialized software.
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.
Classification of course in study plans
- Programme N-P-E-SI (N) Master's
branch K , 1. year of study, winter semester, 4 credits, compulsory
- Programme N-K-C-SI (N) Master's
branch K , 1. year of study, winter semester, 4 credits, compulsory
- Programme N-P-C-SI (N) Master's
branch K , 1. year of study, winter semester, 4 credits, compulsory
Type of course unit
Lecture
26 hours, optionally
Teacher / Lecturer
Syllabus
1. Introduction of Earth structures.
2. Mechanical properties and specifics of soils.
3. Mechanical properties and specifics of rock material, secondary materials, light weight fills.
4. General principles of designing earth structures – settlements analysis.
5. General principles of designing earth structures – stabilty analysis.
6. Ground improvement – Preloading, Vacuum Consolidation, Vertical drains.
7. Ground improvement – Deep Compaction.
8. Ground improvement - Deep Soil Mixing.
9. Ground improvement – Stone Columns.
10. Geosynthetics - properties; separation, filtration, drainage and erosion function.
11. Geosynthetics - reinforcement function.
12. Technology of Earth structures(embankment, cut-off).
13. Monitoring of Earth structures.
Exercise
13 hours, compulsory
Teacher / Lecturer
Syllabus
1. Determination of strength parameters of geomaterials.
2. Determination of stifness and technological parameters of geomaterials.
3. Design of embankment (settlement analysis).
4. Design of embankment with using software (stability analysis).
5. Design of prefabricate vertical drains.
6. Design of mechanically stabilized earth wall.
7. Credits.