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FCE 311 GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
COURSE OUTLINE AND
GENERAL OVERVIEW
Department of Civil & Construction Engineering
University of Nairobi
Course Description
• This course is an introductory part of Soil
Mechanics, which focuses on soil formation, soil structures, physical properties of soils, soil classifications, soil compaction and permeability.
Student Learning Outcomes
• Competence in the principles of soil mechanics
• Ability to list the relevant engineering properties of soils and their characteristics and describe the factors which control these properties.
• Apply laboratory methods of determining the properties of soils.
Student Learning Outcomes
• Ability to identify common situations when the soil becomes a factor in an engineering or environmental problem.
• Ability to apply basic analytical procedures to obtain the engineering quantity desired and understand their limitations.
Teaching Methodology and Techniques
• This course relies on lectures and Power Point presentation by the lecturer. Worked examples will be offered. Students will then be required to contribute to discussions based on the explanations and will need to read the corresponding section in the assigned textbook.
Detailed Course outline:
Lesson 1:• Introduction - definitions of Soil Mechanics
and Soil.
• Soil formation - physical and chemical weathering, residual and alluvial soils, and tropical soils.
Detailed Course outline:
Lesson 2:• Clay mineralogy, soil structure, Lesson 3:• Basic properties, Phase relationshipsLesson 4:Physical properties of soils, water content,
specific gravity, bulk and dry densities, field densities.
Detailed Course outline:Lesson 5:• Consistency and plasticity of soils.Lesson 6:• Determination of soil properties by laboratory
testingLesson 7:• Particle size analysis and Lesson 8:Soil description and Classification
Detailed Course outline:Lesson 9:• Soil compaction, laboratory and field
compaction tests. Dry density/water content/air content relationships.
Laboratory tests
• Liquid Limit determination• Plastic Limit determination• Dry Density Determination using Sand
Replacement• Particle Size Distribution Determination by
Dry Sieving• Compaction Tests• Specific Gravity of Soils
Assessment
• Lectures – Mandatory • Laboratory tests – 10%• CAT – 20%• Final Examination – 70%
General Overview
ground
Typical Geotechnical Project
construction site
Geo-Laboratory~ for testing
Design Office~ for design & analysis
soil samples
soil properties
design details
01/05/23
GEOTECHNICAL APPLICATIONS
Shallow Foundations
15bed rock
firm ground
~ for transferring building loads to underlying ground
~ mostly for firm soils or light loads
Shallow Foundations
Deep Foundations
17
bed rock
weak soil
PILE
~ for transferring building loads to underlying ground
~ mostly for weak soils or heavy loads
Deep Foundations
18Driven timber piles
Retaining Walls
19
~ for retaining soils from spreading laterally
RoadTrain
retaining wall
Earth Dams
20
~ for impounding water
soil
reservoirclay core shell
Concrete Dams
21
reservoir
soil
concrete dam
Concrete Dams
22Three Gorges Dam, Hong Kong
Concrete Dams
23
Earthworks
24Roadwork
~ preparing the ground prior to construction
Geofabrics
25
~ used for reinforcement, separation, filtration and drainage in roads, retaining walls, embankments…
Geofabrics used Isiolo Airport
Reinforced Earth Walls
26
~ using geofabrics to strengthen the soil
Soil Nailing
27
~ steel rods placed into holes drilled into the walls and grouted
Sheet Piles
28
~ sheets of interlockingsteel or timber driven into the ground, forming a continuous sheet
ship
warehouse
sheet pile
Sheet Piles
29
~ resist lateral earth pressures
~ used in excavations, waterfront structures, ..
Sheet Piles
30
~ used in temporary works
Cofferdam
31
~ sheet pile walls enclosing an area, to prevent water seeping in
Landslides
32
Tunneling
33
Blasting
34
For ore recovery in mines
Ground Improvement
35Impact Roller to Compact the Ground
Ground Improvement
36Sheepsfoot Roller to Compact Clay Soils
Ground Improvement
37Smooth-wheeled Roller
Ground Improvement
38
Big weights dropped from 25 m, compacting the ground.
Craters formed in compaction
Environmental Geomechanics
39
Waste Disposal in Landfills
Instrumentation
40
~ to monitor the performances of earth and earth supported structures
~ to measure loads, pressures, deformations, strains,…
Soil Testing
Cone Penetration Test Truck
Soil Testing
More Field Tests
Standard Penetration TestVane Shear Test
Soil Testing
43Triaxial Test on Soil Sample in Laboratory
Soil Testing
44Variety of Field Testing Devices
Typical Safety Factors
45
Type of Design Safety Factor
Probability of Failure
Earthworks 1.3-1.5 1/500
Retaining structures
1.5-2.0 1/1500
Foundations 2.0-3.0 1/5000
Great Contributors to the Developments in Geotechnical
Engineering
Karl Terzaghi1883-1963
C.A.Coulomb1736-1806
WJM Rankine1820-1872 A.Casagrande
1902-1981
L. Bjerrum1918-1973
A.W.Skempton1914-
G.F.Sowers1921-1996
G.A. Leonards1921-1997
Geotechnical Engineering Landmarks
Leaning Tower of Pisa
49
Our blunders become monuments!
Hoover Dam, USA
50Tallest (221 m) concrete dam
Petronas Tower, Malaysia
51
Tallest building in the world
Monuments
52
and….
Geo-engineering at UoN
54
FCE 311Geotechnical Engineering I
FCE 411Geotechnical Engineering II
FCE 511Geotechnical Engineering III
PostGraduateGeotechnical Engineering
Practicals
55
~ five practical sessions~ closed footwear must be worn in the lab
Some Suggestions
56
Attend the lectures.
Develop a good feel for the subject.
It takes longer to understand from the lecture notes
It is practical, interesting and makes lot of sense.
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