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Civil Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering 1

Chapter 1

Introduction to Geotechnical
Engineering
References:
An Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering by: Robert Holtz, William
D. Kovacs, and Thomas C. Sheanan
Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering by: Braja M. Das
Dr. Marcos
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Definitions
Soil uncosolidated or uncemented aggregate of mineral
grains and decayed organic matter with liquid and gas in the
empty spaces between the solid particles.
Geotechnical Engineering- subdiscipline of civil
engineering that involves natural materials found close to
the surface of the earth (soil and rock). It includes the
application of the principles of soil mechanics and rock
mechanics to the design of foundations, retaining structures,
and earth structures.
Soil Mechanics- deals with the study of physical properties
of soil and the behavior of soil masses subjected to various
types of forces.
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Definitions
Foundation Engineering applies engineering geology,
soil mechanics, rock mechanics and structural engineering
to the design and construction of foundations for civil
engineering and other structures.
Rock Engineering- analogous to foundation engineering
for soils, is concerned with rock as a foundation and
construction material.
Geoenvironmental Engineering- interdiciplinary field that
is involved in the solution of environmental problems
involving soil and rock.
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Unique nature of soil materials
Gravel
Sand
Silt Clay
--cohesionless--
--cohesive--
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Soils are particles of rock- broken up pieces of rock.
Unique nature of soil materials
Soils are heterogeneous rather than homogeneous materials.
Soils are nonlinear-their stress-strain curves are not straight
lines.
Soils are non-conservative-they have fantastic memory-
they remember almost everything that ever happened to
them-this fact strongly affects their engineering behavior.
Lets complicate things!!!
Soils are anisotropic-their material or engineering
properties are not the same in all directions
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A successful geotechnical engineer must develop a feel
for soil and rock behavior before a safe and economic
foundation or tunnel design can be made, an earth structure
can be safely built, or an environmentally sound waste
containment and disposal system or a site remediation plan
can be developed.
Remember
Soils and Rocks are indeed complex engineering and
construction materials.
To summarize..
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Geotechnical engineering began in 18
th
century.
Historical Background
Geotechnical engineering was based on past experiences
without any real scientific character.
Many structures were built-some of which have crumbled-
some are still standing
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Historical Background
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Built prior to 18
th
century in Italy
Supported by a circular base of
20m
Tilted by more than 5m out of
plumb to south with the 54m
height
Weak clay layers exists at a depth
of about 11 m below the ground
surface
Stabilized by excavation-now
leans 5 degrees.
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Historical Background
Garisenda Tower (left) and Asinelli Tower (right)
Built 12
th
century in Italy
Garisenda tower tilted 4 degrees
Asinelli tower tilted 1.3 degrees.
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Geotechnical Engineering after 1927
Karl Terzaghi
1883-1963
C.A.Coulomb
1736-1806
WJM Rankine
1820-1872
A.Casagrande
1902-1981
A.W.Skempton
1914-
R. Peck
Father
of modern
Soil Mechanics
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Geotechnical Engineering Landmarks
Hoover Dam (USA)
Tallest (221 m)
concrete dam
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Geotechnical Engineering Landmarks
Burj Khalifa (Dubai)
Tallest (829.8 m)
Man made structure
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Geotechnical Engineering Landmarks
Monuments
13
and.
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Attend the lectures- it takes longer to understand from the
lecture notes
Suggestions to the Study of Geotechnical
Engineering
Knowledge of geology
Knowledge of engineering mechanics, strength of materials
and fluid mechanics
Develop a good feel for the subject - it is practical,
interesting, and makes a lot of sense
Approach to the Study
Performing laboratory tests and field tests
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Some suggestions:
WORK HARD
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Some suggestions:
DO NOT WAIT FOR THE LAST MINUTE
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How much soil will deform when it is loaded?
LETS BEGIN------Think about:
When loads are applied, on what rate does soil deform?
How much load can we apply to soil before it fails?
How does soil fails?
Soil mechanics point of view
Fluid mechanics issues
How does water flow through soils? (How fast?)
How can fluid flow through soil cause it to fail?