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

DEFINITIONS
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.
Soil unconsolidated or uncemented aggregate of mineral grains and
decayed organic matter with liquid and gas in the empty spaces between
the solid particles.

 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- interdisciplinary
field that is involved in the solution of
environmental problems involving soil and rock.

UNIQUE NATURE OF SOIL MATERIALS

Gravel

Silt

--cohesionless-- Sand

--cohesive--

Clay

Unique nature of soil materials

Soils are particles of rock- broken up pieces of rock.

Soils are heterogeneous rather than homogeneous materials.

Soils are nonlinear-their stress-strain curves are not straight

lines.

Lets complicate things!!!

Soils are non-conservative-they have fantastic memory- they

remember almost everything that ever happened to themthis fact strongly affects their engineering behavior.
Soils are anisotropic-their material or engineering properties
are not the same in all directions

 Remember
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.

To summarize..
Soils and Rocks are indeed complex engineering and
construction materials.

 Historical Background
Geotechnical engineering began in 18th century.
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

Historical Background
Built prior to 18th 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.
Leaning Tower of Pisa

 Historical Background
Built 12th century in Italy
Garisenda tower tilted 4
degrees
Asinelli tower tilted 1.3
degrees.

Garisenda Tower (left) and Asinelli Tower (right)

Geotechnical Engineering after 1927

Father
of modern
Soil
Mechanics
C.A.Coulomb
1736-1806

Karl Terzaghi
1883-1963

A.Casagrande
1902-1981

WJM Rankine
1820-1872

A.W.Skempton
1914

R. Peck

Geotechnical Engineering Landmarks

Tallest (221 m)

concrete dam

Hoover Dam (USA)

Geotechnical Engineering Landmarks

Tallest (829.8 m)
Man made structure

Burj Khalifa (Dubai)

Geotechnical Engineering Landmarks

Monuments

and.

13

 Suggestions to the Study of

Geotechnical Engineering
Attend the lectures- it takes longer to understand from the lecture notes

Develop a good feel for the subject - it is

practical, interesting, and makes a lot of sense

Approach to the Study

Knowledge of geology
Knowledge of engineering mechanics, strength
of materials and fluid mechanics
Performing laboratory tests and field tests

Some suggestions:

WORK HARD

Some suggestions:

DO NOT WAIT FOR THE LAST MINUTE

LETS BEGIN------Think about:

Soil mechanics point of view
How much soil will deform when it is loaded?

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?

Fluid mechanics issues

How does water flow through soils? (How fast?)
How can fluid flow through soil cause it to fail?