Soil Mechanics And Foundations

LEARNING OUTCOMES

This a dual course that combines knowledge of soil mechanics with the design of foundations. Upon successful completion, the students will be able to:

• Differentiate between the various categories of soils and their geological characteristics
• Understand the mechanical response of the various soils and problems associated with the ingress of water
• Develop their understanding of soil movement and soil improvement methods
• Understand the basic principles of Eurocode 7 and limit state design
• Choose between the various types of shallow foundations the most suitable for a given soil profile

 

General Competences

• Search for, analysis and synthesis of data and information, with the use of the necessary technology
• Adapting to new situations
• Decision-making
• Working independently
• Team work
• Criticism and self-criticism
• Production of free, creative and inductive thinking

 

SYLLABUS

1. Soil Formation and Nature
2. Soil Particles
3. Soil Structure
4. Soil Description and Classification
5. Permeability
6. Groundwater Flow problems
7. Stability problems
8. Seepage
9. Total head, elevation head and pressure head
10. Pore pressure and uplift pressure
11. Effective Stress and Pore Pressure
12. Total stress
13. Pore pressures below the water table
14. Present state of stress in the ground
15. Contact Pressure and Stress Distribution
16. Uniform loading
17. Point loading
18. Stress distribution
19. Stresses beneath point load and line load
20. Stresses beneath uniformly loaded areas
21. Principle of superposition
22. Stresses beneath flexible area of any shape
23. Eurocode 7 Limit state analysis
24. Compressibility and Consolidation
25. Shear Strength
26. Mohr – Coulomb failure criterion
27. Shallow Foundations – Settlements
28. Isolated footings & combined footings
29. Strap footings
30. Raft/mat foundation
31. Diaphragm walls

 

STUDENT PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Language of evaluation: Greek
Methods of evaluation:
• Written test mid- semester (multiple choice questionnaires, short-answer questions, & problem-solving questions) accounting for 20%
• Written test end of semester (multiple choice questionnaires, short-answer questions, & problem-solving questions) accounting for 80%

 

ATTACHED BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Barnes G. E. 1995. Soil Mechanics – Principles and Practice-Macmillan Education UK
2. Burland, J. B. and Chapman, T. 2012. ICE manual of geotechnical engineering -ICE Publishing
3. Lecture notes