Geotechnics

Mechanical behaviour of soils

Written and oral tests

Introduction: the role of geotechnics in civil engineering. Nature and phases of soils. The principle of effective stresses. The pore pressure build-up due to external loads. Seepage: the D'arcy law; the coefficient of permeability the solutions of the seepage differential equation; seepage in anisotropic and stratified soils; seepage on earth dams; internal erosion control. Consolidation of cohesive soils: solution of the governing equation, evaluation of over consolidation ratio and its variation with space and time. Edometric test for the evaluation of consolidation coefficient; evaluation of consolidation settlements. The shear resistance of soils: direct shear tests, ring shear tests and triaxial tests. Failure criterion for soils. Constitutive equation for soils. Site investigations: borings, dynamic penetration tests, static penetration test, standard penetration test inside boreholes: flat dilatometer test, vane test. Bearing capacity of shallow foundation. Earth trust and retaining walls. Elements of bearing capacity of pile foundations. Elements of slope stability and stability of excavations. Elements of soil-structure interaction.

• Wu T.H “soil mechanics” Ed Allyn & Bacon. 1967
• Lancellotta L. “Geotecnica”. Ed Zanichelli. 1992
• Berardi R. "Fondamenti di geotecnica". 2021
• Colleselli F., Soranzo M. Esercitazioni di geotecnica. Cleup,  Padova