Soil Mechanics

Lecture-0
 Course Outline
• Introduction: Definition, role of Soil Mechanics in design and construction of Civil Engineering projects.
Soil formation, principal soil deposits. Soil structure and texture
• Index Properties of Soil & Soil Classification: Principle properties of soil (natural moisture content,
density, specific gravity, void ratio, porosity, degree of saturation). Volumetric and volume weight
relationships. Index properties of soil (Grain size distribution, consistency limits). Purpose of soil
classification, engineering soil classification systems (ASTM or USCS, AASHTO)
• Permeability & Seepage: Definition, scope, Darcy’s law, laboratory and field methods of determining
permeability, seepage, seepage control, filters
• Stresses in Soil: Geostatic stresses, total and effective stresses, stress from surface loads. Lateral stress,
Stress influence charts/diagrams and their uses
• Compressibility & Shear Strength: Definitions, consolidation, consolidation test and data reduction,
naturally consolidated clayey and partially consolidated clayey soils, settlement and rate of
settlement. Shear strength of soil, Coulomb’s law, shear strength parameters (c &), cohesive and
non-cohesive soils. Laboratory and field evaluation of (c &). Utility of shear strength parameters
• Compaction & Ground Improvement: Moisture density relationship, laboratory and field compaction
methods. Compaction control during construction, factors affecting compaction, ground improvement
techniques – dynamic compaction, pre-loading, vibrator
• Site Selection and Exploration: Scope and objective, exploration methods, field tests (SPT,CPT, Plate load
Test, Pressure meter, Dilatometer Test)
 Recommended Books
1. M. S. Qureshi & Aziz Akbar, “Fundamentals of Soil
Mechanics”, A-1 Publishers, Urdu Bazar, Lahore. (Latest
Edition)
2. A. R. Jumikis, “Soil Mechanics” (Latest Edition)
3. D. W. Taylor, “Fundamental of Soil Mechanics” (Latest
Edition)
4. T. W. Lambe, Robert V. Whitman, “Soil Mechanics” John
Willey & Sons. (Latest Edition)
 Course Assessment Details
• Credit hours: Theory = 3
– Total Marks = 100
– Assignment No. 1: 4
– Quiz No. 1: 4
– Mid-Term: 30
– Presentation: 4
– Quiz No. 2: 4
– Class Participation: 4
– Final : 50
 Introduction to Soil Mechanics
SOIL + MECHANICS
• Soil: In civil engineering, soil is a naturally occurring, loose/ un-
cemented/ weakly cemented/relatively unconsolidated mineral
particles, organic or inorganic in character, lying over the bed rock
which is formed by weathering of rocks.
• Mechanics: is the study of forces that act on bodies and the resultant
motion that those bodies experience.
• Soil mechanics refers to the study of the physical and mechanical
properties of un-cemented deposits such as clays, silts and sands, and
the application of these studies to the solution of civil engineering
problems.
• Soil mechanics can also be regarded as a branch of engineering
mechanics (the application of mechanics to solve problems involving
common engineering elements using principles of mechanics and
engineering)
 Soil Mechanics and Geology
• What is geology?
• Soil is natural material formed as a result of geological
processes.
• Geological processes are dynamic and form the earth's surfaces
and structures. There are many mechanisms involved such as
plate tectonics, volcanism, erosion and weathering. An
example of a material formed by geologic history is soil.
• Soil is produced by the gradual weathering of rock to produce
sediments. Weathering can be physical, chemical, or biological.
The types of parent material (or rocks formed throughout
geologic history) and how long the soil has been weathering
influence the properties of the soil that is formed.
Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering

• Branch of civil engineering concerned with the engineering

behavior of earth materials.
• It uses principles of soil mechanics, rock mechanics and
engineering geology to investigate:
 Subsurface conditions and materials,
 Relevant physical/mechanical and chemical properties of the
materials
 Evaluate stability of natural slopes and man-made soil deposits,
 Assess risks posed by site conditions,
 Design earthworks and structure foundations and
 Monitor site conditions, earthwork and foundation construction.
 Role of Soil Mechanics in Civil Engineering
• For civil engineers, soil plays a big part in the construction projects they are involved in be it a
school, a large airport facility or even bridges and tunnels.
Foundations:
• All foundations for any structure that a civil engineer constructs are bound to rest on the soil.
The bigger the building or structure, the bigger its foundation and consequently the more
important it is for a civil engineer to take into consideration the information soil mechanics
provides about the site. The foundation is where the load the structure bears is transferred
hence understanding the soil is crucial to building a strong structure. Hard soil with sufficient
strength allows an engineer to use shallow foundations, and the alternative is also true. Weak
soil will need deep foundations to provide robust support for the structure being put up.
• The Leaning Tower of Pisa, located in Italy is a good example of what can happen when a
structure’s foundation is built without having the full appreciation of the soil mechanic forces at
play.
• Deciding on what kind of foundation to use or what measures to be taken to ensure stable
foundation for a given structure will therefore depend on how a civil engineer applies his
knowledge of soil mechanics to the project at hand in order to come up with the best solution.
 Role of Soil Mechanics in Civil Engineering

Earthen Dams:
• Dams are a necessary part of today’s infrastructure. They help provide water for domestic
use all year round, provide fishing grounds, act as scenic parks, support irrigation and are
used to generate clean power when used for hydroelectric power generation. Dams are
among the largest and consequently, some of the most expensive civil engineering
projects in the modern world. Building them usually takes a lot of time and other
resources such as manpower. Their construction requires that one comes up with a
proper design to ensure that they can withstand the pressure from water and other
elements in order to serve their purpose for a long time without any bad incidents.
• The situation is even more serious when one considers that dams act as a barrier to
flowing water that can alter soil properties. Dam failures can be catastrophic as witnessed
when the Banqiao Dam in China failed after very heavy rainfall leading to a tragic number
of deaths and great destruction of property.
• Understanding soil mechanics will ensure that any civil engineer carrying out such a
project takes into consideration soil properties such as its density, permeability, and
strength to come up with a solid structure.
 Role of Soil Mechanics in Civil Engineering
Embankments/Land Reclamation:
• Embankments are usually constructed to raise the level of a road, railway or land above ground
level. There are usually several reasons embankments are constructed. One of them is to raise
the structure above flooding level. Anything that is built on the flat land is prone to flooding that
can destroy the structure. Constructing the structure on an embankment is, therefore, a way of
mitigating this. Embankments are also constructed to minimize or reduce the change in level
due to a terrain’s profile. The embankment helps ensure the road/railway/structure is on the
same level all through.
• Embankments are usually constructed using soil as the main component. It provides the
structural strength necessary to enable the structure to meet its purpose and is also economical.
• Land reclamation is the process of creating new land from the sea. The simplest method of land
reclamation involves simply filling the area with large amounts of heavy rock and/or cement,
then filling with clay and soil until the desired height is reached.
• Among other uses, it is utilized for development activities (infrastructure, industrial, recreation,
and tourism)
• Being aware and able to factor things such as slope stability, consolidation and compaction of
soil and the resulting settlement as well as aspects such as effects of soil seepage all contribute
to successfully designing and constructing an embankment.
 Role of Soil Mechanics in Civil Engineering

Canals or Other Retaining and Underground Structures:

• The world today is heavily reliant on earth-extracted resources such as oil, gas,
coal, metals and other minerals. The process of extracting these resources
usually involves digging up and excavating soil. During excavation, one is bound
to notice that soil can vary greatly depending on the depth and breadth even
within a small region.
• Having a thorough understanding of the types of soil and how they behave is,
therefore, important in such excavation activities. Soil mechanics can help an
engineer anticipate areas that may cave in or cause landslides during the
resource extraction and come up with appropriate ways of preventing such
disastrous incidents. Soil mechanics can also help civil engineers and geologists
working at excavation sites identify areas with better prospects that are capable
of producing more of the resource being mined like copper, hence, directing the
excavation activity as necessary.