Soil Mechanics

CE25402:

Soil Mechanics

Course objective:

To enable the students to acquire the essential knowledge about the index and engineering properties of soils and their practical relevance.

Soil Classification

Soil formation, structure, clay minerals, phase relationships, index properties, classification of soils (BIS, Unified).

Activity: Collect soil samples and perform visual identification.

Soil Compaction: Theory, Laboratory and field tests – Field Compaction methods – Factors influencing compaction of soils.

Effective Stress, Permeability: Soil water - Effective stress, capillarity, Darcy’s law, hydraulic conductivity, laboratory and field permeability tests, seepage, quicksand, and flow nets.

Activity: Review of Competitive Exam questions related to simple flow nets for sheet pile or weir problems.

Stress Distribution: Stress distribution in homogeneous and isotropic medium – Boussinesq theory – (Point load, Line load and udl) - Use of New marks influence chart.

Consolidation Settlement: Terzaghi’s one dimensional consolidation theory – Computation of rate of settlement - √t and log t methods– e-log p relationship.

Activity: Quiz on stress distribution

Shear Strength: Shear strength of soils, Mohr–Coulomb theory, shear tests (direct shear, triaxial, UCC, vane shear), pore pressure parameters, liquefaction.

Activity: Poster on shear strength tests and applications.

Slope Stability: Infinite slopes and finite slopes – Total stress analysis for saturated clay – Friction circle method – Use of stability number – Method of slices – Fellenius method - Slope protection measures.

Activity: Case study on slope failure and mitigation.

Weightage: Continuous Assessment: 40%, End Semester Examinations: 60%

Methodology for Continuous Assessment: Quiz - 10%, Poster presentation - 15%; Seminar report – 10%; Model making – 15%; Internal Examinations – 50%

References

1. Murthy V.N.S., Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, CBS Publishers Distribution Ltd., New Delhi. 2020.

2. Gopal Ranjan and Rao, A.S.R., Basic and Applied Soil Mechanics, New Age Ltd. International Publisher New Delhi (India) 2020.

3. Coduto, D.P., Geotechnical Engineering – Principles and Practices, Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, 2015.

4. Das, B.M., Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, Cengage Learning India Private Limited,8th Edition, 2017.

5. Punmia, B. C.Ashok Kumar Jain and Arun Kumar Jain, Soil Mechanics and Foundations, 18th Edition, Laxmi Publications Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 2024.

6. IS 1498:1970 Classification and Identification of Soils for General Engineering Purposes.