72766 - Geotechnical Engineering M

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide advanced knowledge of soil mechanics, with particular emphasis on its application to key geotechnical aspects of civil engineering structures.

Course contents

Requirements/Prior knowledge

Prior knowledge of basic Soil Mechanics concepts is required to successfully follow this course.

Lectures and tutorials will be given in Italian. Accordingly, fluency in both spoken and written Italian is a mandatory prerequisite.

COURSE CONTENTS

• Review of Soil Mechanics Fundamentals. Short overview of key concepts: basic continuum mechanics applied to soils, general field equations for porous media, consolidation theory, shear strength of soils.
• Advanced Topics in Soil Mechanics. Stress-strain behaviour of soils under cyclic loading: cyclic strength, strength after cyclic loading, liquefaction and cyclic mobility phenomena. Stress paths. Short and long term stability analyses. Selection of appropriate soil parameters in stability analyses. 
• Geotechnical investigations. General criteria for programming site investigations. In-situ testing: Cone Penetration Test (CPT), Flat Dilatometer Test (DMT), Shear Vane Test. Liquefaction susceptibility assessment based on CPT results.
• Plastic failure analysis. The upper bound and lower bound theorems. Fundamentals of Limit Analysis.
• Shallow foundations. Ultimate bearing capacity and settlement calculations.
• Pile foundations. Types of piles and their structural characteristics. Bearing capacity of piles. Pile load tests. Pile group behaviour.
• Lateral earth pressure and earth-retaining structures. Types of retaining walls, lateral earth pressure. Sheet pile walls: cantilever sheet pile walls and anchored sheet pile walls. Criteria for design and stability analyses.
• Fundamentals of geotechnical design according to the Italian Technical Standards.

Readings/Bibliography

C. Viggiani. “Fondazioni”, Hevelius, 1999.  

R. Lancellotta, A. Ciancimino, D. Costanzo, S. Foti. "Progettazione Geotecnica secondo l'Eurocodice 7 e le Norme Tecniche per le Costruzioni 2018", Hoepli, 2020.

 

Soil Mechanics Review:

R. Berardi. "Fondamenti di Geotecnica", 3rd Edition, Città Studi, 2017.

 

Further suggested textbooks:

C. Viggiani, A. Mandolini, G. Russo. "Piles and Pile Foundations", Taylor and Francis, 2012.

T. Crespellani, J. Facciorusso. "Dinamica dei terreni per le applicazioni sismiche", Dario Flaccovio Editore, 2010.

Teaching methods

Lectures are supported by example problems to illustrate key concepts. During tutorial sessions, representative exercises similar to those given in the written exam are discussed.

Assessment methods

The final examination aims to assess the achievement of the following objectives:
• a sound understanding of the mechanical behaviour of soils under both static and dynamic loading conditions;

• awareness of how soil mechanics principles are applied to geotechnical engineering problems;

• knowledge of the main design and verification methods used in Geotechnical Engineering.

Assessment is based on a mandatory written exam in conjunction with an optional oral exam. The written exam lasts 75 minutes and consists of two questions covering theoretical topics discussed in the course and/or basic application problems. Evaluation criteria include relevance, correctness, accuracy, completeness, clarity of the answers, and use of appropriate technical language.

Examples of past written exam questions are available for download on the course platform https://virtuale.unibo.it/.

A minimum score of 18/30 in the written exam is required to pass. Once passed, students may either register the written grade or choose to take the oral exam. Please note that the result of the written exam is valid only until the date of the corresponding oral session.

Students must register for both written and oral exams through the online system: https://almaesami.unibo.it.

Teaching tools

Tablet PC, slide projector, and blackboard.
PowerPoint presentations used during the lectures are available for download in PDF format from the online platform https://virtuale.unibo.it.
Instructions for accessing the files are provided at the beginning of the course.

Office hours

See the website of Laura Tonni