31018 - Fundamentals of Soil Mechanics T

Learning outcomes

The course is an introduction to soil mechanics and applications of its principles to the engineering practice.

Course contents

Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering. Soil analysis and classification: origins and nature of soils, soil mineralogy and structure, phase relationships, particle size distribution, Atterberg limits, soil description and classification systems. Water in soils: soil water properties, effective stress principle, capillary rise, shrinkage and swelling effects, seepage through a porous medium, definition and evaluation of the hydraulic potential, Darcy's law and the permeability coefficient, seepage force and critical hydraulic gradient. Soil as continuoum medium: stress analysis, sign conventions, Mohr circles of stresses, lithostatic vertical stresses against depth, earth pressure coefficient. Stress history: normally consolidated and over consolidated soils, causes of overconsolidation. Stress distribution in an elastic homogeneous half-space. Compressibility and consolidation parameters: the oedometer test, one dimensional consolidation, oedometric parameters and calculation of soil settlements, secondary compression. Shear strength of soils: Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion, shear strength and deformability parameters, direct shear test, triaxial compression test, cohesionless and cohesive soils, residual shear strength, stability analyses in terms of effective and total stresses. Site investigation: objectives and experimental set-ups, borehole logs and sampling, static and dynamic cone penetrometer tests, piezocone tests, site measurements. Active and passive Rankine's stress states, coefficients and diagrams of lateral earth pressure. Earth-retaining structures: types and stability analyses, critical height of a vertical wall. Foundations: types, bearing capacity of shallow foundations, short and long term conditions.

Readings/Bibliography

Lecture notes.

R. BERARDI: Fondamenti di Geotecnica. Città Studi Edizioni, Seconda Edition, 2013.

L. TONNI and G. GOTTARDI: Esercizi di Geotecnica, Esculapio, 2010.

Teaching methods

The course contents are fully covered during lectures.

Assessment methods

An oral examination will assess the students' knowledge and competence achieved throughout the course.

Teaching tools

Video projector and blackboard.

Lecture slides can be downloaded at the Alma Mater Digital Library website (https://campus.cib.unibo.it/), after registration on the relevant distribution list.

Office hours

See the website of Guido Gottardi

See the website of Michela Marchi