Geotechnical Engineering: 2011 Spring Semester - Course Syllabus

CE 467L Geotechnical Engineering
2011 Spring Semester Course Syllabus**REVISED**

Lecture
Tuesday and Thursday
11:00 a.m. 12:15 p.m.
GFS 118
Lab 29671R
Tuesday
12:30 02:30 p.m.
KAP B40
Lab 29820R
Wednesday
09:00 11:00 am
KAP B40
Lab 29876R
Wednesday
01:30 03:30 pm
KAP B40
Lab 29673D
Thursday
03:30 05:30 pm
KAP B40
Lab 29678R
Friday
10:00 am 12:00 pm
KAP B40
Lab 29763R
Friday
12:30 2:30 pm
KAP B40
Course Website
Blackboard: https://blackboard.usc.edu/
Professor
Dr. Amy Rechenmacher
Office
KAP 230C
Phone
213-740-3615
Email
arechenm@usc.edu
Office Hours
Wednesday 3-5 pm, or by appointment
Teaching Assistants Rama Tipireddy
Hadi Meidani
Sara Abedi
Email
tipiredd@usc.edu
meidani@usc.edu
srabedi@yahoo.com
Office Hours
KAP 239 TBD
KAP 239 TBD
KAP 239 TBD
Prerequisite(s)
CE 309 Fluid Mechanics
Textbooks
Craig, R.F. Craigs Soil Mechanics, 7th ed. Spon Press: London
Bardet, J.P. Experimental Soil Mechanics, Prentice Hall (portions available on Blackboard)
Course Description
Hydrological and hydraulic design for uniform and non-uniform flows, channel transition,
sedimentation controls, design discharge for tributary watersheds, flood routing, flood
detention, computer aided design.
Course Objectives
Learn the common terminology used in the field of Geotechnical Engineering

Develop a feel for relevant factors to consider in analyzing soil behavior
Understand the interaction between water and soil and the effects of static vs. flowing
water on soil strength.
Understand the fundamental differences between behaviors of sands and clays and
between total and effective stresses.
Become familiar with common laboratory tests to classify soils and characterize soil
properties.
Develop an appreciation for the inherent variability of soils and the scatter produced in
geotechnical data and the challenges this poses to Geotechnical analysis and design.
Learning Objectives
The course aims to acquaint the student with the concept of soil as an engineering
material and the properties and methods used to characterize soil for Geotechnical analysis
and design. We will cover terminology and parameters used to characterize and classify
soils; stresses and stress conditions in soils; factors affecting soil strength and stress-strain
behavior; seepage and water flow through soils and their effects on soil stresses and
strength; deformation and settlement characteristics of soils; lateral earth pressure, bearing
capacity and slope stability concepts.

Homework
Guidelines
1. Homework is due at the end of class on the due date. Late homework will not be
accepted unless prior arrangements are made with the professor. Homework
assignments will be posted on Blackboard as they are assigned. Homework solutions
will be posted following their due dates.
2. All homework should be written on Graph or Engineering Problems Paper
3. Homework should be neat and clearly legible. Lines meant to be straight should be
drawn with a ruler.
4. Axes on graphs should be labeled and include proper units.
5. If you make your graphs using a spreadsheet program (i.e. Excel), use care in fitting
trend lines to data.
Homework
Final grade schema

is based on
percentages of
graded coursework
17.5 %
Exam 1
20 %
Exam 2
20 %
Final Exam
25 %
Laboratory
17.5 %
Total
100 %

Class Calendar
Week Period
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
TUE
1/12
2
3
1/14
1/19
4
5
1/21
1/26
6
7
1/28
2/2
8
9
2/4
2/9
10
11
2/11
2/16
12
13
2/18
2/23
14
15
3/2
3/4
3/9
18
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
3/11
3/15
19
3/25
3/30
22
23
4/1
4/6
24
25
4/8
27
30
1.2 1.3
Particle size, classification tests, plasticity
1.4, B 116-127
Soil Classification (USCS)
1.5
USCS, contd, Phase relations
1.5 1.6
Phase problems, compaction
2.1
Soil water, Bernoulli equation, 1-D flow
2.1 2.2
1-D flow, contd, Darcys Law, permeability
2.2, 11.2
Measurement of permeability, piezometers
2.3 2.4
2-D seepage, flow nets
2.3 2.4
2-D seepage, flow nets
3.1 3.3
Effective stress concepts
3.5
Effect of seepage on effective stress
4.1, B 239-243
Stress at a point, Mohrs circle

EXAMINATION 1: Ch 1-2
4.1, B 239-243
Shear strength parameters
4.2, B 265-276
4.2, B 265-276, 4.3,
B 370-383
4.3, B 370-383
Shear strength tests

Shear strength tests, shear strength of sands
Shear strength of sands
SPRING BREAK No class
4.4, B 383-400
Shear strength of clays
4.4, notes
Stress paths
5.2 5.3
Stresses/displacements due to surface loads
7.1 7.2
Consolidation settlement, oedometer test
7.3
Consolidation: 1-D settlement calculations
7.6 7.7
Time rate of consolidation: Terzaghis 1D Theory

EXAMINATION 2: Ch 3-5
4/15
4/20
28
29
Introduction, nature of soil, weathering, clay mineralogy
4/13
26
Topic
1.1
3/19
3/23
20
21
Chapter/ Section*1
2/25
16
17
THU
4/22
4/27
4/29
7.6 7.7
Time rate of consolidation, examples
7.8
Coefficient of consolidation
6.1 6.3
Lateral earth pressure
8.1 8.2
Bearing capacity
9.1 9.3
Slope stability
FINAL EXAM (cumulative): 11:00 am 1:00pm
Sections in Craig, unless otherwise noted; B refers to pages in Bardet.

Laboratory TAs:
Rama Tipireddy, tipiredd@usc.edu

Hadi Meidani, meidani@usc.edu
Sara Abedi, srabedi@yahoo.com
Text:
Bardet, J.P. Experimental Soil Mechanics, Prentice Hall (available on Blackboard)
Laboratory Room:
KAP B40
Laboratory Schedule
Dates
Laboratory/Discussion
Reading
(pages in Bardet)
Mon Jan 11 Fri Jan 15
NO LAB
Mon Jan 18
MLK B-day (no classes)
Tues Jan 19 Fri Jan 22
Graphing/Computer lab
Mon Jan 25 Fri Jan 29
Sieve Analysis
9 30
Mon Feb 1 Fri Feb 5
Liquid Limit
75 91
Mon Feb 8 Fri Feb 12
Compaction
147 165
Mon Feb 15
Presidents day (no classes)
Tues Feb 16 Fri Feb 19
Discussion Section2
Mon Feb 22 Fri Feb 26
Permeability
Mon Mar 1 Fri Mar 5
Discussion Section2
Mon Mar 8 Fri Mar 12
Unconfined Compression
SPRING BREAK
Direct shear
Mon Mar 29 Fri Apr 2
Discussion Section2
Mon Apr 5 Fri Apr 9
NO LAB
Mon Apr 12 Fri Apr 16
Consolidation
297 359
Consolidation (contd.)
297 359
Discussion Section2
177 206
265 276, 404 420
421 442
location TBA

Lab Rules
1. Attendance is required for all group members for all laboratories. Only absences pre-arranged with the
professor (not the T.A.) are acceptable. Students who do not attend lab will not receive credit for their groups
report, unless prior arrangements are made.
2. Read the appropriate laboratory procedure before the laboratory period. Laboratory procedures are available
through Blackboard. Please print out the procedure and bring it to lab with you.
3. THE LABORATORY MUST BE CLEANED FOLLOWING EACH LAB PERIOD.
4. NO FOOD OR DRINK IS ALLOWED IN THE SOILS LABORATORY AT ANY TIME. Food and drink are
prohibited in labs by U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Laboratory Reports
1. One report per group is required. The group as a whole is responsible for ensuring that work is fairly
distributed among group members.
2. Laboratory reports should be organized as follows:
a. Cover page: Title of experiment, course name and number, date lab performed, date report submitted,
names and signatures** of group members performing the lab.
b. Introduction: A brief description of the purpose of the test, basic principles used to develop test
measurements, use of results in geotechnical practice.
c. Procedure:
i. If you followed the procedure as outlined in the text, then you only need to reference the text,
highlighting any modifications or adjustments. If you used a different procedure, then state the
steps you followed.
ii. Describe the soil tested. If the soil has a name, give it. Describe the soil visually.
d. Results: Summary of measured test parameters (clearly stated), example calculations, graphs used to
evaluate parameters, relevant tables of data.
e. Discussion: Do the results you obtained make sense? Offer a discussion of possible sources of error,
accuracy of the test method, anything noteworthy during the test.
f. References (only if applicable).
g. Appendix: Raw data taken during the test.
3. Reports must be neat, well organized, and professionally presented. All graphs should be drawn or plotted on
lined graph paper. Label all graph axes and include proper units.
4. ***Submitted reports must be signed by all group members for each member to receive credit.***
5. Reports are due the following lab period after the lab was performed (one week later), at the beginning of
class. A 50% penalty will be applied to late reports, unless prior arrangements are made with the T.A. or
professor.

STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

USC seeks to maintain an optimal learning environment. General principles of academic honesty include the concept
of respect for the intellectual property of others, the expectation that individual work will be submitted unless
otherwise allowed by an instructor, and the obligations both to protect ones own academic work from misuse by
others as well as to avoid using anothers work as ones own.
All students are expected to understand and abide by these principles. SCampus, the Student Guidebook, contains
the Student Conduct Code in Section 11.00, while the recommended sanctions are located in Appendix A:
http://www.usc.edu/dept/publications/SCAMPUS/gov/
Students will be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards for further review, should
there be any suspicion of academic dishonesty. The Review process can be found at:
http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/SJACS/
STATEMENT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability
Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained
from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me (or to TA) as early in the semester as possible.
DSP Contact Information
Location:
STU 301
Hours open:
8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Monday Friday
Phone number:
(213) 740-0776

Geotechnical Engineering: 2011 Spring Semester - Course Syllabus

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Geotechnical Engineering: 2011 Spring Semester - Course Syllabus

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Geotechnical Engineering: 2011 Spring Semester - Course Syllabus

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CE 467L Geotechnical Engineering

2011 Spring Semester Course Syllabus**REVISED**

Tuesday and Thursday

11:00 a.m. 12:15 p.m.

12:30 02:30 p.m.

Dr. Amy Rechenmacher

Wednesday 3-5 pm, or by appointment

Teaching Assistants Rama Tipireddy

KAP 239 TBD

KAP 239 TBD

KAP 239 TBD

CE 309 Fluid Mechanics

Learn the common terminology used in the field of Geotechnical Engineering

CE 467L Geotechnical Engineering

Final grade schema

CE 467L Geotechnical Engineering

Particle size, classification tests, plasticity

Soil Classification (USCS)

USCS, contd, Phase relations

Phase problems, compaction

Soil water, Bernoulli equation, 1-D flow

1-D flow, contd, Darcys Law, permeability

Measurement of permeability, piezometers

2-D seepage, flow nets

2-D seepage, flow nets

Effective stress concepts

Effect of seepage on effective stress

Stress at a point, Mohrs circle

Shear strength parameters

Shear strength tests

Shear strength of clays

Stresses/displacements due to surface loads

Consolidation settlement, oedometer test

Consolidation: 1-D settlement calculations

Time rate of consolidation: Terzaghis 1D Theory

Introduction, nature of soil, weathering, clay mineralogy

Time rate of consolidation, examples

Lateral earth pressure

Sections in Craig, unless otherwise noted; B refers to pages in Bardet.

CE 467L Geotechnical Engineering

Rama Tipireddy, tipiredd@usc.edu

Bardet, J.P. Experimental Soil Mechanics, Prentice Hall (available on Blackboard)

Mon Jan 11 Fri Jan 15

MLK B-day (no classes)

Tues Jan 19 Fri Jan 22

Mon Jan 25 Fri Jan 29

Mon Feb 1 Fri Feb 5

Mon Feb 8 Fri Feb 12

Presidents day (no classes)

Tues Feb 16 Fri Feb 19

Mon Feb 22 Fri Feb 26

Mon Mar 1 Fri Mar 5

Mon Mar 8 Fri Mar 12

Mon Mar 15 Fri Mar 19

Mon Mar 22 Fri Mar 26

Mon Mar 29 Fri Apr 2

Mon Apr 5 Fri Apr 9

Mon Apr 12 Fri Apr 16

Mon Apr 19 Fri Apr 23

2011 Spring Semester Course SyllabusREVISED