CE F243

Soil Mechanics

BITS Pilani Sayantan Chakraborty, Ph.D., AM ASCE, MIE

sayantan.chakraborty@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in
Pilani|Dubai|Goa|Hyderabad

January 10, 2024 1

 BITS Pilani
Pilani|Dubai|Goa|Hyderabad

Lecture 1
Introduction
Jan 10, 2024 2
Lecture Outline

➢ Textbook and evaluation scheme.

➢ Course organization.

➢ Requirements for clearing the course.

➢ What is Soil and Soil Mechanics?

➢ What is Geotechnical Engineering?

➢ Geotechnical Engineering Applications.

➢ Overview of topics. 3

CE F243 - Soil Mechanics

Textbook and Evaluation Scheme
➢ Textbook
▪ Budhu, M., Soil mechanics fundamentals/ Soil mechanics and foundations,
John Wiley & Sons.
▪ Ranjan, G. and Rao, A.S.R., Basic and applied soil mechanics. New Age
International.
➢ Reference Book
▪ Holtz, R.D., Kovacs, W.D. and Sheahan, T.C., An introduction to
geotechnical engineering. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.
➢ Evaluation Scheme
▪ Evaluative Tutorials (15%) – Open book (hard copy only). (best 4 out of 5)
▪ Practical/Laboratory (20%) – Attendance, report, written test, and viva.
▪ Mid-term Examination (25%) – Open book (hard copy only).
▪ Comprehensive Examination (40%) – Open book (hard copy only).
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CE F243 - Soil Mechanics

Course Organization
➢ Lectures classes
▪ 3 x 50 mins. lecture classes per week
▪ Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – 12:00 noon to 12:50 PM
➢ Tutorials classes
▪ 1 x 50 mins. tutorial class per week
▪ Thursday – 08:00 AM to 8:50 AM
▪ Dates of 4 evaluative tutorials will be announced in advance
➢ Lab/Practical classes
▪ P1: Tuesday – 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM; P2: Thursday – 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
▪ Date of viva/written exam will be announced in advance

➢ Mid-term and Comprehensive examinations

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▪ As per academic calendar
CE F243 - Soil Mechanics
Requirements for Clearing the
Course
➢ At least 10% of the total marks (i.e., 20 out of 200).
➢ Need to give the instructor opportunities to evaluate your
performance in the different evaluation components.
➢ A student may be awarded an NC for the following cases:
▪ Appearing in the mid-term/comprehensive exams just for the
sake of attendance.
▪ Missing any of the evaluation components completely.
▪ Securing less than 10% (i.e. < 20/200)

➢ Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be reported

6
to AUGSD → Might lead to RC
CE F243 - Soil Mechanics
What is Soil? How is it Different
from Rock?
▪ Soil is the relatively loose
agglomerate of mineral and Rock Cycle
organic materials and
sediments found above
bedrock. Soil can be
relatively easily broken
down into their constituent
minerals or organic
particles.
▪ Rock has very strong
internal cohesive and
molecular forces which https://slcc.pressbooks.pub/physicalgeography/chapter/3-5/
hold its constituent mineral
7
grains together.
CE F243 - Soil Mechanics
What is Soil Mechanics?
▪ Soil mechanics → study of the behavior and response of soils to
loads. Loads from man-made structures (e.g., buildings), gravity
(earth pressures), and natural phenomena (e.g., earthquake)

▪ Soils are natural, complex materials consisting of solids, liquids, and

gases. To study soil behavior, you have to couple concepts of solid
mechanics and fluid mechanics.

▪ However, these mechanics are insufficient to obtain a complete

understanding of soil behavior because of the uncertainties of the
applied loads, natural forces, and the intricate, natural distribution and
variability of different soil types.

▪ Geotechnical engineers utilize these mechanics with simplifying

assumptions and call on experience to make decisions (judgment) on8
soil behavior.
CE F243 - Soil Mechanics
What is Geotechnical Engineering?

➢ Geotechnical engineering is an area of civil engineering that

focuses on studying the engineering behavior of earth materials/
geomaterials and applies concepts of soil mechanics and rock
mechanics to design and construct civil engineering
infrastructures.
➢ Agricultural engineers
Deal with ≈ top 1 m

➢ Geotechnical engineers
Deal with ≈ top 100 m

➢ Petroleum engineers
Deal with ≈ top 3-5 km 9

https://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Inner-Earth3-1280x720.gif CE F243 - Soil Mechanics

Geotechnical Engineering
Applications
Foundation Engineering: Shallow Foundations

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CE F243 - Soil Mechanics

Geotechnical Engineering
Applications
Foundation Engineering: Deep Foundations

https://structurepoint.org/publication/pdf/Transmission-
Tower-Reinforced-Concrete-Foundation-ACI318-14.pdf

https://www.electrical4u.com/wp-content/uploads/What-is-Transmission-Tower-Foundation.png

11

https://electrical-engineering-portal.com/design-of-overhead-transmission-line-foundation
CE F243 - Soil Mechanics
Geotechnical Engineering
Applications
Earthen dams

12

https://theconstructor.org/water-resources/causes-failures-earthfill-dams/2287/ CE F243 - Soil Mechanics

Geotechnical Engineering
Applications
Slope stability: Highway embankments

13

CE F243 - Soil Mechanics

Geotechnical Engineering
Applications
Pavement subgrade

https://www.theengineeringcommunity.org/difference-between-flexible-and-rigid-pavement/

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/importance-sub-grade-preparation-highways-roads-jahangir-khan/ CE F243 - Soil Mechanics

Geotechnical Engineering
Applications
Pavement distress due to expansive soil

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https://www.geoengineer.org/education/transportation-geotechnics/pavement-geotechnics/soil-and-
pavement-cracks-in-swelling-ground CE F243 - Soil Mechanics
Geotechnical Engineering
Applications
MSE retaining walls

https://reinforcedearth.com/products/retaining-walls/mechanically-stabilized-earth-mse-
retaining-walls/

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https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/%28ASCE%29CF.1943-5509.0001132 CE F243 - Soil Mechanics

Geotechnical Engineering
Applications
Sheet pile walls

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https://civilengineeringbible.com/article.php?i=10 CE F243 - Soil Mechanics

Geo-environmental Engineering
Applications
Landfill

https://www.adhesiveplatform.com/sealants-for-landfill-construction/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/landfill-liner

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https://www.shutterstock.com/video/clip-5504087-truck-landfill-covering-trash-dirt--soil CE F243 - Soil Mechanics

Overview of Topics
Topic 1: Composition and Particle Sizes of Soils
➢ Soil formation
▪ Physical weathering
▪ Chemical weathering
➢ Soil types
➢ Soil minerals
▪ Coarse-grained: Quartz
▪ Clay minerals: Kaolinite, Montmorillonite, Illite
▪ Clay-water interaction
➢ Soil structure and fabric
▪ For fine-grained: Flocculated and dispersed
▪ For coarse-grained soil: Loose, dense, and honeycomb
➢ Characterization of soil based on particle size
▪ Boulder, cobble, gravel, sand, silt, and clay
➢ Particle size distribution
▪ Sieve analysis
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▪ Hydrometer analysis
CE F243 - Soil Mechanics
Overview of Topics
Topic 2: Phase Relationships, Physical Soil States, and Soil
Classification
➢ Phase diagram
▪ Volumetric composition
▪ Gravimetric composition

➢ Physical soil states and their behavior

(for fine-grained soil – clayey soil)
▪ Solid, semi-solid, plastic, liquid

➢ Index properties
▪ Physical properties used for identification and classification of soils and
for predicting expected engineering behavior

➢ Soil classification
▪ Based on grain size distribution and plasticity characteristics 20
▪ USCS and IS soil classification
▪ AASHTO CE F243 - Soil Mechanics
Overview of Topics

Topic 3: Soil compaction

➢ Purpose and benefit of soil compaction

➢ Proctor compaction test

▪ Moisture-density relationship
▪ Factors affecting compaction
▪ Changes in soil fabric and engineering
properties with water content

➢ Field compaction
▪ For cohesionless soils
▪ For cohesive soils

➢ Field control tests

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CE F243 - Soil Mechanics

Overview of Topics
Topic 4: Principle of effective stress, capillarity, permeability, and
flow through soils

➢ Total stress, effective stress, and pore water pressure

➢ Capillarity in soils
▪ Height of capillary rise
▪ -ve water pressure in capillary zone
▪ Bulking in moist sand
https://elementaryengineeringlibrary.com/civil-engineering/soil-mechanics/capillary-rise-in-soils

➢ Permeability of soils
▪ Darcy’s law
▪ Tests to measure permeability

➢ Seepage force and quicksand condition

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➢ Flow nets https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1174420/ CE F243 - Soil Mechanics
Overview of Topics

Topic 5: Vertical stresses below applied loads

➢ Boussinesq’s equation

➢ Vertical stresses below loaded area

▪ Strip load
▪ Circular area
▪ Rectangular area
▪ Embankments

➢ Newmark’s influence chart

➢ 2:1 method

➢ Westergaard’s equation
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https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324831708_Guidelines_for_Performing_Foundation_Investigati
ons_for_Miscellaneous_Structures/figures?lo=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic CE F243 - Soil Mechanics
Overview of Topics

Topic 6: Compressibility of soil and

consolidation

➢ Components of total settlement

➢ Compressibility
▪ Factors affecting compressibility
▪ e-p and e-log p curves
▪ Estimation of pre-consolidation
pressure

➢ Consolidation
https://practicepaper.in/gate-ce/consolidation-of-soils

➢ Estimation of consolidation settlement

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➢ Time rate of consolidation
CE F243 - Soil Mechanics
Overview of Topics

Topic 7: Shear strength of soils

➢ Mohr’s circle

➢ Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion

➢ Measurement of shear strength

▪ Direct shear test
▪ Triaxial test
▪ Vane shear test

➢ Shear strength of sand and clays

https://www.strukts.com/2012/06/improving-stability-of-slopes_94.html

➢ Stress paths

➢ Pore pressure parameters 25

CE F243 - Soil Mechanics

Overview of Topics

https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/auger-soil-sampling.html
Topic 8: Soil exploration

➢ Purpose of site investigation

➢ Methods of drilling and sampling

➢ In-situ tests
▪ Standard penetration test
▪ Cone penetration test
▪ Plate load test
▪ Geophysical test

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https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-16-3383-6_33 CE F243 - Soil Mechanics

 BITS Pilani
Pilani|Dubai|Goa|Hyderabad

THANK YOU
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