Soils Technology Part 2: Engineering Properties TSYH 3203

Upon successful completion, the student will be able to:

Module 1 - Introduction to the Engineering Properties of Soils

• Name and briefly describe the engineering properties of a soil as outlined in this module and covered by this course.
• Explain why it is necessary to know and understand the engineering properties of a soil.
• Recognize and use the terminology presented in this module.

Module 2 - Pore Water in Soils

• Describe the concept of pore water pressure and explain its effects on certain soil properties.
• Understand and describe capillarity and its effects on certain soil properties.
• Describe frost heave and understanding the methods of avoiding it.

Module 3 - Flow of Water in Soil

• Describe and explain the concept of permeability of a soil and be able to use this concept to calculate the flow of water through a soil.
• Describe and use the 'flow net' technique for determining the quantity of water flowing through a soil mass.
• Describe the causes of quick sand and piping and discuss methods of avoiding them.
• Describe the various forms of ground water control used in earthworks.

Module 4 - Subsurface Stresses

• Describe and explain the vertical stress distribution occurring at any point in a soiled mass below an applied surface load.
• Describe and explain the Simplified, Boissinesq and Westergaard Stress distribution techniques as related to soils.
• Apply the above distribution techniques to calculate subsurface stresses.

Module 5 - Settlement and Consolidation

• Explain the process of 'consolidation settlement' and its use in soil mechanics.
• Define and explain the terms 'normally consolidated clay,' 'over consolidated clay,' 'degree of consolidation,' and 'secondary compression.'
• Define 'compression index C' of a soil and describe its use in settlement calculations.
• Define the 'coefficient of consolidation c' of a soil and describe its use in calculating the time rate of settlement due to consolidation.
• Calculate the rate of settlement and the total settlement of a clay stratum caused by the construction of a foundation.

Module 6 - Shear Strength of Soils

• Define what is meant by the term 'shear strength of a soil.'
• Describe and use Coulomb's Law and Mohr's circle of stress to determine the shear strength of soils.
• Identify the various soil laboratory shear tests and understand the relevance of the information obtained.
• Understand and describe the development of shear strength in cohesionless soils such as sands.
• Understand and describe the development of shear strength in saturated cohesive soils such as clays.
• Understand and describe the development of shear strength in mixed soils such as granular soils with a trace of clay.
• Calculate the shear strength of sands, clays and mixed soils based on laboratory test data.

Effective as of Fall 2003