Geotechnical Engineering

Learning Outcomes

Gravity retaining walls: • limit equilibrium calculations to determine active and passive forces • assessment of wall stability against sliding, overturning and base bearing failure • short and long term conditions (total and effective stress analyses) • application of factors of safety for use in design. Reinforced soil walls: • limit equilibrium calculations to determine reinforcement length and spacing • assessment of reinforced wall stability. Embedded retaining walls: • construction techniques for embedded walls • pore pressure distributions • equilibrium analysis based on limiting (active and passive) lateral stresses • short and long term calculations (total and effective stress analyses) • calculation of propping forces • application of factors of safety for use in design Shallow foundations: • general analysis bearing capacity • effects of foundation shape and depth • shallow foundations subjected to combined vertical, horizontal and moment loading • short and long term calculations (total and effective stress analyses) • application of factors of safety for use in design. Deep (pile) foundations: • skin friction and end bearing • pile groups • lateral loads on piles • short and long term calculations (total and effective stress analyses) • application of factors of safety for use in design. Slope stability analysis: • the infinite slope • slip circle analysis in terms of both total and effective stresses • hazard and risk in relation to slopes • application of factors of safety for use in design. Revision.

Tutorials, supported by recorded lectures and example problems, and a coursework assignment supported by computer laboratory tutorials.