Problem Solving in Soil Mechanics

A. Aysen

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781351421485
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Civil Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Written for university students taking first-degree courses in civil engineering, environmental and agricultural engineering, Problem Solving in Soil Mechanics stimulates problem-solving learning as well as facilitating self-teaching. Generally assuming prior knowledge of subject, necessary basic information is included to make it accessible to readers new to the topic.

Filled with worked examples, new and advanced topics and with a flexible structure that means it can be adapted for use in second, third and fourth year undergraduate courses in soil mechanics, this book is also a valuable resource for the practising professional engineer as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Primarily designed as a supplement to Soil Mechanics: Basic Concepts and Engineering Applications, this book can be used by students as an independent problem-solving text, since there are no specific references to any equations or figures in the main book.

CHAPTER 1

Nature of Soils, Plasticity and Compaction

1.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter encompasses the three major topics in relation to the basic characteristics of soil, and its physical properties. These topics are associated with the mass-volume relationships (Problems 1.1 to 1.5), index properties (Problems 1.7 to 1.9) including particle size distribution (Problems 1.6, 1.11 and 1.12) and compaction (Problem 1.10). The mass-volume relationships describe parameters, which control the engineering behaviour of the soil. These parameters are void ratio e, porosity n, degree of saturation S_r, air content A_v, moisture content m or w, density of soil ρ (dry, saturated and natural), and density of solids ρ_s or specific gravity of solids G_s. The particle (grain) size analysis, and plasticity indices are needed for soil classification. Problems 1.11 and 1.12 show the engineering application of the particle size analysis where the particle size distribution of a mixture is obtained by knowing the particle size distributions of the individual materials within the mixture. Soil compaction is necessary to improve its strength and bearing capacity...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Chapter 1 Nature of Soils, Plasticity and Compaction
• Chapter 2 Effective Stress and Pore Pressure in Saturated Soils
• Chapter 3 The Movement of Water through Soil
• Chapter 4 Shear Strength of Soils and Failure Criteria
• Chapter 5 Stress Distribution and Settlement in Soils
• Chapter 6 One Dimensional Consolidation
• Chapter 7 Application of Limit Analysis to Stability Problems in Soil Mechanics
• Chapter 8 Lateral Earth Pressure and Retaining Walls
• Chapter 9 Stability of Earth Slopes
• Chapter 10 Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations and Piles
• Index