Advanced Soil Mechanics

The module includes three units, namely Mechanics of Deltaic Soils, Experimental Soil Mechanics, and Soil Dynamics. Students will dive into non-standard aspects of Soil Mechanics, both in terms of analysis/modelling techniques and geotechnical applications. Deltaic soils are soils that are found in deltaic areas, such as normally consolidated soft clays, organic clays and peats, and loose to medium dense sands. From a methodological standpoint, the module covers advanced topics regarding the testing and constitutive modelling of soils, up to the solution of boundary value problems through both physical and numerical modelling techniques. Relevant applications include the analysis of geotechnical problems in soft deltaic soils, and/or in the presence of cyclic/dynamic loading conditions.

In this module the learning line on Monitoring and Data Science is enriched with further content. In particular, the unit on Experimental Soil Mechanics addresses topics related to the monitoring of physical geo-models during small-scale centrifuge experiments, including the selection of the most suitable sensors for real-time measurements.

Overall, the three units provide opportunities for elaborating the data, often of big size, returned by physical and numerical models. Such elaboration is guided throughout the module for students to learn how to process/visualise/present information for clients and stakeholders.

Ethical aspects associated with Advanced Soil Mechanics subjects are discussed throughout the module. Given the emphasis on experimental and numerical analyses as essential input to geotechnical design, important implications are pointed out regarding the impact of (i) selection of testing methods, (ii) identification of soil model parameters, (iii) validation of physical/numerical models on the usability/safety of geotechnical systems. Particularly, conflicts of interest, and their potentially catastrophic consequences, between (financial benefit of) service providers and (satisfaction/safety of) clients is discussed throughout the three units from a mechanics-oriented perspective.