Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering

Soil Characteristics: Classification of soils; volumetric and gravimetric relationships for soils.

Groundwater: Pore pressure and effective stress; Darcy's law, permeability and groundwater flow.

Geomechanics: Stresses and initial stress state; strains, stress-strain relationships and tangent modulus; Elastic solutions, drained and undrained behaviour.

Consolidation: 1D compression, Oedometer test and data interpretation, consolidation coefficient, settlement

Shear Strength of Soils: Drained and undrained soil behaviour; total and effective shear strength parameters; Mohr circles; Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion; direct shear test; triaxial test.

Retaining Structures: Lateral earth pressure at rest; passive and active pressures

Foundations: Geotechnical bearing capacity, shallow foundations

Slope Stability: Limit equilibrium methods.