ESTIVEN M.

GIER 09/20/2021
BSCE – 4A
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
I. PRETEST
Major types of rocks
1. Igneous rocks
2. Metamorphic rocks
3. Sedimentary rocks
Type of Soil according to origin and/or geologic deposits
4. Residual soils
5. Colluvial soils
6. Alluvial soils
7. Lacustrine soils
8. Marine soils
9. Aeolian soils
10. Glacial soils
Important personalities that contribute the development of Soil Mechanics
11. Dr. Karl Von Terzaghi - also known as the "Father of Soil Mechanics," made the
most significant contribution by recognizing and formulating the effective stress concept
and its impact on settlement analysis, strength, permeability, and erosion of soils.
12. Charles-Augustin de Coloumb- He worked as the "King's Engineer" in Paris,
assisting in the design and building of numerous constructions, which led to his
connection with soils. He required a theory to calculate lateral earth pressures on
retaining walls, so he came up with his own.
Factors influencing the formation of soil
13. Parent material
14. Climate
15. Topography
16. Biological factors
17. Time
Types of soil according to texture and sizes
18. Clay soil
19. Silty soil
20. Sandy soil
21. Peat soil
22. Loamy soil
Application of Soil mechanics
23. Foundations - When it comes to civil engineering, the soil is crucial because it
supports all of the structures that are built above it. All foundations, including bridges,
roads, buildings, and dams, are subject to this law.
24. Underground construction- Soil pressure is exerted on many underground
structures, including pipelines, shafts, tunnels, and drainage systems, from all sides.
25. Earthen Dams - Many subterranean constructions, such as pipelines, shafts,
tunnels, and drainage systems, are subjected to soil pressure from all sides.
26. Slope Stability - When large amounts of soil are deposited vertically rather than
horizontally, the slope causes an unequal distribution of weight, resulting in soil
instability. To avoid such situations, one must exercise extreme caution when
constructing slopes.
27. Pavement Design - it may consist of the design of flexible or rigid pavements.
Flexible pavements depend more on the subgrade soil for transmitting the traffic loads.
Problems peculiar to the design of pavements are the effect of repetitive loading,
swelling and shrinkage of sub-soil and frost action.
28. Excavations - Excavations require the knowledge of slope stability analysis; deep
excavations may need temporary supports—‘timbering’ or ‘bracing’, the design of which
requires knowledge of soil mechanics.
29. Embankment - The construction of embankments where soil itself is used as the
construction material requires a thorough knowledge of the engineering behavior of soil.
30. Underground and Earth-retaining Structures - Underground structures such as
drainage structures, pipe lines, and tunnels and earth-retaining structures such as
retaining walls and bulkheads can be designed and constructed only by using the
principles of soil mechanics and the concept of ‘soil-structure interaction’.
Essay:
1.) Why it is that knowledge of geology is important in geotechnical engineering?
In general, geology is defined as a field of science dealing with the study of
the Earth's constituents and internal structure. Furthermore, geology contributes
significantly to our knowledge of the basic processes at work within the active
core of the Earth. This means that before you can go on to geotechnical
engineering, you must first understand geology.
2.) Explain the cause of foundation failures commonly encountered in the community.
Why such phenomenon are happening?
The majority of the houses in our neighborhood, as well as the land itself,
have inadequate drainage. Short downspouts, blocked gutters, and a lack of
waterproofing are all symptoms of inadequate drainage. In addition, the
community's weather conditions, bad soil conditions, and inadequate building
site & ground preparation all contribute to foundation collapse.
3.) Based on experience, what type of soil you will recommend for foundation, fine
grained or coarse-grained soils?
Coarse grain soil is practically suited in our neighborhood, which is
situated on an upward slope. Because, according to what I've studied, coarse-
grained soil has high load-bearing capabilities and good drainage qualities, but
fines content as low as 5% reduces load-bearing capacities and drainage
characteristics. Furthermore, coarse-grained soils with angular particles have
greater strength, shear resistance, compressibility, and density than coarse-
grained soils with rounded particles, which are essentially incompressible when
dense.
II. SELF – EVALUATION
Direction: Check your knowledge gained in this topic if you can still remember important
concepts and application of Soil Mechanics and geotechnical engineering in your
chosen field.
4.) List down at least 3 important role or contributions of Soil mechanics in Geotechnical
Engineering. Why?
I. Soil mechanics is essential for understanding the properties and behavior
of soil masses in geotechnical engineering.
II. Soil mechanics is an art of applying its concepts to real-world problems
concerning soil foundation, stability, analysis, and construction of earth
structures.
III. Soil mechanics is also in charge of recognizing geological elements that
may have an impact on construction projects. Analyzing ground materials
to identify their risk factors and advising on the optimum development
processes and the compatibility of construction materials are critical.
5.) Why it is that geotechnical engineers will review first the information on the geologic
history and other factors that influence the formation of soil deposits prior to any testing
and explorations?
Geotechnical engineers must examine a land's geologic history, which is a
critical responsibility. They must collect data on the structural deposition of
various rock types in the proposed location. This will assist to guarantee that
testing, exploration, and building projects are designed in a safe and cost-
effective manner. In the planning, design, and construction phases of an
engineering project, geological knowledge for the project site is critical.
6.) If you happen to encounter fine grained and coarse-grained soils what can you
recommend in your report on how to deal with these soil?
The first step is to evaluate the fine and coarse grained soil's engineering
characteristics, such as mineralogical variables and moisture content. If testing
reveal that the land area has fine-grained soil, it is less likely to be appropriate for
construction, particularly if the region is largely flat. Drainage, bearing capacity,
density, shear resistance, and compressibility will all be difficult to achieve. If the
land area contains coarse-grained soil, on the other hand, it is more suited for
building since it has previously passed specific tests and geological history
study.
III. POST TEST
Concept Recall: List down the following:
Major Types of Rocks
1. Igneous Rocks
2. Sedimentary Rocks
3. Metamorphic Rocks
Four types of soil according to sizes and texture
4. Clay soil
5. Silty soil
6. Sandy soil
7. Peat soil
Loamy soil
Types of soil deposits according to origin
8. Alluvial soils
9. Glacial soils
10. Marine soils
11. Calcareous soil
12. Collovial or talus soils
13. Eolian or loess soils
14. Expansive soils
15. Lacustrine soils
16. Lateritic soils
17. Aeolian soils
Environmental Factors influencing formation of soil
18. Geological History
19. Climate
20. Topography
21. Rock type
22. Time
Type of clay minerals
23. Kaolinite
24. Illite
25. Montmorillonite
Essay
1.) What are the factors that influence the formation of soil? How these factors affect
strength and behavior of soil?
Parent material or rock type, relief or topography, geological history,
climate, and time are all variables that impact soil formation. These variables
interact to influence the mineralogical characteristics of the soil, such as
compressibility, shearing strength, chemical composition, and bearing capacity.
The notion that explains how these components affect the above-mentioned
qualities is that they are essentially the mechanisms by which the mechanical
strength of soil is influenced by external conditions, including the soil's physical
and chemical makeup.
2.) What controls the behavior of fine grained and coarse grained soil in terms of
strength and deformation? Justify your answer.
Coarse-grained soil is defined as soil with grains ranging in size from 0.075
mm to 60 mm, accounting for more than half of the total mass. Coarse-grained
soil has a high porosity and permeability due to its wide range of gradation.
Compaction is an outstanding engineering feature that encompasses the
behavior of coarse-grained and fine-grained soils due to its high shear strength
and compaction degree. Deformation and strength of the soil are also controlled
by particle size, distribution, and total porosity. In essence, coarse-grained soil,
especially when fines concentration is minimal, can be considered a typical
granular material. While fine-grained soil can flex depending on moisture level, it
is not a granular substance, and its strength is weakened.
3.) How soil fabric is form? What influences the soil fabric formation of montmorillonite
clay?
The mineral particles are organized into a structural framework during the
early stages of deposition, resulting in the formation of soil fabric. The
environment in which deposition takes place has an impact on the structural
framework that develops. The electrochemical environment, in particular, has the
largest impact on the type of soil fabric that forms during fine-grained soil
deposition. The layers of Montmorillonite, for example, are held together by weak
van der Waal forces and exchangeable ions. Swelling occurs when water enters
the bond and separates the layers.