UNIVERSITY OF BALAMAND

Faculty Of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
COURSE SYLLABUS (v5)

SECTION I: Course Information and Learning Outcomes

Course Name (Title): Soil Mechanics Laboratory Required/Elective: R

Course Code: CIVE306 Nb. of credits:1 Co/Pre-Requisite(s): CIVE 301
Academic Year: 2021-2022 Semester: Fall
Course Time TH 14:00-17:00 Section: 1 Bldg/Room: SHIKHANI
Instructor Name / Title:Nina Helal Office: Shikhani Tel/Ext: 3444
Emailnina.helal@balamand.edu.lb Office Hours: T-TH 10:00-11:30
Coordinator Name:
Course (Catalogue) Description:
In this course, students will perform several field and laboratory test methods that are
commonly used to determine the mechanical properties of soils. These properties are
crucial for the design of the foundation of each construction.
The course includes determination of critical soils index, classification of soils, moisture-
density relationship, California bearing ratio and hydraulic conductivity tests.

Course Learning Outcomes and degree of emphasis w.r.t. Student Outcomes SO’s (3, 5,
6): (1) = Some emphasis; (2) = Moderate emphasis; and (3) = Substantial emphasis

Upon successful completion of the course, students must be able to:

1. Analyse particle size distribution using mechanical and hydrometer method [SO6
(3), SO5 (3)]
2. Measure the specific gravity of soil solids [SO6 (3), SO5 (3)]
3. Conduct and identify the liquid and plastic limits of soil [SO6 (3), SO5 (3)]
4. Determine the relative density, and the field density of compacted soil [SO6 (3),
SO5 (3)]
5. Conduct modified proctor test and evaluate the moisture density relationship [SO6
(3), SO5 (3)]
6. Calculate the shearing resistance of soil through california bearing ratio [SO6 (3),
SO5 (3), SO3 (2) ]
7. Analyze the cleanliness of sand by the sand equivalent experiment [SO6 (3), SO5
(3)]
8. Participate effectively in laboratory based teams [SO5 (3) ].
Required Textbooks:
Bowles Joseph E., “Engineering Properties of Soils and their measurements”, McGraw-Hill,
4th edition.
References (readings, technical articles, hard copy and e-resources, etc.):
Liu Cheng and Evett Jack B., “Soil Properties: Testing, Measurement, and Evaluation”,
Prentice-Hall, 4th edition.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Section 4; Construction: Vol. 04.08; Soil and Rock (I).
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Section 4; Construction: Vol. 04.09; Soil and Rock (II).
Required Tools/Software/Skills:
None

SECTION II: Course Content and Timetable

Contribution of Course to Meeting the Professional Component:

Professional Component Credits
Mathematics and Basic Sciences 0
Engineering Topic 1
General Education 0

Course Structure:
Description
Lecture During the lab session
Laboratory 1 lab session -180 min per week
Medium all material explained in class and on the blackboard
Tests Midterm, 45 minutes, closed book
Final 60 minutes, closed book
Homework/Project Lab reports

Course Timetable
Week(s) Chapters/Topics/Coverage
Week #1 Introduction: Soil properties, water content determination,
representative soil samples, use of balances, safety, and reports writing.
Week # 2-3 Lecture + Experiment: Relative density determination and Particle size
analysis – mechanical method
Week #4 Lecture + Experiment: Sand equivalent test
Week # 5 Lecture + Experiment: Specific Gravity of Soil Solids
Week # 6 Lecture: Moisture- density relationship (Proctor), in-place soil density
and CBR
Week # 7- 8- 9 Experiment: Moisture- density relationship (Proctor), in-place soil
density and CBR
Week # 10 Lecture + Experiment: Atterberg limits
Week # 11-12 Lecture + Experiment: Hydrometer Analysis , Revision

Student Work Evaluation

These are called assessment methods whose purpose is to provide evidence of the level or
extent of learning. These methods are to be designed to measure stated Learning Outcomes
and must be consistent with the instructional approach or strategy.
Laboratory Reports: 40% (on weekly basis)
PowerPoint Presentation: 10% (October 21st )
Midterm: 20% (October 14th )
Final exam: 30% (TBA BY REGISTRAR)

SECTION III: Policies and Students’ Responsibilities

Academic rules and regulations are to be followed according to the policies and guidelines of
the University, as laid out in the Catalogue (particularly the sections on Attendance and
Academic Behavior).

The following are the Program Outcomes, which are adopted by the Civil Engineering
Program at UOB and are the same as ABET’s “Student Outcomes”, known as SO’s:

1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying

principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
2. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs
with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural,
social, environmental, and economic factors
3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
4. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations
and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering
solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
5. an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership,
create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet
objectives
6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret
data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning
strategies