GEOTECHNICAL

ENGINEERING
 WHAT is Geotechnical Engineering?
Geotechnical engineering is the branch of
civil engineering concerned with the
engineering behavior of earth materials.
Civil engineers call these earthen materials
soil, and rock.
It deals with:

• Soil Mechanics
• Foundations
Soil Mechanics
• Soil Mechanics
What is Soil Mechanics?
Soil mechanics is a branch of engineering
mechanics that describes the behavior of soils.
Soil mechanics is used to analyze the
deformations of and flow of fluids within natural
and man made structures that are supported on
or made of soil, or structures that are buried in
soils.
Soil mechanics has become a distinct because
soils have a number of special properties, which
distinguish the material from other materials. Its
development has also been stimulated, of course,
by the wide range of applications of soil
engineering in civil engineering: lateral earth
pressure; bearing capacity and slope stability
• Types of Soil
The types of soil in engineering consideration depend on the particle size. The soil types
based on MIT classifications are:

Sand (o.o6mm - 2mm) Silt (o.002mm - 0.06mm) Clay (o.oo2 mm)

The soil types based on MIT classifications are shown in the Table below.

◦Composed of very fine particles with less than o.oo2mm in size. Flaky in shape and has a considerable surface
area.it has high dry strength, low erosion, low permeability, good workability under moist conditions. Soils
containing certain high-activity clays make very unstable material on which to build because they swell when wet
Clay (o.oo2 mm) and shrink when dry. Low-activity clays, formed under different conditions, can be very stable and easy to work
with.

Silt (o.002mm - 0.06mm) ◦It has high capillarity, low plasticity and very low dry strength. Consist of properties of clay and sand, shows
slight cohesion and friction.

◦
Sand (o.o6mm - 2mm) Shows no plasticity, high strength in confined state and has considerable friction resistance. High permeability
and low capillarity. Most wanted construction material.
Soil mechanics has become a distinct because soils have a number of special properties, which distinguish
the material from other materials. Its development has also been stimulated, of course, by the wide range
of applications of soil engineering in civil engineering: lateral earth pressure; bearing capacity and slope
stability.
Applications of Soil Mechanics

Gravity Retaining wall Cantilever Retaining Wall

Lateral earth pressure
Lateral earth stress theory is used to estimate the amount of stress
soil can exert perpendicular to gravity. This is the stress exerted on
retaining walls. There are three coefficients: at-rest, active, and
passive.
Bearing capacity
The bearing capacity of soil is the average contact stress between a
foundation and the soil which will cause shear failure in the soil.
Allowable bearing stress is the bearing capacity divided by a factor of
safety.
Slope stability
The field of slope stability encompasses the analysis of static and
dynamic stability of slopes of earth and rock-fill dams, slopes of other
types of embankments, excavated slopes, and natural slopes in soil and
soft rock. Slope is stable if the resistance offered is more than the applied
force otherwise, unstable.
Foundations
What is a Foundation?
A foundation is defined as that part of the structure that
supports the weight of the structure and transmits the
load to underlying soil or rock. The most basic aspect of
foundation engineering deals with the selection of the
type of foundation, such as using shallow foundations
and deep foundations.

Shallow foundation (low-rise buildings)

Deep foundation system (high-rise buildings)

Shallow Foundations
– are usually located no more than 6
ft below the lowest finished floor. A
shallow foundation system generally
used when, the soil close the ground
surface has sufficient bearing capacity,
and the underlying weaker strata do
not result in undue settlement.
Fig. 1 Spread Footings: (a) Square, (b) Rectangular, (c) Wall (Strip) and (d) Circular
Footings

Footings are structural elements, which

transfer loads to soil from columns, walls or
lateral loads from earth retaining structures
Types of Footing
Isolated spread footings under individual columns. These can be square,
rectangular, or circular.
Wall footing is a continuous slab strip along the length of wall.
Combined footings support two or more columns. These can be rectangular or
trapezoidal plan.
Cantilever or strap footings: These are similar to combined footings, except that the
footings under columns are built independently, and are joined by strap beam.
Raft or Mat foundation: This is a large continuous footing supporting all the columns
of the structure. This is used when soil conditions are poor but piles are not used.
Deep Foundations
The shallow foundations may not be
economical or even possible when
the soil bearing capacity near the
surface is too low. In those cases
deep foundations are used to transfer
loads to a stronger layer, which may
be located at a significant depth
below the ground surface.
Pile Foundations
Friction piles. The piles do not rest on hard strata and bear on frictional resistance
between their outer surface and the soil in contact. These piles are used when the
soil is soft and no hard strata available to a certain depth. The piles are long in
length and the surfaces are roughened or increases surface area to increase
frictional resistance.
End-Bearing piles. The piles rest on hard strata and act as columns to bear the
load of the structure. These piles are used to bear vertical loads and transfer the
load to the hard stratum lying underneath.
 Classification of pile with
respect to type of material
 Timber piles

Timber is most suitable for long cohesion piling and piling beneath embankments. The
timber should be in a good condition and should not have been attacked by insects.
For timber piles of length less than 14 meters, the diameter of the tip should be greater
than 150 mm. If the length is greater than 18 meters a tip with a diameter of 125 mm is
acceptable.
Concrete piles

Pre cast concrete Piles: Usually of square, triangle, circle or octagonal section, they
are produced in short length in one meter intervals between 3 and 13 meters. They are
pre-caste so that they can be easily connected together in order to reach to the
required length.
Steel piles

Figure a. H-cross section Figure b. Steel pipe

Steel piles: steel/ Iron piles are suitable for handling and driving in long lengths. Their
relatively small cross-sectional area combined with their high strength makes
penetration easier in firm soil. They can be easily cut off or joined by welding. If the pile
is driven into a soil with low pH value, then there is a risk of corrosion, but risk of
corrosion is not as great as one might think.
Composite piles

Composite piles.Combination of different materials in the same of pile. As indicated

earlier, part of a timber pile which is installed above ground water could be
vulnerable to insect attack and decay. To avoid this, concrete or steel pile is used
above the ground water level, whilst wood pile is installed under the ground water
level.
Driven piles

Figure c. Driven pile installation

Driven piles are considered to be displacement piles. In the process of driving the
pile into the ground, soil is moved radially as the pile shaft enters the ground. There
may also be a component of movement of the soil in the vertical direction
Bored piles

Figure d. Bored pile installation

Bored piles (Replacement piles) are generally considered to be non-displacement

piles a void is formed by boring or excavation before piles is produced. Piles can be
produced by casting concrete in the void. In unstable ground, such as gravel the
ground requires temporary support from casing or bentonite slurry.
 METHODS OF
INSTALLATION
Helical (screw) cast-in-place displacement piles
• This type of construction is performed using a special type of auger. The soil is however compacted,
not removed as the auger is screwed into the ground. The auger is carried on a hollow stem which can
be filled with concrete, so when the required depth has been reached concrete can be pumped down
the stem and the auger slowly unscrewed leaving the pile cast in place
Driven and cast-in-place displacement piles
• This type of pile can be of two forms. The first involves driving a temporary steel tube with a closed
end into the ground to form a void in the soil which is then filled with concrete as the tube is
withdrawn. The second type is the same except the steel tube is left in place to form a permanent
casing
The dropping weight or drop hammer is the most commonly used method of insertion of
displacement piles. When driving a hollow pile tube the weight usually acts on a plug at the bottom of
the pile thus reducing any excess stresses along the length of the tube during insertion.
 PILE
CONSTRUCTIONS
Dams

Sheet Pile Installation (Coffer Dam)

Roads

a. Contiguous Bored Pile Wall b. Soldier Pile with Concrete Lagging Wall
 SUB-DISCIPLINES
OF GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING
A. Soil Engineering
A soil engineer, is a civil engineer who specializes in evaluating the characteristics of the ground upon
which a structure is built. A soil engineer investigates and analyzes a site for such qualities as soil
characteristics, composition, and drainage. Soil engineers also consider the weight-bearing capacity of
the ground under a building's foundation. They evaluate the likelihood that the building will settle or shift
over time.
B. Geo-environmental Engineering
The interdisciplinary geo-environmental engineering program encompasses concepts, curricula, and
faculty from the environmental, geotechnical, and water resources engineering disciplines in the
department. Areas of study are:
*Contaminant Transport *Geochemistry
*Waste Containment Systems *Geohydrology
*Waste Management *Geological Hazards
*Site Assessment and Monitoring *Soil and Rock Properties
*Waste Treatment and Disposal *Soil Behavior
*Geo-synthetics *Mining Geotechnics
C. Foundation engineering
Geotechnical engineer who specializes in the design and construction oversight of foundations
and retaining structures. Foundation engineers are called upon to determine the best way of
transferring structural loads from buildings, bridges, machines, highway signs, etc. to soil and
rock in a safe and economical manner.
 CAREERS,
JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND
DUTIES OF GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEER
a. Education Requirements of a Geotechnical Engineer
The recognized shortage in Geotechnical Engineering means there are more opportunities today to
get involved in this growing discipline. There are no BA/BS degrees in Geotechnical Engineering, so
students should study one of the many standard engineering options and build from there. All
engineers need a BS at the very least for entry level jobs. As a recognized core STEM subject
(Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and therefore a skills shortage. Those who take a
major in Geotechnical Engineering should take minors and electives in math, physics and even
environmental science to ensure a good, solid understanding of Geotechnical Engineering.

b. Job Demand of a Geotechnical Engineer

Government monitoring statistics do not account for Geotechnical Engineering in terms of job
demand. Therefore, we have used Civil Engineering as a base mark. Employment areas and salary
are closely aligned, as is the type of work in which they will be engaged. The job outlook is expected
to rise by around 9% in the coming decade (2014-2024). Specifically in Geotechnical Engineering,
this could be higher as 11-12%.
 c. Average Geotechnical Engineer Salary
Locally, a Geotechnical Engineer receives a monthly salary ranging from P200,000-P450,000
annually depending on the type of employer. In the U.S., a Civil Engineer receives a monthly salary of
$4,300 to $6,400, again depending on the type of employer. In other foreign countries, pay and
benefits are definitely higher than local rates.

d. Geotechnical engineering Job opportunities

• Engineering Supervisor
• Department of Works and Highways
• Instructor/ Professor
• Sales Manager
• Procurement Manager
Roles and Responsibilities of a Geotechnical Engineer
The process of understanding and working with soil and rock, underground water, site and structural
conditions, in relation to a construction project, is known as geotechnical engineering. In their professional
capacity, geotechnical engineers plan and design the structures for buildings, roads, embankments, canals
and hundreds of other construction projects.
Multi-discipline. Geotechnical engineering is multi-disciplinary. You'll be expected to have a working
knowledge of a number of engineering fields - including ocean engineering, structural engineering,
petroleum engineering and material science.
Subsurface investigation: the job of the geotechnical engineer essentially starts with a collection of soil
samples from the project's intended site, using bores and test pits. Amongst other factors, the analysis will
determine the ground's stress bearing capability and stability.
Field test: after research into soil quality and stress-bearing factors, geotechnical engineers must determine
whether issues like erosion, settlement and slope will pose a safety risk to the proposed project.
Computer analysis: as a geotechnical engineer, you will be required to analyse the results of subsurface
investigations and field tests with dedicated software. Your ability to understand data and model future
conditions will be crucial to the development of the construction project. After analysis, geotechnical
engineers may be required to assist in the development of earthworks and foundations suitable to the
conditions of the site.
Client meetings: a regular duty of the geotechnical engineer is to meet with clients for evaluations of project
progress. Budget and time constraints will be important factors in any discussion and geotechnical engineers
will be expected to know and provide a variety of important information.
END