Contents

1. Unit 1........................................................................................................................................2
1.1 What is Soil?.....................................................................................................................2
1.2 Soil Mechanics..................................................................................................................2
1.3 Soil structure.....................................................................................................................2
1.3.1. Single-grained Structure............................................................................................3
1.3.2. Honey-comb Structure...............................................................................................3
1.3.3. Flocculent Structure...................................................................................................4
1.3.4. Dispersed structure....................................................................................................4
1.4 Phase System.....................................................................................................................5
1.4.1. Three phase system....................................................................................................5
1.4.2. Two Phase system......................................................................................................6
1.5 Index properties of soil.....................................................................................................7
1.6 Weight volume relationships..........................................................................................10
1.7 Particle size analysis.......................................................................................................10
1.7.1. Sieve analysis (dry)..................................................................................................11
1.7.2. Characteristics of Grain-size Distribution Curves...................................................13
1.7.3. Comment on gradation of soil.................................................................................14
1.8 Consistency of clay soils.................................................................................................15
1.9 Relative density (or density index).................................................................................18
1.10 Soil classification............................................................................................................19
1.11 IS Classification system..................................................................................................19
1.12 Plasticity chart.................................................................................................................20
1.13 Laboratory Experiments
1.14 GATE solved Questions with explanation

Content
s
2.1 Permeability......................................................................................................................2
2.2 Hydraulic Gradient............................................................................................................2
2.3 Darcy’s law.......................................................................................................................3
2.3.1. Validity of Darcy’s law.............................................................................................4
2.4 Factors affecting permeability..........................................................................................4
2.5 Discharge and seepage velocities......................................................................................7
2.6 Determination of coefficient of permeability....................................................................7
2.6.1. Constant head method................................................................................................8
2.6.2. Falling head method..................................................................................................9
2.7 Pumping in and Pumping out test:..................................................................................11
2.7.1. Pumping out test in unconfined aquifer...................................................................12
2.7.2. Pumping out test for confined aquifer.....................................................................12
2.7.3. Pumping in tests.......................................................................................................13
2.8 Permeability of layered soil............................................................................................14
2.9 Seepage forces.................................................................................................................16
2.10 Flow net for two-dimensional flow.................................................................................16
2.11 Characteristics of Flow net.............................................................................................17
2.12 Uses of Flow net.............................................................................................................18
2.13 Exit gradient....................................................................................................................19
2.14 Piping Effects..................................................................................................................20
2.15 Total, neutral and effective stress in soil.........................................................................20
2.16 Laboratory Experiments
2.17 GATE problems with explanation
3. Unit 3
3.1 Compaction of soils
3.2 Applications of compaction
3.3 Mechanism of compaction
3.4 Reasons for the shape of curve
3.5 Laboratory test on compaction
3.6 Standard proctor’s compaction test
3.7 Modified compaction test
3.8 Factors affecting Compaction
3.8.1. Effect of Water Content
3.8.2. Effect of Amount of Compaction
3.8.3. Effect of Method of Compaction
3.8.4. Effect of Type of Soil
3.8.5. Effect of Addition of Admixtures
3.9 Effect of compaction on properties of soil
3.10 Field compaction control
3.10.1. Degree of compaction
3.11 Types of field compaction equipment
3.12 Selection of compaction equipment
3.13 Consolidation of soils
3.14 Spring analogy for one dimensional consolidation
3.15 Terzaghi’s theory of one-dimensional consolidation
3.16 Solution of Terzaghi’s equation for one-dimensional consolidation
3.17 Limitations of Terzaghi’s one dimensional consolidation theory
3.18 Compressibility Properties
3.19 Stress history
3.19.1. Normally Consolidated Soils
3.19.2. Under Consolidated Soils
3.19.3. Over Consolidated Soils
3.20 Determination of Preconsolidation Pressure (Yield Stress)
3.21 Determination of coefficient of consolidation (Cv) from laboratory data
 3.21.1. Logarithm of time method
3.21.2. Square-root – time curve fitting method
3.22 Time Rate of consolidation
3.33 Laboratory Experiments……..………………………………………………37
3.34 GATE probmes with explanation……………………………………………38
4. Unit 4
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Boussinesq’s Solution
4.2.1. Stresses due to point load by Boussinesq’s theory
4.3 Vertical stress below a line load by Boussinesq’s theory
4.3.1. Vertical stress under a strip load
4.4 Uniform load on rectangular area
4.5 Pressure Distribution
4.5.1. Vertical Stress Distribution on a Horizontal Plane
4.5.2. Vertical Stress Distribution along a Vertical Line
4.6 Stress Isobar or Pressure Bulb Concept
4.7 Newmark’s chart
4.8 Approximate methods
4.8.1. Equivalent Point Load Method
4.8.2. Two is to One Method
4.9 Westergaard’s theory
4.10 Laboratory Experiments
4.11 GATE examples with explanation
 Unit 5
5.1. Field situation of shear failure
5.2. Concept of shear strength of soil
5.3. Components of shear strength of soils
5.3.1. Cohesion
5.3.2. Internal Friction
5.4. Mohr-Coulomb failure theory
5.5. Direct shear test
5.6. Unconfined compression test
5.7. Vane shear test
5.8. Numericals
5.9 Laboratory experiments
5.10 GATE examples with explanation
6. Unit 6
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Types of earth-retaining structures
6.3 Lateral earth pressures
6.4 Earth pressure at rest
6.5 Earth pressure theories
6.6 Rankine’s theory
6.7 Active and Passive Rankine States: Rankine’s theory
6.7.1. Active Earth Pressure of Cohesionless Soil
6.7.2. Passive Earth Pressure of Cohesionless Soil
6.7.3. Effect of water table on active earth pressure: Rankine theory
6.7.4. Effect of water table on passive earth pressure: Rankine theory
6.7.5. Active earth pressure for partly submerged backfill
6.7.6. Passive earth pressure for partly submerged case
6.8 Rankine earth pressure with cohesive backfill
6.9 Active earth pressure for cohesive soil: Rankine’s theory
6.10 Coulomb’s earth pressure theory
6.11 GATE examples with explanation