BOĞAZİÇİ UNIVERSITY

Department of Civil Engineering

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Syllabus of COURSE 335.01

1. CE335.01: Soil Mechanics

2. COURSE INFORMATION
Credits: (3+0+2) 4
Lecture Hours: Tuesday 14:00 – 16:00 Thursday 10:00 – 11:00 and Lab: 13:00 – 17:00
Lecture Hall: TT 67 Online Online / Th 2 simultaneously Online and in NH102 / Th 5678 Soil
Mech Lab Online
Laboratory Hours: All laboratory sessions will online.

3. COURSE INSTRUCTOR
Assoc. Prof. Özer ÇİNİCİOĞLU
Office: M 3004
Email: ozer.cinicioglu@boun.edu.tr
Phone: 02123597533
Webpage: http://ce.boun.edu.tr/?q=ozercinicioglu

Teaching Assistants
Mert GÜNER
Email: mert.guner@boun.edu.tr Office: Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory
Uğur Can ERGİNAĞ
Email: ugurcan.erginag@boun.edu.tr Office: Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory

4. COURSE TEXTBOOK
Knappett, J., and Craig, R. F., “Craig’s Soil Mechanics” Spon Press.

Other Supplemental Materials

The lecture notes of CE335.01, handwritten notes during the lectures as pdf files and the
videos of the experiments

5. COURSE DESCRIPTION (Catalog)

Physical properties of soils, soil classification, soil structure, moisture effects; flow processes;
compressibility and consolidation; stress, deformation, and strength characteristics; stress
distribution and analysis; lateral earth pressures. Basic laboratory experiments.

Course Type
Required
Prerequisite and Corequisite
CE 331 or CE 231, and CE246 (prerequisite)
Laboratory and Computer Usage
Online sessions will be held throughout the course.
Grading Policies
Midterm exams: 2 in-class midterm exams. 50% of the final grade.
Quizzes: There will be online quizzes throughout the semester. Total 10% of the final grade.
Final exam: 40% of the final grade. Minimum 40 out of 100 is required in the final exam to
be eligible for a passing grade.
Attendance: Attendance is not mandatory and will not be collected.
 BOĞAZİÇİ UNIVERSITY
Department of Civil Engineering
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Syllabus of COURSE 335.01

6. SPECIFIC GOALS FOR THE COURSE

COURSE OUTCOMES
a) To teach the different soil types and their use in engineering disciplines and to provide
students with exposure to the systematic methods classifying soils.
b) To introduce engineering students the mechanics of multiphase materials.
c) To build the necessary theoretical background for design and construction of structures
on, in and against soil.
d) To help students in understanding the soil mechanics concepts with hands on experience
e) To be able to carry out all soil mechanics fundamental experiments according to
standards.
f) To collect, analyze and interpret experimental data.

STUDENT OUTCOMES
This course is intended to contribute to the following program outcomes:
a) An ability to identify, formulate and solve complex engineering problems by applying
principles of engineering, science and mathematics
b) 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
c) An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret
data, and use engineering judgement to draw conclusions

7. TOPICS COVERED
Basic characteristics of soils, seepage, one and two dimensional flow, compaction,
consolidation, effective stress, shear strength, lateral earth pressures. The following
experiments will be conducted: Specific gravity test, water content determination, grain size
analysis, Atterberg limit tests, compaction test, hydraulic conductivity test, consolidation test,
direct shear test, unconfined compression test, triaxial test.

8. IMPORTANT NOTES
• Email is the official means of communication. Therefore, all students are expected
to check their emails regularly. (Those emails that are listed in the Boğazici University
registration system)
• The course can be followed completely online (except for the midterm and final
in-class exams)
• Each exam will cover the materials from the beginning of the course to the date of the
exam.
• If a student misses an exam due to sickness, accident, etc., an acceptable legitimate
document is required for a make-up or to be considered exempt.
• Scholastic honesty is expected from all students. Violations of scholastic honesty
include, but are not limited to cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating information or
citations, facilitating acts of dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of
examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without
informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Any
violations of scholastic honesty can result in a zero, failing grades, or suspension, and
the student will be reported for disciplinary action.