Introduction to Soil Mechanics

Significance of this Class

 Why do you need to learn about soils?
Almost all structures are either constructed of soil,
supported on soil, or both.

 Who must be concerned with soils?

Civil engineers (structural, environmental and geotechnical)
must have basic understanding of the soil properties in order
to use them effectively in construction.
Transcosna Grain Elevator, Canada
Oct. 18, 1913

3
Settlement

Palacio de las Bellas, Artes,

Mexico City
Leaning Tower, Pisa

4
Shear Failure – Slope Stability

5
Soil Properties
SOIL PROPERTIES

Physical Mechanical

Moisture content Unit weight Specific gravity Gradation Atterberg limit Permeability

Compressibility Strength (Shear)

Soil classification

Geotechnical engineering
Structural engineering Geotechnical engineering
Pavement engineering Structural engineering
Environmental engineering Pavement engineering
PROFIL TANAH

A Horizon

B Horizon

C Horizon
(Partially weathered parent material)

Soil forming in granitic bedrock.

 DESKRIPSI TANAH
BS : 5930;1981

a. Consistency or relative density

b. Fabric or fissuring
c. Colour
d. Subsidiary constituents
e. Angularity or grading of principal soil type
f. PRINCIPAL SOIL TYPE (in capital)
g. More detailed comments on constituents or fabric
h. (geological origin, if known) (in brackets); and
i. Soil classification symbol (optional)
 Deskripsi tanah

Contoh ;

Very stiff fissured dark grey CLAY (London Clay)

(a) (b) (c) (f) (h)

Loose brown very sandy subangular coarse GRAVEL

(a) ( c ) (d) (e) (f)

with pockets of soft grey clay

(g)

Firm laminated brown SILT and CLAY

(a) (b) (c) (f) (f)
DESKRIPSI BATUAN
BS : 5930;1981

a. Colour
b. Grain size
c. Texture, and structure
d. Weathered state
e. ROCK NAME
f. Estimated strength of the rock material
g. Other terms indicating special engineering
characteristics
Comparison of the principal methods of
description of intact rock

DESCRIPTION ANON ANON BS 5930

(1970) (1972) (1981)

Colour X X X
Grain size X X X
Texture and structure X X X
Weathered state X X X
Alteration state X X
Cementation state X
Minor lithological characteristics X X
Mineral type X
ROCK NAME X X X
Estimated strength X X X
Other characteristics and properties x x X
Systematic rock material description
(i) (ii) (iii)

(a) Light pinkish grey Light yellowish brown Light pinkish white
(b) Coarse-grained Fine-grained Medium-grained
(c ) Porphyritic, massive Thickly bedded Foliated
(d) Slightly weathered Fresh Fresh
Slightly kaolinized
(e) Weakly cemented With bands of dark coloured
Ferruginous biotite with preferred
(f) GRANITE QUARTZ SANDSTONE orientation
(g) Very strong Weak GNEISS
(h) Impermeable except Porous Very strong
along joints