UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO SOIL MECHANICS

Geotechnical Engineering 3A (GTGCIA3)

By Amogelang Monnanyana
21 February 2024
Book chapters : 1 and 2
Introduction: Geotechnical Engineering
❑Geotechnical Engineering
• A subdiscipline of civil engineering that deals with the behaviour
of natural materials of the Earth.
• Interaction between earth materials with engineered systems
• Geotechnical solutions: Foundation of Structures, retaining
structures, Dams, Slope stabilisations, Pavements, tunnelling,
mine shafts, etc.

❑Soil Mechanics
• Properties and behaviour of soil
• Role in Geotechnical engineering

❑Rock Mechanics
• Behaviour of rocks
• Role in Geotechnical engineering
Figure 1: excavation site

Figure 1: C Wanamaker (2023). Geotechnical Engineering: Types and Methods of Deep Ground Modification. Owlcation. Available at :https://owlcation.com/stem/Types-and-Methods-of-Deep- 3
Ground-Modification. Accessed : [20 Feb 2024]
History of Geotechnical Engineering

Lack of geotechnical design in ancient structures caused structural failures.

• Failure due to low soil bearing
capacity
• Weak clay layer – Pancone clay
• Settlement caused tilting

Figure 2: Leaning Pisa Tower

Figure 2 : CalcTree (2024) Lessons from Historic Construction Failures: Tower of Pisa and Beyond. Available at: https://app.calctree.com/public/Lessons-from-Historic-Construction-Failures- 4
Tower-of-Pisa-and-Beyond-meSWTf5DzfKBCSDNzcCnE6. Accessed: [19/ 02/2024]
Developments in Geotechnical Engineering
❑Preclassical era (1700- 1927) ❑Classical soil mechanics—Phase I
(1776 to 1856)
• Natural slopes of soil
• Advancements in earth pressure theories :
• Unit weight (kN/m3) of different soil types
Coulomb's Theory
• Earth pressure theories
• Slope stability analysis
• Bearing Capacity

❑Classical soil mechanics—Phase II ❑Modern soil mechanics (1910 to 1927)

(1856 to 1910) • Behaviour of fine-grained soils: clay

• Permeability • Atterberg limits

• Stress distribution theories • Consolidation theory

• Seepage

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Understanding soil mechanics
Rock formation

❑3 main types of rocks:

• Igneous rock
• Sedimentary rock
• Metamorphic rock

Figure 3: rock cycle

Figure 3 from the textbook. 6

 Understanding soil mechanics
Rock formation

Igneous rock – solidification of

magma

Figure 4: examples of igneous rocks

Figure 4: ScienceFacts (2023) Igneous Rocks. ScienceFacts.net. Available at: https://www.sciencefacts.net/igneous-rocks.html. Accessed : [20/02/2024] 7
Understanding soil mechanics
Rock formation

Sedimentary rock – cementation of weathered material

Figure 5: examples of sedimentary rocks

Figure 5: M Andrei & T Puiu (2023) How sedimentary rocks form. ZME Science. Available at: https://www.zmescience.com/feature-post/natural-sciences/geology-and-paleontology/rocks-and-
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minerals/how-sedimentary-rocks-form/. Accessed: [20/02/2024]
Understanding soil mechanics
Rock formation

Metamorphic rock – change in mineralisation of a rock due to heat and pressure

A B

A. Schist
B. Marble
C. Quartzite

Figure 6: examples of metamorphic rock

Figure 6: M Andrei & T Puiu (2023) Metamorphic rocks: formation, types, examples. ZME Science. Available athttps://www.zmescience.com/feature-post/natural-sciences/geology-and-
paleontology/rocks-and-minerals/metamorphic-rocks/. Accessed: [20/02/2024] 9
Understanding soil mechanics
Soil formation

❑Soil forms through: Weathering and transportation of the rocks

• Mechanical weathering
• Chemical weathering
• Transportation: Wind, ice, water, gravity

Transportation Soil classification

wind Aeolian soils
ice Glacial soils
water Alluvial, Lacustrine, Marine soils
gravity Colluvial soils

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Understanding soil mechanics
Soil formation – Particle size

❑Particle size influenced by depth and distance

from source rock
• Grain size increases with depth
• grain size decreases with travel distance

❑Different soil types based on particle size –

ASTM standards
Soil type Particle size (mm)
Gravel 76.2 to 4.75
Sand 4.75 to 0.075
Fines (silt and clay) <0.075
Figure 7: soil types based on grain size

Figure 7: WWWSCENICS (2024). Sand Miniature Basing Kit. Available at: https://www.wwscenics.com/product/sand-miniature-basing-kit/. Accessed: [20/02/2024] 11
Garden Tutor (2024). Soil. Available at: https://gardentutor.com/lessons/soil/. Accessed: [20/02/2024]
Understanding soil mechanics
Soil formation – particle shape

❑Particle shape types:

• Bulky – due to mechanical weathering of rocks
o Angular
o Subangular
o Subrounded
o Rounded
• Flaky – mostly clay minerals

❑ Particle shape influenced by distance from parent

rock

Figure 8: soil particle shape

Figure 8 from textbook 12

END OF UNIT 1

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