Soil Mechanics (CE252)

Lecture 1 – Introduction and Soil Formation

By
Dr. Gaurav Tiwari
Assistant Professor
Civil Engineering Department, IIT Kanpur

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 Introduction
⮚Geotechnology deals with engineering of two earth materials (Geomaterials)- Rocks and Soil
⮚Rock- Aggregates of mineral grains that are connected by strong forces and can be separated only by
strong mechanical means. It is also a 3-phase material with pores/voids containing air or liquid
⮚Soil- Aggregates of mineral grains that are connected by weak forces and can be separated by slight
mechanical means such as agitation in water

Geomaterials

Rock Soil

Mechanical/Chemical Weathering
of high degree

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 Introduction

Voids (can be filled

with air/water)
Grains

Bond between mineral grains

Microscopic Image of Idealized Soil

Image source: Singh et al. (2021) 3

 Introduction
⮚Geotechnology deals with engineering of two earth materials (Geomaterials)- Rocks and Soil
⮚Soil Mechanics- Branch of civil engineering that concerns the application of the principles of
mechanics, hydraulics and to a smaller extent, chemistry, to engineering problems related to soils.
⮚Rock Mechanics- Science dealing with the application of the principles of mechanics to the
understanding of the behaviour of rock masses

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 Applications– Foundations

Prepared rock slope for

Chenab bridge pier placement

For more details check this link-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=-1jQ6qLDir8
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 Applications- Slope stability analysis

Soil slope along a road

Landslide along a road

Image source: Google 6

 Applications- Tunnel Construction

Image source: Google 7

 Application of Geotechnology - Foundations

Many other applications are highways, embankment, dam etc…….

Image source: Google 8

 Formation Process of Soils

⮚ Basic procedure – weathering of the rocks

⮚ There are different ways to classify the rocks based on different parameters
⮚ However, for this course classification of rocks on the basis of their formation process is required

On the basis of rock formation process

Igneous Sedimentary Metamorphic

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 Rock Classification based on Formation Process

Igneous Rocks:
⮚Forms from the crystallisation of magma
⮚Magma is basically molten rocks which forms at the convergent boundaries due to heat generated by
friction, deep temperature and pressure
⮚Igneous rocks can further be divided into different types (no need to remember!):
▪Plutonic/Intrusive: Magma migrates upwards but does not reach the surface; cools slowly; Because of
which minerals have the time to group and forming large distinguishable mineral grains

▪ Magmatic/Extrusive/Volcanic: Magma reaches surface quickly and solidifies quickly and hence grains
cannot group into large grains and hence grain size is small

▪ Sub volcanic/Hypabyssal: Intermediate grain size: emplaced at medium to shallow depths

(Please refer to figure in the next slide for further explanation)

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Formation of Igneous rocks - Subduction of two boundary plates

Amount of
movement is
inversely
proportional to
grain size

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 Rock Classification based on Formation Process

Sedimentary Rocks:
⮚Formation process of these rocks can be explained like this:
Rock pieces formed Rock pieces carried by Pieces cemented into rocks through
by weathering water/wind/glaciers different chemical/biochemical processes

⮚Sedimentary rocks can further be classified based on particle size(no need to remember!):
▪ Rudaceous: grain size more than 2 mm in diameter
▪ Arenaceous: 0.06 mm-2 mm particle size
▪ Argillaceous: Particle diameter<0.06 mm

⮚ Sedimentary rocks can further be classified based on mode of formation (no need to remember!):
▪ Mechanical: Small pieces of rocks are formed by mechanical weathering and then lithified by compaction
and cementation (Clastic is another name for these sedimentary rocks)
▪ Chemical: Chemical solutions carry chemical sediments; after sometimes chemical precipitate, water leaves
(Non-Clastic is another name for these sedimentary rocks)
▪ Organic: Accumulation of plant/animal debris which have chemicals in them (Non-Clastic is other name)

⮚These rocks are generally named after their weathered products (sand-sandstone, clay-claystone etc)12
 Rock Classification based on Formation Process
Metamorphic Rocks:
⮚Forms from igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic rocks that are subjected to extremely large pressures/
temperatures (metamorphism means change of form)
⮚High temperature causes rock to attain fluidity
⮚High pressure makes minerals to realign themselves in the direction of applied pressure
⮚Metamorphic rocks can further be divided into different types (no need to remember!)
▪ Foliated: have a layered or banded appearance
▪ Massive/Non-Foliated: do not have a layered or banded appearance

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Foliated Non-Foliated/Massive
 Soil Formation Process - Weathering
⮚ Exposed to atmospheric conditions (air, water etc...), rock slowly breaks down/ disintegrates

Weathered by extreme wind

Not Weathered because wind and water
and water does not reach this
part of rock

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 Soil Formation Process - Weathering
Weathering:
▪ Can be distinguished into two types:
✔ Physical/Mechanical Weathering
✔ Chemical Weathering
Physical/Mechanical Weathering:
⮚ Disintegration of rock into smaller pieces by ex-foliation (separation of successive thin shells)
or decrepitation (cracking of rock)
⮚ Chemical Composition (mineral) of parent rock is not or slightly altered
⮚ Gravels and Sands are formed by this process
⮚ Common Causes: Temperature Changes, Wind, Frost action, biogenic processes, Unloading
of rocks due to erosion etc..

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 Soil Formation Process - Weathering
Physical/Mechanical Weathering:

Rock Weathering/Disintegration
by frost action (Mulroy)

Rock Weathering by biological reasons

Plant growth Animals home

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 Soil Formation Process - Weathering
Chemical Weathering:
⮚ Rock reacts with different atmospheric components- Oxygen, water, acid rains, Sulphur di oxide etc....
⮚ This type of weathering creates new minerals in place of the ones it destroyed in the parent rock
⮚ Common Examples/Causes:
✔ Solution: Mineral completely dissolves during weathering (Eg. Salt, Gypsum)
✔ Hydrolysis: Reaction between acidic weathering solutions and many of the silicate minerals
✔ Hydration: Penetration of water into lattice structure of minerals
✔ Oxidation: Reaction of free oxygen with metallic elements
⮚ Clays and to some extent silts are formed by this process

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 Soil Types- Based on Transportation/Deposition
1. Residual Soils:
⮚ Soils remaining at the place of their formation after weathering of parent rocks
2. Transported Soils
⮚ Soils that are found at far locations from their place of formation
⮚ Transporting agencies are in general wind, water and glaciers
⮚ Further based on the mode of transportation/deposition, we can classify transported soils
as given:
▪ Alluvial Soils: fine sediments transported by running water and settled on river/stream beds
▪ Aeolian Soils: sand-sized particles deposited by wind
▪ Marine Soils: mixture of sand, silt and clay that deposited in salt or brackish water
▪ Lacustrine Soils: mostly silts and clays deposited in still, freshwater lakes
▪ Glacial Soils: Transported by glaciers

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Thank You

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