Ελληνικά
  1. Home
  2. Courses
  3. Soil Mechanics I

Soil Mechanics I

Course Description:

Introduction, applications of soil mechanics in civil engineering. The nature of soil, types of soil, density, water content, Atterberg limits, subsurface soil investigation. Stresses and strains in soil elements, description of the stress state at a point with the Mohr's circle, total and effective stresses, the "effective stress principle", geostatic stresses and stress changes due to externally applied loads (under plane strain and axisymmetric conditions). Phenomenological and microscopic description of soil deformation mechanisms. The triple role of the fluid phase. Stress-strain relationships under different loading conditions: one-dimensional compression, cylindrical (tri-axial) compression, simple shear, torsion. Shear strength of a soil element, Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion. Undrained loading: excess pore pressure, stress-strain relations under various loading conditions, undrained shear strength of soils. Laboratory: Demonstration of common soil mechanics tests used to determine physical and mechanical properties.

Prerequisite Knowledge

Basic knowledge of Mechanics

Course Units

# Title Description Hours
1 Introduction - Physical characteristics of soils 2x4=8
2 Stresses in the ground - Geostatic stresses - Soil deformation 1x4=4
3 Effective stress principle - Stress -strain relationships - Linear elasticity 2x4=8
4 One-dimensional deformation (oedometer test) 2x4=8
5 Transmission of stresses in the ground 1x4=4
6 Shear strength of soils - Measurement of shear strength parameters 3x4=16
7 Soil behaviour under undrained conditions 2x4=8

Learning Objectives

Knowledge of basic principles of Soil Mechanics and applications in simple problems of settlement and bearing capacity.

Teaching Methods

Teaching methods Lectures in class. Solution of simple examples and problems in class and home assignments. Discussion of case studies in class.
Teaching media Use of blackboard and powerpoint slides.
Laboratories Yes
Computer and software use Students solve in class (with the assistance of tutors) simple examples using mainly EXCEL.
Problems - Applications Yes
Assignments (projects, reports) Solution of several home problem sets. Attendance of one soil mechanics lab.

Student Assessment

  • Final written exam: None
  • Mid-term exam: None
  • Problems - Applications: None

Textbooks - Bibliography

  1. Course notes
  2. Book distributed to the students : Elements of Soil Mechanics by M. Kavvadas (Tsotra publisher)
  3. B.M. Das : Advanced Soil Mechanics
  4. A. Verruijt : Soil Mechanics
  5. K. Terzaghi, R. Peck and G. Mesri : Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice
  6. T.W. Lambe and R.V. Whitman : Soil Mechanics
  7. R.D. Holtz and W.D> Kovacs : An Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering

Lecture Time - Place:

  • Tuesday, 10:45 – 12:30,
    Rooms:
    • Ζ. Κτ. 1 Πολ., Αιθ. 1
    • Ζ. Κτ. 1 Πολ., Αιθ. 12
  • Wednesday, 09:45 – 11:30,
    Rooms:
    • Αιθ. 3
    • Αιθ. 5
    • Αμφ. 1/2
    • Ζ. Κτ. 1 Πολ., Αιθ. 1
    • Ζ. Κτ. 1 Πολ., Αιθ. 2