Soil Mechanics

Recommended Prerequisites

General Geology.

Teaching Methods

Theoretical classes with presentation of the concepts, principles and fundamental theories of Soil Mechanics; solving of some simple exercises that illustrate the application of the subject to real situations.

Theoretical-practical classes where the students solve some proposed exercises under the supervision of the teacher. The exercise resolution requires the combination of theoretical concepts and promotes critical thinking under more complex problems.

Learning Outcomes

To provide the students with the main concepts, principles and theories required to understand and predict the physical state and also the hydraulic and the mechanic behaviour (strength and deformability) of soil masses subject to natural or artificial forces.

Acquisition of skills in analysis and synthesis, written communication, problems solving, critical thinking, self-learning, practical application of theoretical knowledge.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Constituent phases of a soil element.

Identification and Classification of Soils: basic physical properties; clay minerals; consistency state limits; grain size distribution; Unified soil Classification System.

Soil compaction: compaction in laboratory (Proctor) and in the field; compaction equipment; procedure and control for field compaction.

Stress correspondent to the at-rest state in a soil mass: principle of effective stress; calculation of the at-rest stress due to self-weight and due to applied loading by using elastic solutions.

Seepage and groundwater flow: permeability; one-dimensional flow; bi-dimensional flow; hydraulic instability problems.

Consolidation and settlement analysis: confinement; one dimensional laboratory consolidation test; estimation of settlement due to primary consolidation; consolidation theory of Terzaghi.

Shear strength: laboratory and field tests; stress-strain relationship; Mohr-Coulomb failure envelope; determination of shear strength parameters.

Head Lecturer(s)

Paulo Alexandre Lopes Figueiredo Coelho

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Exam: 100.0%

Bibliography

Mecânica dos Solos (Vol. 1) –  M. Matos Fernandes