L EC T U RE N O .
INTRODUCTION TO
GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING
By: Engr. John Mark M. Abliter
T O P I C S T O BE
DISCUSSED
Introduction
Definition of Soil Mechanics and a grasp of
Geotechnical Engineering
The Weight-Volume Relationship
Basic Soil Properties
The weight-volume relationship of soils
Relative Density
S o i l Mechanics is defined as
the branch of Engineering
science that enables an
engineer to know theoretically
or experimentally the behavior
of soil under the action of:
1. Loads (statics or Simply speaking, it is the
dynamics) knowledge of engineering
science, which deals with
2. Gravitational forces
properties, behavior and
3. Water performance of soil as a
construction material or
4. Temperature foundation support
Terzaghi, a famous scientist For the design and
defines soil mechanics as construction of almost all such
follows, Soil Mechanics is the projects, the engineers have
application of Laws of to deal with both soil and
Hydraulics and Mechanics rock, either as construction
to engineering problem material or as a foundation
dealing with sediments and support.
other unconsolidated
accumulations of solid
particles produced by the
Mechanical and Chemical
Disintegration of rocks.
Why we study Soil
Mechanics?
Foundation to support Structures
and Embankments
Construction Material
Slopes and Landslides
Earth Retaining Structures
Special Problems
Foundation to Support Structures
and Embankments
• Effects of static loading on soil mass
• Shear failure of the foundation of soil
• Settlement of structures
• Stability criteria (solution)
• There should be no shear failure of the foundation soil.
• The settlement should remain within permissible limits.
• Firm Soil -> Spread Footing (Spread Foundation)
• Soft Soil -> Pile Foundation (Vertical Members transferring load of
structure to ground)
Foundation to Support Structures
and Embankments
• Effects of dynamic loading on soil
mass
• For design and construction of
roads must be considered:
• Compaction Characteristics
• Moisture Variation
Construction Material
• Subgrade of highway pavement
• Land reclamation
• Earthen dam
Slopes and Landslides
• Major cause is the moisture
variation resulting in;
• Reduction of shear strength
• Increase of moisture
• Increase in unit weight
• Excavation of trenches of building
require braced excavation.
Earth Retaining Structures
• Earth retaining structure (e.g.,
Retaining walls) are constructed to
retain (holds back) any material
(usually earth) and prevents it from
sliding or eroding away.
Special Problems
• Effects of river water on soil mass
• Scouring
• Land Erosion
• Effects of frost action on soil mass
• Reduction of shear strength
• Settlement of structure in summer
• Lifting up of structure in winter
WEATHERING OF ROCKS
PHYSICAL CHEMICAL ROCK CYCLE
W e a t h e r i n g is the
p r o c e s s of b r e a k i n g
d o w n r o c k s into
s m a l l e r pieces.
T w o t y p e s of w e a t h e r i n g :
1 . M e c h a n i ca l We a t h e r i n g
2 . C h e m i c a l We a t h e r i n g
M E C H A N I C A L W E AT H E R I N G C H E M I C A L W E AT H E R I N G
It is caused by the expansion and contraction of The process of transforming original rock minerals
rocks from the continuous gain and loss of heat into new minerals by chemical reaction.
which results in ultimate disintegration.
R O C K C YC L E
All rock at or near Earth’s surface is
being modified by the process of
metamorphism, melting,
crystallization, lithification and
weathering. These processes move
rock material through the states of
metamorphic rock, igneous rock,
sedimentary rock, melts and sediment.
The natural and continuous cycling of
rock materials through theses states is
known as the Rock Cycle.
R O C K CLASSIFICATION
IGNEOUS SEDIMENTARY METAMORPHIC
IGNEOUS R O C K S
RESULT OF THE FISSURE ERUPTION
OR VOLCANIC ERUPTION OF A
LARGE, DEEP-SEATED RESERVOIR
OF MOLTEN ROCK
S E D IME N T A R Y
ROCKS
FORMED WHEN THE DEPOSITS OF
GRAVEL, SAND, SILT AND C L AY ARE
COMPACTED BY OVERBURDEN
PRESSURE AND HARDENED BY
CEMENTING AGENTS
ME T A MO R P H IC
ROCKS
FORMED THROUGH
"METAMORPHISM", THE P R O C E S S
OF CHANGING THE COMPOSITION
AND TEXTURE OF ROC KS BY HEAT
AND PRESSURE WITHOUT MELTING.
S o i l is d e f i n e d a s the
u n c e m e n t e d a g g r e g a t e of
mineral g ra i n s a n d d e caye d
o r g a n i c m a t t e r (solid
p a r t i c l e s ) w i t h l i q uid a n d g a s
in the e m p t y s p a c e s b e t w e e n
the solid p a r t i cl es .
In the field of e n g i n e e r i n g ,
soil is u s e d a s :
C o n st r u c t i o n M a te r i a l
S u p p o r t fo r S t r u c t u ra l
Foundations
F O R MA T IO N The products of weathering
OF SOIL may stay in the same place
or may be moved to other
places by ice, water, wind
and gravity.
T y p e s of S o i l
RESIDUAL SOILS FINE-GRAINED SOILS TRANSPORTED SOILS
Soils formed by the weathered products at Found at the surface and the grain size Classified into several groups, depending
their place of origin. increases with depth. on their mkde of transportation and
deposition.
CLASSIFICATION OF
TRANSPORTED SOIL
a. Glacial Soils – formed by transportation and
deposition of glaciers
b. Alluvial Soils = transported by running water
and deposited along streams.
c. Lacustrine Soils – formed by deposition in quiet
lakes
d. M arine Soils – formed by deposition in the seas
e. Aeolian Soils – transported and deposited by the
wind
f. Colluvial Soils – formed by movement of soil
from its original place by gravity, such as during
landslide
G E N E R A L L Y , S O IL S
ARE CALLED
G r a v el
Sand
Silt &
Clay
S o i l C l a s s if i ca t i on
G R AV E L S
SAND
Pieces of rocks with occasional particles of
Made of mostly quartz and feldspar.
quartz, feldspar and other minerals.
S I LT S C L AY S
Microscopic soil fractions that consist of very Mostly flake-shaped microscopic and
fine quartz grains and some flake-shaped submicroscopic particles of mica, clay minerals
particles. and other minerals.
Feldspar
Mica
Quartz
MECHANICAL
ANALYSIS OF SOIL
THE DETERMINATION O F THE SIZE RANGE O F
PARTICLES PRESENT IN A SOIL, EXPRESSED AS A
PERCENTAGE O F THE TOTAL DRY WEIGHT.
TWO METHODS:
1.SIEVE ANALYSIS
2. HYDROMETER ANALYSIS
S I E V E A N A LY S I S H Y D R O M E T E R A N A LY S I S
Consists of shaking the soil sample through a set of It is based on the principle of sedimentation of soil
sieves that have progressively smaller openings. It is grains in water. It is used for particle sizes smaller
used for particle sizes larger than 0.075mm in than 0.075 mm in diameter.
diameter.
SIEVE
A N A L Y S IS
PERCENT FINER
SIEVE COMPUTATION
A N A LY S IS
PARTICLE SIZE
SIEVE DISTRIBUTION
CURVE
A N A LY S IS
H Y D R O ME T E R WHEN A SOIL
SPECIMEN IS
IT I S A S S U M E D
T H AT A L L T H E
ANALYSIS DISPERSED IN
W AT E R , T H E
S O I L PA R T I C L E S
ARE SPHERES AND
PA R T I C L E S S E T T L E THE V E LO C I T Y O F
AT D I F F E R E N T S O I L PA R T I C L E S
VELOCITIES. C A N BE
EXPRESSED BY
"STOKE'S LAW"
Stoke's Law
H Y D R O ME T E R Table 2.9 gives the variation of K with the
ANALYSIS test temperature and the specific gravity
of soil solids.
H Y D R O ME T E R
ANALYSIS
H Y D R O ME T E R
A N A LY S I S
The value of L (cm) for the ASTM 152H
hydrometer can be given by the expression:
IN M A N Y INSTANCES, THE RESULTS O F SIEVE
H Y D R O ME T E R ANALYSIS AND HYDROMETER ANALYSIS FOR FINER
FRACTIONS FOR A GIVEN SOIL ARE C O M B I N E D O N
A N A LY S I S ONE GRAPH (SEE FIGURE 2.31)
Geotechnical
Engineering can be
defined as a
branch of civil 1 . P re p a re s a n d i n s p e c t s p ro j e c t s
i nv o l v i n g d r i l l i n g a n d
engineering ex p l o rat i o n
concerned with
the engineering 2. Responsible for geological
mapping , report writing , site
behavior of the c h a ra c t e r i z a t i o n , n u m e r i c a l
earth’s materials. modeling and analysis of
e x c a v a t i o n s /s u p p o r t s .
APPLICATIONS
Foundation Design
Pavement Design
Design of Earth-retaining
structures and underground
Design of embankments and
excavations
Design of earth dams
THANK YOU!!!
