COURSE UNIT TITLE

: SOIL MECHANICS

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
INŞ 3015 SOIL MECHANICS COMPULSORY 2 0 0 3

Offered By

Civil Engineering

Level of Course Unit

First Cycle Programmes (Bachelor's Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ALI HAKAN ÖREN

Offered to

Environmental Engineering
Environmental Engineering

Course Objective

The aim of this course is to introduce the students to the fundamental principles of soil mechanics and to ensure that students understand how these properties are used to solve some geotechnical problems like classification, compaction, seepage, compression, consolidation, shear strength, lateral earth pressures, slope stability and shallow foundations.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   To be able to describe index and engineering properties of soils.
2   To be able to realize the effects of water on soil behaviour.
3   To be able to evaluate behaviour of soils under loading.
4   To be able to interpret results of soil mechanics laboratory tests.
5   To be able to solve engineering problems of soil mechanics.
6   To be able to interpret and report solutions of engineering problems.

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SOILS: Weight-volume relationships.
2 Index properties (grain size distribution, relative density, consistency). Soil classification.
3 Compaction of soils (laboratory compaction, field compaction, compaction control). Announcement of first homework.
4 EFFECTIVE STRESS: Geostatic soil pressures (total, effective and pore water pressures). Time dependence of effective stress change. Announcement of second homework.
5 SEEPAGE: Hydraulic gradient, Darcy, seepage velocity, seepage equation,
6 SEEPAGE: Flow net. Influence of seepage on effective stress. Announcement of third homework.
7 ONE DIMENSIONAL COMPRESSION AND CONSOLIDATION: One dimensional compression equation, oedometer test, preconsolidation pressure, compression of normally and over consolidated soils. Announcement of fourth homework.
8 Consolidation equation and its solution, consolidation ratio, U-T relationships, time dependent loading. Determination of coefficient of consolidation.
9 Midterm examination.
10 SHEAR STRENGTH: Coulomb s shear strength envelope, Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion. Shear strength tests: Triaxial compression test, direct shear test. Announcement of fifth homework.
11 SHEAR STRENGTH: Shear strength properties of soils (dry sand, saturated clay).
12 LATERAL EARTH PRESSURES AND EARTH RETAINING STRUCTURES: Geostatic, limit (active and passive) earth pressures. Design principles of cantilever sheet pile wall. Announcement of sixth homework.
13 SLOPE STABILITY: Circular failure and method of slices. Infinite slope analysis, wedge analysis with active and passive pressures.
14 STRESS INCREASE AND SETTLEMENT COMPUTATION: 63 ½ degree approach, pressure bulb, consolidation settlement and elastic settlement.

Recomended or Required Reading

Craig, R.F. (2004) "Craig's Soil Mechanics", Spon Press, Taylor & Francis Group, London, England, Seventh Edition, ISBN: 0-415-32703-2
Materials: Course notes and in class applications.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Course topics will be presented in class. For the enhancement of the subjects, students will prepare reports on the engineering analyses done individually about soil classification and compaction, seepage, compression and consolidation, evaluation of shear box and triaxial compression test results, earth retaining wall, slope stability and geotechnical design of shallow foundations.

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE MIDTERM EXAM
2 ASG ASSIGNMENT
3 FIN FINAL EXAM
4 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE MTE * 0.25 + ASG * 0.25 + FIN * 0.50
5 RST RESIT
6 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE * 0.25 + ASG * 0.25 + RST * 0.50


Further Notes About Assessment Methods

Final grade will be determined by curve method.

Assessment Criteria

LO1-5 are evaluated by the questions asked in the examinations and homework reports.
LO6 is evaluated by homework reports.

Language of Instruction

Turkish

Course Policies and Rules

Minimum 70% attendance is required. Home works should be done with success and within the time limits

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Ali Hakan Ören: ali.oren@deu.edu.tr
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Yeliz Yükselen Aksoy: yeliz.yukselen@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

Will be announced by the instructor within the first week of the semester.

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 13 2 26
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 13 1 13
Preparing assignments 6 4 24
Preparation for midterm exam 1 6 6
Preparation for final exam 1 9 9
Final 1 2 2
Midterm 1 2 2
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 82

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11PO.12PO.13PO.14PO.15PO.16PO.17PO.18PO.19PO.20
LO.14
LO.24
LO.34
LO.44
LO.5543
LO.64