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Soil Behavior: Spring 2005
Soil Behavior: Spring 2005
Soil Behavior: Spring 2005
Spring 2005
Canisteo clay loam, a soil profile from Minnesota. (Image courtesy of the USDA.)
Course Highlights
This class features some of the readings from the class, and a complete set of lecture notes.
Course Description
This class presents a detailed study of soil properties with emphasis on interpretation of field and laboratory test
data and their use in soft-ground construction engineering. Topics to be covered include: consolidation and
secondary compression; basic strength principles; stress-strain strength behavior of clays, emphasizing effects of
sample disturbance, anisotropy, and strain rate; strength and compression of granular soils; and engineering
properties of compacted soils. Some knowledge of field and laboratory testing is assumed for all students.
Syllabus
Course Description
This class presents a detailed study of soil properties with emphasis on interpretation of field and laboratory test
data and their use in soft-ground construction engineering. Topics to be covered include: consolidation and
secondary compression; basic strength principles; stress-strain strength behavior of clays, emphasizing effects of
sample disturbance, anisotropy, and strain rate; strength and compression of granular soils; and engineering
properties of compacted soils. Some knowledge of field and laboratory testing is assumed for all students. 1.37 is
desirable, and 1.361 is a prerequisite.
Conduct of Subjects
Lecture Topics
Scope of Course
Soil Composition
Water Absorption, Clay-water Forces, and Measurement of Soil Suction
Soil Structure
Basic Strength Principles and Stress-Strain Behavior of Simple Clay; Soil Modeling
Overview (Classes of Probems, Types of Analyses and Corresponding Strength Parameters for UU, CU and
CD Cases)
Effective Stress Parameters for Drained Analyses (Measurement and Problem Soils)
Compacted Clays
Constitutive Modeling
Miscellaneous
Course syllabus.
LAB (oedometer, triaxial, etc.) IN SITU (FV, CPTU, DMT, SBPT, etc.)
Advantages Advantages
Well defined boundary conditions → well defined Testing soil at in situ conditions and usually
soil properties via interpretation with continuum less affected by disturbance.
mechanics. Usually lower cost, more rapid and some
Can control loading and drainage conditions → field tests (CPTU) can provide continuous
property variation with stress path and drainage. profile.
Known soil type and features. Best suited for spatial variability → mean
trends + scatter about mean.
Limitations Limitations
Sample disturbance Ill-defined boundary conditions (stress-
- Affects properties (especially cohesionless soils) strain-drainage)
- Misleading spatial variations. - Need empirical correlations for soil
Discontinuous data on small fraction of soil properties
High cost May not know soil type