UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA

FACULTY OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Course Title: Geotechnical Engineering I

Course Code: CIV 3112
No of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: CIV 2212, EMT 2100/ EMT 2200, CIV 2215/ CIV 2115
Co-Requisites: None
Lecturer/Instructor:

DESCRIPTION

This course provides the student with the fundamentals of foundation engineering including site
investigation, computation of stresses in soils, earth pressure, allowable loads, selection of
foundation types, permissible settlements of foundations and other parameters related to the
design of foundations, retaining walls etc.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

After successfully completing this course, students should be able to:

• Analyse and design shallow foundations
• Evaluate lateral earth pressure on retaining walls
• Design retaining walls by considering axial, sliding and overturning loads
• Perform slope stability analysis
• Calculate soil bearing capacity and subsurface stress distribution
• Determine settlement of shallow foundations

CONTENT

• Site investigation
• Consolidation Theory; Bearing capacity theory; Lateral earth pressure theory
• Shallow foundations bearing capacity, stress distribution and settlement
• Site investigation, Stresses in soils: Effective and total stress concepts, Stress distribution
under circular and rectangular foundations;
 • Settlement calculations for different soil types
• Retaining structures; Retaining wall design
• Stability analysis and design.
• Mats and combined footings

METHOD OF TEACHING
This course will be delivered through a combination of interactive lectures and tutorials/review
classes. The lectures will cover the theoretical aspects of the course with tutorial sessions to
reinforce learning through the active engagement of students. The course work component will
consist of laboratory tests and field tripswhere appropriate.

Contact and credits hours are as follows:

Contact Hours Credit Hours

Lectures 30 30

Tutorials/review sessions 10 0

Field trips 8 0

Laboratory tests 12 10

Total 60 40

ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES/METHODS

The course will be assessed as follows:

One 3-hour written final examination 60%

Course work 40%

Course work will consist of:

Laboratory and field work reports 15%

Two 1-hr in-course tests 25%

REQUIRED READINGS

1. Soil Mechanics and Foundations, 3rd Edition, by Muni Budhi.

2. Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, 8th Edition, by Braja M. Das andKhaled Sobhan