 APPLICATIONS OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

1. Soil Engineering in foundation.

2. Soil Engineering for retaining structures.
3. Soil engineering for slope stability.
4. Soil Engineering for Underground Structures
5. Soil engineering for design of pavements.
6. Soil engineering in earth dams

 The Methods Used in Grain Size Analysis of Soil are:

1. Sieve Analysis → for particle sizes > 0.075 mm in diameter (coarse-grained soil).
2. Hydrometer Analysis → for particle sizes < 0.075 mm in diameter (fine-grained soil).

 SOIL COMPONENTS
The soil components may divide into two main groups:

1. Coarse grained soil which are boulders, cobbles, gravel and sand.
2. Fine grained soil which are silt and clay.

 Soil components according to its size are:

1. Boulders
A boulder is a rounded to angular, bulky, hard, rock particle or fragment. The average
diameter may by more than 300 mm.
2. Cobble
A cobble has the same description as a boulder but with smaller average diameter of
about 75mm 300 mm, used for fills.
3. Gravel (G)
A gravel is a rounded to angular, bulky, rock particles or fragment. mts size is smaller
than 75 mm and larger than 4.75 mm. Gravel can be divided into fine, medium and
coarse.
4. Sand (S)
Rounded in shape. Sand is divided into coarse, medium and fine. Gravel and sand
have similar engineering properties differing mainly in degree.
5. Silt (M)
The silt particle size is smaller than No. 200 sieve (# 0.075 mm).
6. Clay (C)
Clay particles are finer than No. 200 sieve (0.075 mm). Clay is subjected to expansion
 7. Organic soil
Organic matter can be in various sizes and different stages of decomposition. it may
decay causing voids. Organic soils are not desirable for engineering uses.

 Define the following:

1-water content
2-void ratio
3-Specific gravity
4- Degree of saturation
5-Porosity
6-Bulk unit weight
7-Saturated unit weight
8-Dry unit weight
9-Submerged unit weight
10-Atterberg limits
11-Liquid limit
12-Plastic limit
13-Shrinkage limit

 Explain in details the following tests:

1-Water content
2-Liquid limit
3-Plastic limit
4-Sieve analysis test
5-Specific gravity test

 Differential Settlement
Causes of differential settlements may related to one or more of the following
reasons:
1. Variation of soil strata.
2. Variation in foundation loading
3. Large loaded areas on flexible foundations.
4. Differences in time of construction of adjacent parts of the structure.
5. Variation in site conditions.

 Compaction: is a process by which the soil particles are artificially re-arranged

and packed together in a closer state of contact by mechanical means.
 important effects of compaction:
1. Increases density.
2. Increases strength characteristics.
3. Increases load-bearing capacity.
4. Decreases undesirable settlement.
5. Reduces erosion damage.

 Equipment of compaction in the field:

(i) Rollers (ii) Rammers (iii)Vibrators

 The methods available for the determination of in-situ unit weight are:
1. Sand-replacement method.
2. Nuclear method.