CE 401:

GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING
(SOIL MECHANICS)
COURSE ORIENTATION
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
(SOIL MECHANICS)
 GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING
(SOIL MECHANICS)
2016
 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM

mdlaurina.ce@tip.edu.ph

Marc Laurina
• CE 401: Geotechnical Engineering (Soil Mechanics)
• Section: CE31SX
• Schedule:
 Lecture: Mon 7:30 to 10:30 AM Rm: S9
 Laboratory: Wed 7:30 to 10:30 AM Rm: Q-4103
 Lecture Credit Unit: 3 Units
 Laboratory Credit Unit: 1 Unit
• Prerequisites:
• CE 009 Mechanics of Deformable Bodies
• CE 301 Geology
• Soil Mechanics refers to the application of the mechanics of materials and fluids to
describe the behavior of soils. Basic principles of soil mechanics and fundamentals of
application in engineering practice; soil composition and texture; classification;
permeability and seepage; consolidation; settlement; shear strength; lateral earth
pressures; fundamentals of retaining structures, shallow and deep foundations, slope
stability; sub-surface exploration. Upon completion of the course, students should
have an understanding of the properties of soils, the standard analyses performed by a
GeoEngineer, and the qualitative aspects of soil behavior which are used in the
analysis of problems in GeoEngineering.
Course Objectives
The course aims to develop the student’s specialized
engineering knowledge in soil (geotechnical) analysis
and apply the knowledge in providing solutions to
actual problems that pertains to foundation or soil
engineering.
Course Outcomes
At the end of the course, the students are expected to:
1. Distinguish the various soil classification systems.
2. Analyze soil property /classification problems.
3. Analyze flow of water through soil medium.
4. Analyze the stresses acting in soil when subjected
to loadings
5. Develop technical competence in basic principles
of soil mechanics and fundamentals of
application in engineering practice.
Course Outcomes
6. Ability to list the salient engineering properties of
soils and their characteristics and describe the factors
which control these properties.
7. Ability to apply laboratory methods of determining
the properties of soils.
8. Ability to identify common situations when the soil
becomes a factor in an engineering or environmental
problem.
9. Capable of performing basic analytical procedures in
these situations to obtain the engineering quantity
desired given the formulas, tables, and the soil
properties and understand their limitations.
Prelim Grade (PG)
𝑷𝑮 = 𝟎. 𝟓 ∗ 𝑷𝑪𝑺 + 𝟎. 𝟓 ∗ 𝑷𝑬
PCS = Prelim Class Standing
PE = Prelim Exam

Midterm Grade (MG)

𝟐 𝟏
𝑴𝑮 = {𝟎. 𝟓 ∗ 𝑴𝑪𝑺 + 𝟎. 𝟓 ∗ 𝑴𝑬 } + (𝑷𝑮)
𝟑 𝟑
MCS = Midterm Class Standing
ME = Midterm Exam

Final Grade (FG)

𝟐 𝟏
𝐅𝑮 = {𝟎. 𝟓 ∗ 𝑭𝑪𝑺 + 𝟎. 𝟓 ∗ 𝑭𝑬 } + (𝑴𝑮)
𝟑 𝟑
FCS = Final Class standing
FE = Final Exam
 Prelim and Midterm

Major Exam: 50%

Class Standing: 50%
* Quizzes: 50%
* Laboratory Reports: 30%
* Assignment and Seatwork: 10%
* Recitation: 10%
 Finals
Major Exam: 50%
Class Standing: 50%
* Quizzes: 50%
* Design of Experiments: 40%
* Assignment and Seatwork: 5%
* Recitation: 5%
 Recitation
- Asking Questions during Lecture (Chosen randomly using Index Card)

 Assignment/ Seatwork
- These are a set of problems, usually from the textbook, which should serve as a general
exercise, applying the concepts covered by the topics in a given module.
- Seatwork: It is done during the class written in yellow pad paper, submitted onsite
- Assignment: Take home activity written in long bond paper, submitted as pdf in Canvas;
Reading Assignment

 Assessments
- 1 Major Exam per Term
- 1 Quiz per Term
Grade Equivalence

Based Zero
Passing Grade: 50%
Laboratory – Need to Provide
• Soil Sample
• Megabox and ziplock for soil sample storage
• With proper label:
o Course Code – Section
o Group Number / Group Name
o Example: CE 401 – CE31S1
Group 1 - Laurina
• Extra shirt, personal hygiene kit (alcohol, soap, tissue,
wipes, gloves, etc)
• Target Week to Acquire: 4th week of August
Laboratory – Soil Sample Selection

• Samples to be tested should be representative, i.e. they

should be similar in characteristics to most of the stratum
from which they come, or be an average of the range of
materials present.
• If this appears difficult because of variations in the
stratum, it may be necessary to consider subdivisions of
the stratum for sampling, testing, and design purposes.
• In general, tests on samples of mixed or stratified material,
such as varved clay, should be avoided; usually such results
are not indicative of material characteristics; and better
data for analysis can be obtained by testing the different
materials separately.
Laboratory – Soil Sample Selection
• Undisturbed samples for structural properties tests must
be treated with care to avoid disturbance; an
"undisturbed" sample found to be disturbed before testing
normally should not be tested.
• Fine-grained cohesive samples naturally moist in the
ground should not be allowed to dry before testing, as
irreversible changes can occur; organic soils are
particularly sensitive.
• Soils with chemical salts in the pore water may change if
water is added, diluting the salt concentration, or if water
is removed, concentrating or precipitating the salt.
• Organic soils require long-term low temperature (60deg.C)
drying to avoid severe oxidation (burning) of the organic
material.
School Calendar
School Calendar
• Prelim Period (Weeks 1–6)
Lecture Laboratory Week
Course Orientation; Module 1_Introduction Collecting Soil Sample 1

Module 2_Soil Structures & Subsoil Explorations Collecting Soil Sample 2

Module 3_Weight-Volume Relationships; Module 4_ Exp # 1 & 2 3

Soil Index Properties Part 1
Module 4_ Soil Index Properties 2 and 3 Exp # 3 4

Prelim Quiz Module 5_Soil Classification 5

Prelim Exam DOE Proposal Title 6

• Midterm Period (Weeks 7–12)
Lecture Laboratory Week
Module 6_Soil Compaction Exp # 4 7

Module 7_Soil Permeability Part 1 Exp # 5 8

Module 7_Soil Permeability Part 2 Exp # 6 9

Module 8_Stress Distribution in Soil Part 1 Exp # 7 10

Midterm Quiz Module 8_Stress Distribution in Soil Part 2 11

Midterm Exam DOE Draft Chapter 1 and 2 12

• Finals Period (Weeks 13–18)
Lecture Laboratory Week
Module 9_Compressibility of Soil DOE 13

Module 10_Shear Strength of Soil Part 1 DOE 14

Module 10_Shear Strength of Soil Part 1 & Module DOE 15

11_Lateral Earth Pressure P1
Module 11_Lateral Earth Pressure P2 & Module 12_Soil DOE 16
Bearing Capacity P1
Module 12_Soil Bearing Capacity P2 DOE Defense 17

Final Quiz & Final Exam 18

1. Murty, V.N.S. (2011). Textbook of Soil Mechanics
and Foundation Engineering. Singapore: Alken
Company.
2. Braja, D.M. (2008). Principles of Geotechnical
Engineering 8th SI Edition
3. Kameswara, R. (2011). Foundation Design:
Theory and Practice. Singapore: John Wiley and
Sons.
Reviewer Books:
1. Besavilla. Geotechnical Engineering
2. Gillesania. Geotechnical Engineering
Attendance
• Attendance will be checked at all times.
• Absence in excess of 20% of total recitation
hours will be given a mark of “D” –
Dropped unofficially.
• 2 meetings per week * 18 weeks = 36
meetings
• 36 meetings* 20% = 7.2
• Absence of more than 7 meetings =
Dropped unofficially.
Missed Exams
• Missed major exams and quizzes may be given
a special make-up exam with valid reason and
upon presentation of related documents.
• In case of absence due to illness, the excused
letter and medical certificate must be
validated by the Medical and Dental Services
(MDS).
• Schedule of special exam must be within five
(5) school days from the last examination date.
• Failure to take the special examination within
the grace period means an automatic
examination score of zero.
General Instruction of Assessments
1. Use black or blue ink pen. No pencil is
allowed. Use long bond paper for writing
your solution.
2. Round off three decimal places in the
final answers. Always indicate the units of
your values. STRICTLY BOX your final
answer.
3. No or Wrong Solution. No Credit.
4. Anyone caught cheating will be marked
zero for the assessment.
Submission of Requirements
• Assignment, Seatwork, and Laboratory
Reports must be submitted in the
scheduled time.
• Failure to do so means zero for that
activity.
• Always remember, the instructor is just a supplementary learning source,
an additional learning material, a guide, an aid, a help, learning does not
depend on who the instructor is, learning depends on who the student is.
• Learning comes from the student, not from the instructor. You are called
“student” to study, not to listen only.
• When the student take the Civil Engineering board exam, PRC doesn’t care
whoever is the reason for the student’s learning, it just cares what the
student possesses, so as much as possible, while you are still in school,
acquire all the knowledge you can get, regardless of the source.
• Don’t make the instructors the one and only source of learning, because
the truth is they are not. It is you who will suffer if you don’t help
yourself to learn.
¼ white index card & 1x1 ID picture (Note: DO NOT attach the ID picture)
Assignment
CE 401_Section
Last Name, First Name, M.I
Address: (City)
Email address:
Contact Information of Guardian
Name:
Relation to Guardian
Contact Number:

Strength of Materials:
Previous Professor:

Expectation to the Subject and to

the professor