LESSON: Geotechnical Engineering
Soil Samples > Soil Properties > Design details
• Soil mechanics is a discipline that
applies the principles of engineering
mechanics to soils to predict the
mechanical behavior of soil.
• Geotechnical Engineering is the branch
of civil engineering that deals with soil,
rock, and underground water, and their
relation to the design construction and
operation of engineering projects
(Coduto 1998)
Geotechnical engineering is the sub discipline
of civil engineering that involves natural
materials found close to the surface of the
earth.
The term geotechnical engineering is defined as
the science and practice of that part of civil
engineering involving the
interrelationship between the geological
environment and the works of man.
The engineer doing this specific type of
engineering work
is "GEOTEHNICAL ENGINEER".
The geotechnical commission of the Swedish
railways was the first to use the word
geotechnical (GEOTEKNISKA), the combination
of geology and civil engineering technology.
Historical Development
• Before mid -1700's only experience and
rule of thumb
• Mid 1700's to 1925 some theories
were developed
Coulomb (1776), Rankine (1856), D'Arcy (1856),
Atterberg (1911), Boussinesq (1885).
(However, still not accepted as independent
discipline)
• 1925 – 1960 many authorities date the
beginning of soil mechanics as
an engineering science to the
publication of "Erdbaumechanik" by
Karl Terzaghi.
• 1960 – Present: There has been a real
information explosion in the number
of conferences, technical journals, and
books.
Earthen Materials
The earth crust is composed of soils and rocks.
• Rock can be defined as a natural
aggregate of minerals and mineraloids
that are connected by strong bonding
or attractive forces.
• Soil The word soil could mean different
meanings to different scientific
disciplines like pedology, soil science
(agronomy) , geology, and civil
engineering.
• To the civil engineer soil is defined as
the uncemented or weekly cemented
accumulation of solid particles that
have resulted from disintegration of
rocks.
• In soils voids exist between particles
and the voids may be filled with a liquid,
usually water, or gas , usually air. As a
result, soils are often referred to as a
three-phase material or system (solid,
liquid and gas).
• It should be noted that the dividing line
between soil and rock is arbitrary and
many natural materials encountered in
engineering practice cannot be easily
classified. They may be either a "very
soft rock" or a "very hard soil".
Importance of Soil in Civil Engineering
Soil is one of the most widely encountered
materials in civil engineering.
All structure regardless of the material of which
they are constructed, rest ultimately upon soil
or rock.
Soil is the medium through which loads applied
at the surface are transmitted to underground
structure like sewers, culverts, tunnels etc.
It is used as a construction material in many
engineering structures like earth-fill and rock-
fill dams, levees.
Branches of Geotechnical Engineering
In a general sense, geotechnical engineering has
two branches:
• Soil Engineering and Rock Engineering
Soil engineering is the application of the
principles of soil mechanics to practical
problems.
Soil Mechanics is the branch of geotechnical
engineering that deals with the physical
properties of soil and behavior of soil masses
subjected to various types of forces. It applies
the basic principles of mechanics including
kinematics, dynamics, fluid mechanics and the
mechanics of materials to soils.
Rock Engineering is the application of the
principles of rock mechanics to practical
problems.
Applications of Geotechnical Engineering
• Foundation Engineering
• Tunnel Engineering
• Dam Engineering
• Retaining Walls
• Slope Stability
• Geoenvironmental Engineering
• Pavement Engineering
• Earthquake Engineering
• Geosynthetics
• Etc.
Shallow Foundations
~ for transferring building loads to underlying
ground
~ mostly for firm soils or light loads
Foundation Systems
• Designing of Shallow Foundations
Systems – Bearing Capacity Failure
• Designing of Shallow Foundation
Systems – Differential Settlement
• Deep Foundation Systems: Drilled
Shafts
Deep Foundations
~ for transferring building loads to
underlying ground
~ mostly for weak soils or heavy loads
~Driven timber piles, Pacific Highway
Foundation Systems
-Deep Foundation Systems: Driven Piles
-Deep Foundation Systems: Drilled Shafts
Retaining Walls
~ Prevent soils from Buddha spreading laterally
Earth Pressure and Retaining Walls
- Reinforced Earth Walls
Retaining Structure Systems
- Tie-backs
- Soil Nailing: steel rods placed into holes drilled
into the walls and grouted
- Excavation Support Systems
Retaining Structure Systems
- Gabions
Sheet Piles
~ sheets of interlocking steel or timber driven
into the ground, forming a continuous sheet
~ resist lateral earth pressures
~ used in temporary works
~ used in excavations, waterfront structures
Cofferdam
~ sheet pile walls enclosing an area, to
prevent water seeping in
Earth Dams
~ for impounding water
Earthworks
~ preparing the ground prior to construction
Geofabrics
~used for reinforcement, separation,
filtration and drainage in roads,
retaining walls, embankments…
Geosynthetics
~Geosynthetic stabilized walls
Instrumentation
~ to monitor the performances of earth and
earth supported structures
~ to measure loads, pressures,
deformations, strains
Soil Testing
-Vane Shear Test
-Standard Penetration Test
-Cone Penetration Testing
-Triaxial Test
Geotechnical Engineering Problems
How will the groundwater conditions impact
the engineering project? Teton Dam Failure
(1975)
What will be the impact of excavations,
grading, or filling? Collapse of Nicoll Highway,
Singapore, 2004
Are natural or proposed earth slope stable?
(from Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, 2001)
Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering
• Effects of earthquakes
1995 Kobe Earthquake
1999 Chi Chi Earthquake
 1964 Niigata Earthquake
1967 Caracas Earthquake
Ground Improvement
Impact Roller to Compact the Ground
Sheepsfoot Roller to Compact Clay Soils
Big weights dropped from 25 m,
compacting the ground.
Soil Improvement
• Stone Columns
• Jet Grouting
• Compaction Grouting
• Chemical Injection
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
ENGINEERING
CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING – acquiring and
applying scientific mathematical to build
efficient, functional, and safe structures
CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING CYCLE
Project Site Analysis – initial activities, elevation,
topography, loc, utilities, sources of cons mat
1. Planning and Scheduling
– blueprint
- project site analysis
- planning: mats, manpower, equip, site
con, pertinent laws and reg
Project planning - various activities involved in
project; for optimum production and
productivity.
Planning should be given sufficient time and with
priority consideration to the following inputs:
a) Materials
Whether local or imported, which require long
lead-time to procure (possibly due to scarcity in
the market, including the length of period
necessary for fabrication or difficulty in
transporting to site.
b. manpower
This must be coordinated with the other project
participants, whose manpower requirements
must be determined for definition of
responsibilities.
c. equipment
-whether special equipment are needed,
including the load limits of roads, height
clearance of bridges and overpass going to and
from the site.
d. site conditions
▪ information on interruptions in utility
services such as brownouts, water flow
disruptions, particularly the affected
days, time and duration.
▪ Information where to get temporary
utility service.
e. pertinent laws and regulations
▪ Permits and clearances which are not
uniform in all localities, especially if
there is a need for some required
documents for submission before
approval of desired permit/clearance
▪ Special regulations from government
agencies or private associations, such as
height limitations imposed by the Air
AND Transport Office, safety requirements of
local government units, or the existing
rules of subdivision / village associations,
which may require a change in the
contract time or construction schedule.
2. organization and staffing
• Organization structure
• Manning schedule
• Recruitment
• Placement
• Human resource development training
3. contract administration
• Performance bond
• Insurances
• Sub-contractors
• Equipment lessors
• Change orders
• Amendments, addendum
4. Construction, direction, and supervision –
project safety
• Mobilization
• Periodic meetings
• Log-books
• Progress reports
• Safety management
• Safety policies, resources, standards and
procedures
5. Project reporting, monitoring and evaluation
• Reports
• Data management
• Documentation
• Evaluation of data/information
6. Financial Management, Accounting, and 8. project coordination and control
Auditing - coordination/periodic meeting

7. Procurement 9.project completion, acceptance, and turnover

• Goods - punch listing
• Civil works - repairs, fine tuning
• Consultants - certificate of acceptance

Project Management - The art of directing and coordinating human and material resources through the
life of a project by using modern management techniques to achieve predetermined goals of scope, cost,
time, quality and participant satisfaction (PROJECT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE, USA)

The planning, organisation, monitoring and control of all aspects of a project and the motivation of all
involved to achieve project objectives safely and within agreed time, cost and performance
criteria.(ASSOCIATION OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT, UK)

Project - A temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product or service (PMI, USA)
❖ A discrete undertaking with defined objectives often including time, cost and quality
(performance) goals. (APM, UK)
❖ A unique set of coordinated activities, with definite starting and finishing points, undertaken by
an individual or organisation to meet specific objectives with defined schedule, cost and
performance. (BSI, BS6079)

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
• Construction Management is a professional service that applies effective management techniques
to the planning, design and construction of a project from inception to completion for the purpose
of controlling TIME, COST and QUALITY.
• TIME, COST and QUALITY—sometimes referred to as a project management triangle or "triple
constraints."

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
✓ In the field of engineering and architecture, construction project is a process that consist
of tangibly assembling an infrastructure or a building managed by a project manager
and supervised by a construction manager or a project engineer.

THE MAJOR PLAYERS IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

✓ Owner
▪ Private
▪ Government (Public)
✓ Design Professionals (A/E)
▪ Architects
▪ Engineers
✓ Contractor
▪ Construction Manager (CE)
▪ Consultants (A/E)
▪ Subcontractors (various trades)
▪ Vendors/Suppliers (Materials and Equipment)
▪ Construction workers (Foreman, Leadman, Labors)

FUNCTION OF CM FOR THE PROJECT

PROJECT MANAGEMENT FLOW CHART

PROFESSIONAL CM PAYS OFF IN:

• Speed of project completion.
• Claims and dispute avoidance.
• Cost savings.
• Quality of finished job.
• Quality of the construction process.
• Project safety.

The CM works for the owner’s benefit

- Safety, time, cost, quality

DUTIES OF A PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM

Construction Project Categories

1. Residential Projects
✓ Single Family-Dwelling
✓ Multi-Storey Apartment
✓ Mass-Housing
✓ Condos

2. Commercial Projects
✓ Malls
✓ Hotels
✓ Offices
✓ Banks
✓ Restaurant

3. Institutional Project
✓ Schools
✓ Healthcare
✓ Municipal Hall
✓ Fire Station

4. Industrial Project
✓ Power Plant
✓ Warehouses
✓ Oil Refineries
✓ Food Processing Plant

5. Environmental Project
✓ Sewage Treatment plant
✓ Drainage System
✓ Wastewater Treatment Plant
✓ Solid Waste Management
✓ Sanitary Sewer

6. Infrastructure and Heavy Construction

Projects
✓ Dams
✓ Bridges
✓ Tunnels
✓ Airport
✓ Mass Transit System
Construction project management in a corporate environment

The function-process-time relationship in project management

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
• The Application of Science and Engineering knowledge and concepts to care for and/or restore our natural
environment and/or solve environmental problems.

WHAT ARE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES?

• Air Quality
• Water Quality
• Land Quality

Air Pollutant can cause harm to humans and the environment mostly comes from aerosol and certain gases.

NITRIC OXIDE - produced in combustion processes.

CARBON MONOXIDE - formed by the incomplete combustion of fuels.
CARBON DIOXIDE - formed in combustion of carbon containing materials.
SULFURIC OXIDE - formed when burning of fossil fuels.

GREEN HOUSE EFFECT - Heat from the Sun gets trapped in the glass of a greenhouse and heats up its air.
GLOBAL WARMING - An increase in the average air temperature of the Earth.

Poor Quality can lead to:

• Smog
• Respiratory and other illnesses
• Acid Rain
• Global Warming
Ways to reduce Air Pollutants:
• Carpool
• Hybrid Cars
• EPA Government Regulation
• NEW: Geologic Carbon Sequestration
• Alternative Fuels
• Walk, bike, or use public transportation

WHAT IS WATER QUALITY

- Water quality is based on how clean the water is.

- It can be measure by many factors (salinity, turbidity).

Why is Water Quality such a problem?

- Impacts on all aspects of human life.

Where does Water pollution comes from?

• Legal and illegal discharges from factories
• Domestic Sewages
• Solid Waste
• Oil Pollution

Sample problems of Water Quality

• Sewage and Waste Water
• Urbanization and Deforestation
• Marine Dumping
• Radioactive Waste

Top Ways to improve Water Quality

• Waste Water Treatment
• Stormwater Management
• Plastic Waste Reduction
• Water Conservation

LAND QUALITY & LAND POLLUTION

NATURAL RESOURCES
• Renewable Energy
• Non Renewable Energy

LAND POLLUTION - Human activities that affects the earth’s surface and destroy its surroundings.

Ways to reduce Land Pollution

• Reuse, reduce, and recycle any items that you can
• Buy biodegradable products
• Eat organic foods that are grown without pesticides
• Avoid using fertilizer and pesticides
• Store all liquid chemicals and waste in spill-proof containers
• Limit your vehicle emissions
• Don’t dump motor oil on the ground
• Conserve Energy
• Reduce paper consumption
• Plant trees