INTRODUCTION .

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 Geotechnical Engineering I
1st Semester 2012/2022 AY

Course Outline
•Introduction.
•Types and classification of rocks.
•Formation of soils.
•Basic Definitions and Phase Relations
•Consistency Limits and Indices
•Classification of soils.
•Soil compaction.
•Permeability and seepage.
•Principle of Effective Stress.
•Stresses in Soil Mass.
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• Instructor: Eng. Harun
Office: DVC of Academics Office
Phone: 0634558809
email: Mohamed.Harun@eelouniversity.org

• Text Book:
o Das, B.M. Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, Latest edition.

• Supplementary References:
o Holtz, R.D. and Kovacs, W.D. (1981). An Introduction to Geotechnical
Engineering, Prentice Hall.
o Bowles, J. (1992). Engineering Properties of Soils and their Measurement,
McGraw Hill.

•
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 Grade Distribution

•Mid-term exam 30%

•Attendance 05%
•Lecture participation+ Quizzes 15%
•Final Exam 50%
Total 100%
 1. Civil Engineering Materials
o Steel
o Concrete
o Earthen Materials
o Others (wood, aluminum, plastic …….etc.)

Many courses in our department are linked to the

first three materials in various aspects:

•Measurement and testing (ex. Lab. course)

•Theoretical bases (ex. Geotechnical Engineering I)
•Applications (ex. Foundation Engineering)
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 2. 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.
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• 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
7 rock" or a "very hard soil".
 3. 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.
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 4. Why soil is unique compared to other
engineering materials?

• Most of civil engineering materials are man-made

and their properties are controlled and easily
measured. Soil on the other hand is naturally
deposited.
• Behavior is usually: inelastic, nonlinear,
anisotropic, time-dependent.
• soils are heterogeneous, i,e. different from one
location to another location.

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 5. Why do we care more about soils (core courses
involve soils, rock is left for electives)?

• Soil formations are frequently found in urban

areas.
• Contrary to soils, rocks are generally more
sound and pose no problems with regard to
both bearing and deformations.

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 6. Geotechnical Engineering
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 eng. 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.
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 7. Branches of Geotechnical Engineering
In a general sense, geotechnical engineering has
two branches:
•Soil Engineering
•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.
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 8. Applications of Geotechnical Engineering

• Foundation Engineering
• Tunnel Engineering
• Dam Engineering
• Retaining Walls
• Slope Stability
• Geoenvironmental Engineering
• Pavement Engineering
• Earthquake Engineering
• Geosynthetics
• Etc.

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 9. Historical Development
Historically soil mechanics or geotechnical engineering has
gone through four stages:

• 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.
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 Based on the emphasis and the nature of study in the
area of geotechnical engineering, the time span
extending from 1700 to 1927 can be divided into four
major periods:

1. Pre-classical (1700 to 1776 A.D.)

2. Classical soil mechanics—Phase I (1776 to 1856 A.D.)
3. Classical soil mechanics—Phase II (1856 to 1910 A.D.)
4. Modern soil mechanics (1910 to 1927 A.D.)
 The profession of geotechnical engineering has
matured and is now an established branch of civil
engineering, and thousands of civil engineers declare
geotechnical engineering to be their preferred area of
specialty.
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 Geo-engineering at EU
Geotechnical Engineering I Soil Mechanics Laboratory

Geotechnical Engineering II

Foundation Engineering

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