2023
Advanced Soil Mechanics
Name: Advanced Soil Mechanics
Code: GEO14564M
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area:
Geological Engineering
Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English
Regime de Frequência: Presencial
Presentation
Soil mechanics is a discipline of civil and geological (environmental) engineering, which seeks to predict the behavior of earth masses when subjected to stresses caused, for example, by engineering works.
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning Goals
Introduction to the basic concepts of design of common geotechnical structures: foundations, gravity walls and slopes.
Introduction to the concepts of safety assessment of such structures, with particular focus on the Eurocode 7.
After attending this unit, students should be able to: i) deal with the most common field tests for the characterization of the deformability and strength of soils; ii) to know the behaviour of the most common foundations; iii) to calculate the earth pressures on structures and iv) to check the stability of soil slopes. They should also be able to evaluate the safety of geotechnical structures by application of Eurocode 7.
Introduction to the concepts of safety assessment of such structures, with particular focus on the Eurocode 7.
After attending this unit, students should be able to: i) deal with the most common field tests for the characterization of the deformability and strength of soils; ii) to know the behaviour of the most common foundations; iii) to calculate the earth pressures on structures and iv) to check the stability of soil slopes. They should also be able to evaluate the safety of geotechnical structures by application of Eurocode 7.
Contents
Geotechnical characterization. In-situ tests.
Earth pressures. Coefficient of thrust. Rankine theory. Coulomb method. Safety check of retaining structures to the ultimate limit states of overturning, sliding resistance, and bearing resistance of the foundation.
Introduction to the Eurocode 7. Characteristics of geotechnical design. Ultimate limit states and serviceability limit state. Safety check.
Shallow foundations. Bearing resistance; influence of geometry and loading on its value. Immediate and deferred settlements. Safety check.
Deep foundations. Types of piles, construction aspects and their influence on behaviour. Design against vertical loads. Load tests and their importance on the safety check. Settlements evaluation.
Slope stability. Types of sliding. Stability analysis: infinite slopes and slopes of homogeneous material. Methods of slices of Fellenius and Bishop. Stabilization methods.
Earth pressures. Coefficient of thrust. Rankine theory. Coulomb method. Safety check of retaining structures to the ultimate limit states of overturning, sliding resistance, and bearing resistance of the foundation.
Introduction to the Eurocode 7. Characteristics of geotechnical design. Ultimate limit states and serviceability limit state. Safety check.
Shallow foundations. Bearing resistance; influence of geometry and loading on its value. Immediate and deferred settlements. Safety check.
Deep foundations. Types of piles, construction aspects and their influence on behaviour. Design against vertical loads. Load tests and their importance on the safety check. Settlements evaluation.
Slope stability. Types of sliding. Stability analysis: infinite slopes and slopes of homogeneous material. Methods of slices of Fellenius and Bishop. Stabilization methods.
Teaching Methods
Theoretical and laboratory practical face lessons or b-learning, complemented with lectures and study visits to engineering works.
The lectures are divided into two parts: In the first a theoretical approach is presented, and in the second part, examples are discussed, followed by practical exercises.
The evaluation consists of two tests (continuous evaluation) or completing a final exam with both theoretical and practical parts, having a weight of 50%, each of the parts.
The lectures are divided into two parts: In the first a theoretical approach is presented, and in the second part, examples are discussed, followed by practical exercises.
The evaluation consists of two tests (continuous evaluation) or completing a final exam with both theoretical and practical parts, having a weight of 50%, each of the parts.
Teaching Staff
- Isabel Maria Ratola Duarte [responsible]
Certificações
