CE4003 Geotechnical Engineering
Subject
Code
Credits
GPA/NGPA
CE4003
4.0
GPA
Subject
Title
Total
Hours
Geotechnical Engineering
55hrs
Lectures
Lab/Assignt 10hrs
PreRequisites
CE 3003-Soil
Mechanics and
Engineering
Geology
Aims:












To Calculate the changes in stress resisted by soil due to external point loads, line loads and
loaded areas
To develop an understanding of the principle of settlement and the distinct difference between
immediate settlement and consolidation.
To be able to calculate potential consolidation settlements due to loading and dewatering
Understand the concepts of ground improvement by pre-consolidation with or without vertical
drains.
To develop an understanding of the processes of geotechnical investigation, determination of
engineering characteristics of soil in situ and methods of undisturbed sampling
To develop an understanding of the concepts of shear strength of soils, time dependence,
evaluation of shear strength of soils in the laboratory under different drainage conditions and
application to different field conditions
To demonstrate different mechanisms of slope failure, evaluation of safety margin by different
methods under limit equilibrium approach and time dependence of stability,
To demonstrate methods of enhancing the stability of slopes and rectification of failed slopes.
To demonstrate the ability to determine the relevant strength parameters of soils for
foundation design, evaluate the allowable bearing pressure of soil using bearing capacity
equations, select an appropriate shallow foundation for a given structure to suit the
subsurface condition, estimate the immediate and consolidation settlement of a shallow
foundation and the ability to identify the difficulties associated with the construction of
shallow foundations
To demonstrate the ability to determine the relevant strength parameters of soils for
foundation design, ability to select a suitable type of a foundation for a given structure to
suit the subsurface condition and the environmental constraints, ability to evaluate the
carrying capacity of a pile considering the effects of negative skin friction, ability to
estimate the expected settlement of a single pile subjected to vertical axial loading and
the ability to identify the difficulties associated with construction of bored piles.
Ability to identify the importance of drainage behind a retaining wall, ability to use
Coulombs trial wedge approach to determine the design lateral earth pressure on a
gravity retaining wall, ability to evaluate the safety of the retaining wall against different
failure modes and the ability to propose recommendations to improve the stability of the
retaining wall
To demonstrate the ability to determine the depth of embedment of an embedded
retaining wall,evaluate the short-term and long-term stability of an embedded retaining
wall, evaluate the maximum bending moment of the retaining wall and the ability to
discuss the limitations of the conventional design procedure
Learning Outcomes:












Ability to estimate settlements due to consolidation due to constructions and/or dewatering
Ability to design improvements in soft clay through pre-consolidation.
To be able to plan a appropriate geotechnical investigation for a basic civil engineering
project
To be able to apply the shear strength concept in geotechnical problems;
To be able to assess the stability of existing slopes, design new cut or fill slopes and
propose methods for rectification of failed slopes
To be able to plan a appropriate geotechnical investigation for a basic civil engineering
project
To be able to apply the shear strength concept in geotechnical problems;
To be able to assess the stability of existing slopes, design new cut or fill slopes and
propose methods for rectification of failed slopes
Ability to understand basic mechanical and physical behaviour of rock masses and design of
rock slopes;
Ability to design shallow foundations
Ability to design deep foundations
Ability to design gravity type and embedded type retaining walls
Syllabus

Consolidation:
Concept of consolidation, Terzaghi’s theory for one dimensional consolidation, Determination of
consolidation characteristics in the laboratory, Stress distributions in the soils, Estimation of
amount and rate of settlement due to loading, consolidation due to dewatering, secondary
consolidation, improvement of soft clays is preloading.

Geotechnical Investigations
Methods of geotechnical investigation, methods of advancing a borehole in soil, methods of
coring in rock, in situ tests, methods of obtaining undisturbed samples, borehole logging,
idealization of a soil profile with borehole data.

Shear Strength
Relevance of shear strength of soils, Mohr Coulomb failure criterion, Drained and undrained
conditions, Determination of shear strength in the laboratory by Direct shear test and triaxial tests,
applicability of different types of triaxial tests, Pore water pressure development and Skempton’s
law, Stress invariants and stress paths, Vane shear test, Shear strength of unsaturated soils

Stability of Soil Slopes:
Different modes of slope instability, Drained and undrained behavior, shallowtranslational slides,
Analysis of rotational slides by friction circle method, Taylor’s chats,Bishop and Morgenstern
charts, Ordinary slices method, Bishop’s method of slices,concept of probability of failure,
Stabilization of slopes.

Earth Retaining Structures:
Different types of earth retaining structures, Evaluation of earth pressures byRankin’s theory and
by Coulomb’s trial wedge approach, Effect of wall roughness,effects of pore water pressure and
seepage, codes for the design of earth retainingstructures, Design of gravity retaining walls to
resist different failure modes, Design ofembedded retaining walls by free earth support method
and fixed earth supportmethod.

Shallow Foundations
Design of centrally and eccentrically loaded footings with vertical and inclined loads; Use of insitu soil test results in shallow foundation design; Settlement estimation of shallow foundations
using the theory of beams on elastic medium and the theory of consolidation.

Deep Foundations
Construction quality controlling and quality assurance of deep foundations; Design of vertically
loaded single pile; Design of pile groups subjected to vertical loads, estimation of settlement of
piles.

Retaining walls
Different types of earth retaining structures, Evaluation of earth pressures by Rankine’s theory
and by Coulomb’s trial wedge approach, Effect of wall roughness, effects of pore water pressure
and seepage, codes for the design of earth retaining structures, Design of gravity retaining walls
to resist different failure modes, Design of embedded retaining walls by free earth support
method and fixed earth support method.
Assessment:
Laboratory tests
 Consolidation Test
 Direct shear Test
 Triaxial Test
Continuous Assessment -30%
Final Examination (3hrs paper) -70%
References:
Principles of Geotechnical Engineering by Borja M Das, PWS-KENT Publishing Company.
Principles of Foundation Engineering Borja M Das, PWS-KENT Publishing Company.
Soil Mechanics for Civil and Mining Engineers by G N Smith, Granada Publication
Soil Mechanics – R F Graig, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Ltd