CMGT 450
Soils and Foundations
Fall 2013
Catalog Description: CMGT 450. Soils and Foundations (4). An introduction to soil mechanics and analysis and design of both shallow and deep foundations. Prerequisites, IET 312 and
CMGT 346 and GEOL 101, GEOL 101LAB or GEOL 108.
Textbook: Soils and Foundations. Eighth Edition, Liu and Evett. Pearson, 2014.
Other: Laboratory Manual and Geotechnical Report. Both packages are available at the Copy
Shop. Safety glasses and closed-toe shoes must be worn in the soils lab at all times.
Instructor: Dave Carns
Hogue Technology, Room 300A, Phone: 963-1762
E-mail address: carnsd@cwu.edu
, Home e-mail address: dwcarns@yahoo.com
Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays 9:00-10:00 am and 2:00-3:00 pm and
Thursday 9:00-10:00 am or by appointment.
Learner Outcomes (Course Objectives)
Outcome
1. Identify and describe sources of soils, how these soils are deposited and their physical engineering properties as they relate to the
Unified Classification System.
2. Properly calculate engineering properties of soils, including water flow through soil using
Darcy ’ s equation, moisture content, densities and void ratio, based on information obtained from reading a soil boring log.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of soil compaction and the relationship of soil density to moisture content.
4. Properly calculate stress distribution in soils beneath both a point and distributed foundation load using influence coefficients, the Boussinesq
Equation and chart and a Newmark chart.
Assessment Strategy
Students will work in groups in the soils laboratory to classify soils per the Unified
Classification System, including the
Atterberg limits and sieve analysis tests.
Students will also demonstrate proficiency on written exams.
Students shall demonstrate proficiency on written homework assignments and exams.
Students shall also perform some of these tests and calculations in the laboratory.
Perform the Standard and Modified
Proctor tests in the laboratory and demonstrate proficiency on exams and homework assignments.
Students shall demonstrate proficiency on homework assignments and written exams.

5. Properly calculate consolidation and settlement of a foundation over a clay stratum, as a function of time, using an “ e log p curve ” .
6. Demonstrate an understanding of soil strength due to cohesion and internal friction, the tests used to determine this strength and how this relates to the ability of the soils to support a variety of structures.
7. Properly analyze and design both shallow and deep foundations, including spread footings, piling and piers. Also, properly determine at rest, active and passive lateral soil stress on earth retaining structures.
Students shall demonstrate proficiency on both exams and written homework assignments.
Students shall demonstrate proficiency on both exams and written homework assignments.
Proficiency shall be demonstrated by designing both shallow concrete footings and deep piling on homework assignments and exams. Lateral forces due to soil and water on retaining walls shall also be determined in homework assignments and on exams.
Grading:
Student work will be assigned points as follows:
Homework (including lab assignments and projects)
Exam No. 1
Exam No. 2
Final Exam
Total Points
120 pts
100 pts
100 pts
120 pts
440 pts
Letter grades will be assigned based on the percentage of total points that each student earns during the quarter:
92-100%
90-91%
88-89%
82-87%
80-81%
78-79%
72-77%
70-71%
68-69%
62-67%
60-61%
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
D-

Homework:
1.
Homework will be assigned on a weekly basis and will be typically due the following week. All work shall be done in pencil on engineering paper, using standard engineering format, unless otherwise noted. This format includes:

Name, date, course and assignment number on the FIRST sheet. Name and page number/total number of pages on EACH additional sheet.

Given: A brief statement of the problem, including a sketch if appropriate. If you can’t draw a straight line use a straightedge.

Find: A statement indicating what the problem is asking to find.

Solution: A neat step-by-step solution to the problem, including diagrams, units and an underlined or boxed answer.
2.
Professional work is imperative at the senior level, and a portion of your homework grade will be based on appearance of the assignments.
3. Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period and no late work will be accepted.
4. Some homework assignment may not be graded.
Exams:
Exams will be given as indicated on the attached schedule.
Laboratory: This course includes a series of laboratory exercises that will be conducted primarily in the soils lab located in Hogue Room 105. These exercises are designed to complement the classroom information presented in this course by providing a “ hands-on ” learning environment. All students using the lab must follow proper safety procedures at all times. No open-toed shoes will be allowed in the lab . Please refer to the separate lab handout for more information. Some lab times may be used as a recitation period to work problems and answer questions.
Academic Honesty Policy: Students are clearly expected to do their own work and not copy the work of others. Evidence of copying, including any computer files, cheating or using writings of others without proper citations will result in a failure for the specific assignment. Successive evidence of copying, including any computer files, cheating or using writings of others without proper citations during the curriculum of the Construction Management program will result in loss of a student’s major status. Your attention is directed to Appendix B of the current CWU
Catalog for additional information regarding this topic.
Disability Services: If you have a disability and require accommodations for this course, please speak to me privately as soon as possible so that your needs may be appropriately met. If you have not already done so, you will need to register with Disability Services (DS). DS is located in Bouillon 140. Call (509) 963-1202 or email ds@cwu.edu
for more information.

1
2
3
Week Date
(Week)
9-23-13
9-30-13
10-7-13
CMGT 450 Soils and Foundations
Fall 2013
Subject Covered
Introduction
Engineering Properties of Soils
Engineering Properties of Soils
Soil Exploration
Lab: Soil Moisture Content
Soil Compaction and Stabilization
Water in Soil
Lab: In-place Soil Density
Seepage and Flow Nets
Ch 1
Ch 2
Ch 2
Ch 3
Ch 4
Ch 5
Reading
4 10-14-13 Ch 5
Ch 6
5
6
7
8
10-21-13
10-28-13
11-4-13
11-11-13
Stress Distribution in Soil
Lab: Soil Sieve Analysis
Exam No. 1
Stress Distribution in Soil (cont.)
Consolidation and Settlement of Soils
Lab: Atterberg Limits, Liquid Limit Test
Shear Strength of Soils
Lab: Atterberg Limits, Plastic Limit Test
Veterans Day
Shallow Foundations
Exam No. 2
Ch 6
Ch 7
Ch 8
Ch 9
9
10
11-18-13
11-25-13
12-2-13
12-9-13
Deep Foundations: Piles and Pile Groups
Lab: Standard and Modified Proctor Tests
Lateral Earth Pressure
Thanksgiving Break
Retaining Structures
Ch 10
Ch 11
11
12 Final Exam, Wednesday December 11,
8am-10am
Ch 12
Note: Safety glasses and closed-toe (provided by the student) must be worn in the soils lab at all times.