COURSE UNIT TITLE

: SOIL MECHANICS

DEGREE PROGRAMMES

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
INŞ 3515 SOIL MECHANICS COMPULSORY 2 2 0 4

Offered By

Civil Engineering

Level of Course Unit

First Cycle Programmes (Bachelor's Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR MEHMET KURUOĞLU

Offered to

Geophysical Engineering

Course Objective

The aim of this course is to introduce the students to the fundamental principles of soil mechanics and to ensure that students understand how these properties are used to solve some geotechnical problems like classification, compaction, seepage, compression, consolidation, shear strength, lateral earth pressures and slope stability.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   To be able to describe index and engineering properties of soils.
2   To be able to realize the effects of water on soil behaviour.
3   To be able to evaluate behaviour of soils under loading.
4   To be able to interpret results of soil mechanics laboratory tests.
5   To be able to solve engineering problems of soil mechanics.
6   To be able to interpret and report solutions of engineering problems.

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SOILS: Weight-volume relationships.
2 Structural properties, clay minerals, index properties (grain size distribution, relative density, consistency).
3 Soil classification. Compaction of soils (laboratory compaction, field compaction, compaction control). Announcement of the first homework
4 SEEPAGE: Hydraulic gradient, Darcy, seepage velocity, seepage equation, flow net, hydraulic conductivity, capillarity and its effects on soil behaviour.
5 EFFECTIVE STRESS: Geostatic soil pressures (total, effective and pore water pressures). Influence of seepage on effective stress.
6 ONE DIMENSIONAL COMPRESSION AND CONSOLIDATION: One dimensional compression equation, oedometer test, preconsolidation pressure, compression of normally and over consolidated soils.
7 Consolidation equation and its solution, consolidation ratio, U-T relationships, time dependent loading. Determination of coefficient of consolidation.
8 SHEAR STRENGTH: Coulomb's shear strength envelope, Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion.
9 Shear strength tests: Triaxial compression test, direct shear test. Shear strength properties of soils (dry sand, saturated clay).
10 LATERAL EARTH PRESSURES AND EARTH RETAINING STRUCTURES: Geostatic, limit (active and passive) lateral earth pressures.
11 Design principles of earth retaining wall and sheet pile wall.
12 SLOPE STABILITY: Circular failure and method of slices. Infinite slope analysis, wedge analysis with active and passive pressures.
13 STRESS INCREASE AND SETTLEMENT COMPUTATION: Point load, uniform loading, pressure bulb, consolidation settlement and elastic settlement.
14 General Evaluation

Recomended or Required Reading

Craig, R.F. (2004) Craig's Soil Mechanics, Spon Press, Taylor & Francis Group, London, England, Seventh Edition,
ISBN: 0-415-32703-2
Materials: Course notes and in class applications.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Course topics will be presented and applications will be performed in class for the enhancement of the subjects. Students will prepare reports on the engineering analyses done individually about soil classification and compaction, compression and consolidation, earth retaining structure and slope stability.

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE MIDTERM EXAM
2 ASG ASSIGNMENT
3 FIN FINAL EXAM
4 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE MTE * 0.30 + ASG * 0.20 + FIN * 0.50
5 RST RESIT
6 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE * 0.30 + ASG * 0.20 + RST * 0.50


*** Resit Exam is Not Administered in Institutions Where Resit is not Applicable.

Further Notes About Assessment Methods

Success level of students is evaluated by their performance in relative evaluation system (RES).

Assessment Criteria

LO1-5 are evaluated by the questions asked in the examinations and homework reports.
LO6 is evaluated by homework reports.

Language of Instruction

Turkish

Course Policies and Rules

Minimum 70% attendance is required. Home works should be done with success and within the time limits, and midterm exam attendance is required.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

Asst. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kuruoglu: mehmet.kuruoglu@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

Will be announced by the instructor within the first week of the semester.

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 14 2 28
Tutorials 14 2 28
Preparing assignments 3 6 18
Preparation for final exam 1 8 8
Preparation for midterm exam 1 4 4
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 14 1 14
Final 1 2 2
Midterm 1 1 1
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 103

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11
LO.15
LO.2
LO.3
LO.4253
LO.555
LO.6432

CONTACT INFORMATION
Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Cumhuriyet Bulvarı No: 144 35210 Alsancak / İZMİR
Phone: +90(232) 412 12 12 - Fax: +90 (232) 464 81 35

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