CS3002:03
Soil Mechanics and Geology
| Townsville | HECS Band 2 |
39 hours lectures, 39 hours tutorials and practicals. Semester 1.
Introduction to engineering geology and geo-engineering; Basic geology: identification of rocks and minerals in relation to engineering problems, stratigraphy, structural geology, weathering and landscape formation, sediment processes, geomorphology, geological hazards. Soil Mechanics: seepage analysis (two-dimensional), pore pressure measurement and method of fragments; response of soils to stress changes, Terzaghi theory, consolidation and one-dimensional settlement, secondary compression; shear strength and compressibility, Mohr-Coulomb strength criteria for drained and undrained conditions, triaxial testing, peak and residual strength, stress paths; slope stability, infinite slope analysis, method of slices, Bishop’s method, GALENA; site investigation, CPT and other insitu tests, interpretation of CPT data. Case histories.
Learning Objectives:
- identify the rocks and minerals of most significance to civil and environmental engineering;
- read and interpret geological maps;
- appreciate the significance of geological factors in geo-engineering problems;
- analyse cases of two-dimensional seepage in saturated soils;
- make estimates of consolidation settlement;
- select appropriate strength parameters for analysis and investigate the stability of slopes using Bishop’s method;
- specify appropriate methods of soil site investigation and interpret the results.
Assessment by examination (50%-70%); on-course assessment (30%-50%).