CIVIL 221 : Geomechanics 1

Engineering

2021 Semester Two (1215) (10 POINTS)

Course Prescription

The basic concepts and principles governing the mechanical behaviour of soil, including phase relationships, permeability and seepage, the principle of effective stress, soil strength, compressibility and basic stability analysis.

Course Overview

PHILOSOPHY: 
This course is intended to present the basic concepts and principles governing the mechanical behaviour of soil, and how these are used in engineering applications. These fundamental ideas will prepare the way for the subsequent geomechanics courses. The three courses: Introductory Engineering Geology, Geomechanics 1 and Geomechanics 2 are intended to provide the core geotechnical knowledge thought to be essential for all graduates in Civil Engineering or Environmental Engineering. They are also intended as a preliminary to the geotechnical engineering elective courses.

COURSE OUTLINE:
1) Elementary Definitions and Phase Relationships
The basic composition of soil. Definition of soil properties (e.g. Water content, unit weight, dry unit weight, void ratio) and the relationships between them.
2) The Principle of Effective Stress
Concept of total stress, pore water pressure, and effective stress. Implications for soil behaviour.
3) Natural stress state in the ground and stresses arising from applied loads
Natural stress state including the Ko concept. The use of elastic theory for determining stresses due to point loads, line loads, and uniform circular or rectangular loads.
4) Seepage
Permeability and seepage, hydraulic gradient, one dimensional flow and Darcy’s Law, seepage through a soil mass, flow nets, seepage through embankments, critical hydraulic gradient, uplift pressures on weirs.
5) Shear Strength of Soil
The general expression for shear strength in terms of effective stress, the undrained shear strength, the triaxial test, undrained, consolidated undrained, and drained tests, the use of the Mohr’s circle, applications of total and effective stress analysis in practice.
6) Soil Compaction
Compaction methods in the laboratory and field; Laboratory tests for compaction properties; Contract specifications for construction compaction.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Identify different soil types and describe their characteristics in relation to geotechnical problems (Capability 1.1, 3.2 and 5.1)
  2. Explain the 3-phase nature of soil and apply phase relationships concepts (Capability 1.1, 3.1 and 5.1)
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of the principle of effective stress and its application across geotechnical problems (Capability 1.1, 3.2 and 5.1)
  4. Evaluate the stresses within a soil profile and the influence of seepage and surface loading (Capability 1.1, 2.2, 3.2 and 5.1)
  5. Explain the concept of permeability and the effects of seepage through soil deposits (Capability 1.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
  6. Analyse the coefficient of permeability in uniform and stratified soils (Capability 1.1, 2.2, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
  7. Analyse two dimensional seepage using flownets and assess aspects of stability and loading for embedded structures (Capability 1.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 5.1)
  8. Evaluate the shear strength of soil and the laboratory tests to understand this behaviour (Capability 1.1, 2.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 5.1)
  9. Analyse a Mohr circle to compute stresses soil stresses and assess soil failure (Capability 1.1, 2.2, 3.2, 4.1 and 5.1)
  10. Understand the principle of soil compaction and how laboratory and field compaction tests are performed (Capability 1.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2 and 5.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Laboratories 11% Individual Coursework
Project 19% Group & Individual Coursework
Test 20% Individual Test
Final Exam 50% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Laboratories
Project
Test
Final Exam

Three compulsory 2 hour laboratory sessions are held. These are an integral part of the course. Completion of the laboratory requirements is necessary to pass the course - failure to complete the laboratory sessions will result in a Did Not Complete grade for the course.

Workload Expectations

This course is a 10 point course and students are expected to spend 7 hours per week involved in each 10 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, for each week you can expect 3 hours of lectures and tutorials, 1 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 3 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation. Throughout the year there will be three 2 hour lab sessions.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including labs to complete and receive credit for components of the course.

Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including labs will not be available as recordings.

The course will not include live online events.

Attendance on campus is required for the test.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.


Learning Resources

A digital copy of the course book will be provided.
The recommended text book for this course, and also useful for geotechnical engineering courses in subsequent years is: Knappett, J. & Craig, R.F. Craig’s Soil Mechanics, Taylor and Francis.

Health & Safety

Students are expected to adhere to the guidelines outlined in the Health and Safety section of the Engineering Undergraduate Handbook. A health and safety induction will be undertaken as part of laboratory sessions.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.