Soil Mechanics

This is the instructor’s resource site for ENCE 3610, Soil Mechanics, at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.  Use subject to the terms and conditions of this site.

Syllabus (this is a sample syllabus, the official one is on UTC Learn)

Textbooks and other course references for Free Download

• Soil Mechanics, NAVFAC DM 7.01
  • DM 7.01 and 7.02 Combined, “Old Government Format”.  It’s not as nice looking as the first download, but if you are visually impaired and need it read to you, it’s better
  • DM 7.01, Print Edition
  • DM 7.02, Print Edition
• Arnold Verruijt, Soil Mechanics (online book is a little different from book in print)
  • Arnold Verruijt’s Soil Mechanics, Print Edition
• Basics of Foundation Design, Bengt Fellenius, Electronic Edition, February 2015
• YouTube Channel for Soil Mechanics
• My Profile on Meet the Prof

Lecture Course Material:

• 1:  Introduction; Engineering Geology
  • Verruijt Chapter 1; NAVFAC DM 7.01 Section 1.2
  • Software which presents some basic concepts in soil mechanics
• 2: Soil Classification
  • Verruijt Chapter 2; NAVFAC DM 7.01 Section 1.4
• 3: Site Exploration and Classification
  • Verruijt Chapter 3; NAVFAC DM 7.01 Chapter 2
  •  Boring Video
• 4: Soil Composition
  • Verruijt Chapter 3
  • NAVFAC DM 7.01 Sections 1.3 and 3.2
• 5: Effective Stress
  • Verruijt Chapters 5 and 6; NAVFAC DM 7.01 Chapter 5.2
• 6: Groundwater I
  • Verruijt Chapter 7-12; NAVFAC DM 7.01 Sections 3.3 and Chapter 6
  • Computing Pore Water Pressure and Effective Stress in Upward (and Downward) Flow in Soil
• 7: Groundwater II
  • Textbook same as Groundwater I
• 8: Groundwater III
  • Textbook same as Groundwater II
  • The Raising of the Maine, Cellular Cofferdams, Why Puerto Rico is Part of the U.S., and Why Puerto Ricans are Americans
• 9: Introduction to Soil Stress States
  • Verruijt Chapter 21; NAVFAC DM 7.01 Section 4.2
  • p-q Diagrams and Mohr-Coulomb Failure
  • Mohr’s Circle Analysis Using Linear Algebra and Numerical Methods w/Online Routine
• 10: Elastic Solutions to Soil Deflections and Stresses
  • Verruijt Chapters 28-31; NAVFAC DM 7.01 Sections 4.1-4.3
  • Graphics for Class Example of Newmark’s Method
• 11: Settlement and Consolidation of Soils
  • Verruijt Chapters 15-20; NAVFAC DM 7.01 Sections 5.1-5.4, 5.6
  • Modified Hough Method Handout
  • Now that you’ve learned how to plot consolidation diagrams, here is how some people view what you’ve learned
• 12: Shear Strength Theory
  • Verruijt Chapters 22 and 24-27; NAVFAC DM 7.01 Section 3.5
  • Spreadsheet Solution for First Two Examples
• 13: Stability of Earth Slopes
  • Verruijt Chapters 45-47; NAVFAC DM 7.01 Chapter 6
  • Slope Stability Software
• 14: Lateral Earth Pressures
  • Verruijt Chapters 45-47; NAVFAC 7.02 Section 3.2

Other Stuff

• Mathematical Resources (because everybody needs help in math)
• Blessed are the Merciful: I keep getting requests to “go light” on the grading. This is how I did it myself.
• My Thoughts on Sleeping in Class
• In Search of the Lost Movado.  Bar hopping has consequences.
• Who’s This Idiot? That’s Me!  It’s easy to get trapped in the system.
• When the Pathfinder Gets Lost: some students like to “follow the lead” of someone else to get the course work done. That can have negative results other than those described in the syllabus, just like this example
• Taking the Last Voyage with Newton and Pascal: many of you will recognise the name of Saint-Venant from mechanics of materials, but here’s another side of his life and work. With comment from former department head.
• What’s Really Important When You Hit the Field
• The Two Promises I Made to Myself
• Lessons from the Cotter Bridge
• Mirroring Our Creator