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.
Sample Syllabus for Course (Official Current Syllabus is on UTC Learn)
Textbooks and other course references for Free Download
- Soils and Foundations Reference Manual (SFH in the sections below)
- Arnold Verruijt, Soil Mechanics (online book is a little different from book in print)
- YouTube Channel for Soil Mechanics
- My Profile on Meet the Prof
Lecture Course Material:
- 1: Introduction; Engineering Geology
- Verruijt Chapter 1 (print and online); SFH 3.1, 4.1, 4.6
- Software which presents some basic concepts in soil mechanics
- 2: Soil Classification
- Verruijt Chapter 2 (print and online); SFH 4.2-4.5, 5.1
- Breaking Down Sieve Data for both Lab and Textbook Problems
- 3: Site Exploration and Classification
- Verruijt Chapter 3 (print), 47 (online); SFH Chapter 3, 4.7
- Boring Video
- 4: Soil Composition
- Verruijt Chapter 3 (print and online); SFH 2.1, 5.3
- 5: Effective Stress
- Verruijt Chapters 5 and 6 (print,) 4 and 5 (online); SFH 2.2, 2.3, 5.3
- 6: Groundwater I
- Verruijt Chapters 7-12 (print,) 6-11 (online)
- Computing Pore Water Pressure and Effective Stress in Upward (and Downward) Flow in Soil
- 7: Groundwater II
- Verruijt Chapters 7-12 (print,) 6-11 (online); SFH 5.6
- 8: Groundwater III
- Verruijt Chapters 7-12 (print,) 6-11 (online)
- 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 (print,) 20 (online); SFH 2.8, Appendix B
- p-q Diagrams and Mohr-Coulomb Failure
- More Uses for p-q Diagrams
- 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 (print,) 27-30 (online); SFH 2.4, 2.5, 5.9, 8.7
- Boussinesq Solution to Verruijt Newmark Problem
- 11: Settlement and Consolidation of Soils
- Verruijt Chapters 15-20; SFH 5.4, 8.5.3
- 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; SFH 5.5
- Spreadsheet Solution for First Two Examples
- 13: Stability of Earth Slopes
- Verruijt Chapters 45-47; SFH 6.0
- Slope Stability Software
- 14: Lateral Earth Pressures
- Verruijt Chapters 45-47; SFH 10.2 – 10.4
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
