Geotechnical Engineering

Tutorial Questions
Assignments
Group Project
Subject Timetable

Autumn Semester 2014






University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 1 Autumn 2014


TUTORIAL 1 BASIC DESIGN

1. Consider the semi-circular mechanism shown in the figure below for the failure of a long
strip footing on a soil deforming under undrained conditions. Based on this mechanism failure
causes a rotation about point O.
The following soil properties are known:

t
= 20 kN/m
3

c
u
= 100 kPa
|
u
= 0
a) Calculate the ultimate bearing pressure
for the footing when the soil deforms
under undrained conditions.
b) Evaluate the effects of any surcharge,
q
o
, which may be applied on the surface of
the soil, on the ultimate bearing capacity
of the footing.


2. A long vertical drain is going to be made in a soil. Assume the failure plane shown in the
figure opposite and evaluate the safety of the
cut under the following conditions:
Undrained conditions
Drained conditions
Consider all possible cases for water table in
the drain and pore water pressures.
The following clay properties are known:

t
= 22 kN/m
3

c
u
= 30 kPa |
u
= 0
c = 0 |' = 27
You should assume that the lining of the drain does not provide any resistance to failure.

3. Write an expression for the undrained
bearing capacity of a strip footing shown in
the figure opposite. Assume the slip
mechanism shown, which is an arc centred
above one edge of the footing (point O).
You may assume the following parameters are
given:
t
, c
u
, |
u
= 0.
Determine the minimum bearing pressure that
causes failure of the soil.

5m
45
o

B B
O
q

B
R
O
q
o
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 2 Autumn 2014

TUTORIAL 2 TERZAGHIS THEORY OF BEARING CAPACITY

1. A long highway embankment is, for the
purpose of analysis, treated as a
rectangular block as shown in the figure.
The block has a surcharge of 10 kPa
applied to its upper surface to account for
traffic loading.
The total unit weight of the embankment fill is 22 kN/m
3
. The embankment is founded on a
deep layer of clay having the following properties: c
u
= 50 kPa, |
u
= 0.
The water table is 1 m below the surface of the clay.
a) Use Terzaghis theory of bearing capacity to determine the factor of safety against bearing
failure of the clay under the embankment given that the height of the embankment, H, is 3m.
b) Determine the maximum height to which the embankment could be constructed so that the
factor of safety against bearing failure is 2.

2. An eccentrically loaded strip footing 4m wide carries a line load of P (kN pmr). The load is
applied 1.5m from the side of the footing. The footing is 1.5m below the surface and the water
table is located at the level of the footing base. The soil is a sand having a
t
= 20 kN/m
3
and a
friction angle of | = 40
o
.
One way of dealing with eccentric loading is
to determine the maximum and minimum
stresses exerted on the soil beneath the footing
and compare these to the ultimate bearing
capacity of the soil as found by Terzaghis
theory. Use this approach to find the value of P that ensures a minimum factor of safety of 1.5
for the footing.
3. A section through a long strip footing in an
excavation is shown in the figure opposite. On
one side of the footing a slab exerts a pressure
of 20 kPa on the foundation soil while on the
other side the soil is unexcavated. The
foundation soil consists of a layer of clay
having the following properties:

t
= 18 kN/m
3
, c
u
= 30 kPa, |
u
= 0, c = 5 kPa, |'= 25
o
.
The ground water level is 0.4m above at the base of the footing. Use Terzaghis theory of
bearing capacity with a factor of safety of 3 to determine the maximum allowable force, in
kN pmr, which could be placed on the footing.
4. A 3m diameter circular footing is going to be constructed on the surface of a loose sand
with a friction angle of |'= 35
o
and a unit weight of = 16 kN/m
3
.
a) Use Terzaghis bearing capacity equations and calculate the ultimate bearing capacity of
the foundation.
b) One method for increasing the capacity is to increase the depth of embedment of the
footing, by constructing the footing below the surface level. What would be the required
depth of embedment in order to increase the capacity by a factor of 2?

10
m

1
m

Surcharge 10 kPa
H
Ebmankment

1.5
m

1
m

0.4
m

Surcharge 20 kPa
P

4
m

P
1.5
m

1.5
m

University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 3 Autumn 2014

TUTORIAL 3 SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS

1. A 3m3m footing supports an inclined column of
a whare house. The column makes an angle of 15
o

with the vertical and carries an axial load of P (kN).
The footing is founded 1m below the surface of a
level site. The foundation consists of a deep layer of
sand having a
t
of 19 kN/m
3
and a friction angle of
30
o
. The water table is 0.5m below the surface of
the soil.
a) Determine the allowable axial load, P, which the
column could transmit to the footing with a factor of safety of 4 against bearing failure, based
on Hansens theory.
b) Assuming a friction angle o = 0.6| between the soil and the footing, is there a possibility
that the footing could slide laterally under the inclined load? Is there any resistance against
sliding failure from the soil adjacent to the footing?
c) Suggest one method which could be used to determine the friction angle of the sand at the
site.

2. A 2 2 m square footing for a grandstand is to be
constructed on a sloping site as shown in the figure
below. The soil at the site is clay having the following
properties:

t
= 20 kN/m
3
c
u
= 150 kPa
Use Hansens theory of bearing capacity to
determine the ultimate bearing pressure which
could be placed on this footing.

3. An eccentrically loaded strip footing carries a line
load of P (kN per meter run). The footing is 4m wide
and the load is applied 1.5m from one side of the
foundation. The footing is founded 1.5m below the
soil surface and the water table is located at the base
of the footing. The properties of the sandy soil
obtained from SPT results are as follow:

t
= 20 kN/m
3
, |' = 40
o
.
Determine the maximum allowable force, in kN per meter run of the footing using Hansens
theory of bearing capacity and a factor of safety of 2.5.













3m3m
1m
15
o
P
0.5m

4.0
m

1.5
m

1.5
m

P

2 2 m s q u a r e
2 0
o

2 m
2 0
o

University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 4 Autumn 2014


TUTORIAL 4 SETTLEMENT OF SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS

1. It is proposed to construct a 1m wide strip footing adjacent to an existing raft footing. The
raft footing has plan dimensions of 10m x 10m. A uniform pressure of 54 kPa is applied to the
surface of the underlying soil by the raft. The raft has been in existence for a very long time.
The proposed strip footing is to exert a uniform pressure of 150 kPa on the soil. The Plan and
Section below illustrate the situation.


Clay
Existing raft
Proposed
strip footing
PLAN
0.5m
Point X
2.5m
Proposed
strip footing
Existing raft
0.5m
SECTION
Rock
Point X
10m
10m
1m


The soil profile at the site consists of a 2.5m deep layer of clay overlying rock. The water
table is at the surface of the soil. A sample of clay is taken from a depth of 1.25m directly
below Point X. The following soil properties are obtained by testing the sample:
Initial moisture content: 31%
t
= 20 kN/m
3

C
c
= 0.4 C
r
= 0.1 p'
c
= 50 kPa
In the design of the project concern has been expressed that the new strip footing may cause
excessive settlements of the soil beneath the existing raft. Determine the total final settlement
of the clay layer under Point X due to the strip footing. Point X is located mid-way along the
side of the raft nearest to the footing. Use the 1-D consolidation method employing a one-
point settlement computation based on conditions at the sampling point.

2. The soil conditions at a site consist of a 2m thick layer of clay over a 3m thick layer of sand
over rock. SPT testing is conducted on the sand giving the results shown the table opposite.
The depth quoted is below the ground surface and is defined as the depth to the completion
the second blow count.

SPT results Depth below
footing base (m)
Stress increase in
sand (kPa)
Depth of test (m) Blow count
3.0 4,6,6 2.0 55
4.0 10,10,12 3.0 40

University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 5 Autumn 2014

A 2m wide strip footing is to be constructed at the site. The footing will carry a uniform
pressure of 250 kPa and the base of the footing will found 1m below the surface. The stress
increases in the sand due to the footing have been determined under the middle of the footing
and shown in the table opposite.
Use the elastic settlement theory to determine the mean settlement of the footing due to the
settlement of the sand layer alone. In other words the settlement of the clay and rock are to be
ignored. The Youngs modulus of the sand may be determined as suggested by Parry. You
should assume a Poissons ratio of 0.3 for the sand. Note that a good approximation to the
weighting factors to be used in the calculation of the weighted average of N may be taken
based on the intensity of the stress increase at each point.

3. A 3m wide strip footing is to be constructed at
the surface of a 3 m clay layer underlain by
incompressible impermeable rock with water table
at the surface of the soil. The footing is to carry a
pressure of 100 kPa. Three samples of the clay are
taken from depths of 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5m. They each
indicated a total unit weight of 20 kN/m
3
, however
there was a significant difference in the value of the
coefficient of volume change, m
v
, for each sample.
To determine the settlement under the centre of the footing, analyses of the stress increase,
Ao, caused by the footing at each of the sampling points have been carried out. The results of
soil testing and the analysis of stress increases are given in the table opposite.
a) Divide the clay under the footing into three sub-layers and calculate the settlement under
the centre of the footing using the 1-D consolidation approach.
b) Use an appropriate weighting approach to determine a single weighted value of m
v
for the
entire layer.
c) By assuming a value of v' = 0.25 determine the mean settlement of the footing using an
approach based on elasticity.
d) Examine the effect of Poissons ratio on the settlement. You may assume a Poissons ratio
of, for example, 0.4 and calculate the settlement again and compare it with the one obtained
before.
e) How long would it take for 50% of the consolidation settlement to occur? Assume a
coefficient of consolidation of c
v
= 110
-7
m
2
/s. Assume the foundation base is permeable.

4. A 3 m wide flexible strip footing is founded on the surface of a deep soil deposit. The
footing carries a uniform pressure of 100 kPa. Determine the change in the vertical stress
under the edge and under the centre of the footing at a level 1.5m below the base of the
footing. .
Sample
point
Sample
depth
(m)
M
v

(m
2
/kN)
Ao
(kPa)
1 0.5 3.310
-4
99
2 1.5 1.910
-4
81
3 2.5 8.210
-5
61
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 6 Autumn 2014

TUTORIAL 5 PILE FOUNDATIONS

1. A 6m long concrete pile is driven through a deep layer of loose
sand. The pile has a diameter of 500 mm. The unit weight of the sand
may be taken as 18 kN/m
3
.
a) Determine the allowable vertical capacity of the pile using a factor
of safety of 3.
b) Determine the settlement of the pile if a load of 400 kN is applied
to the pile. The Youngs modulus of the sand and the concrete pile
may be taken as 40 MPa and 20 GPa, respectively.


2. A concrete pile is driven through 5m layer of loose sand and
penetrates 5m into medium dense gravel. The pile has a square
section of 600 mm by 600 mm. There is no sign of water in the sand
or gravel layer. The unit weight of sand and gravel may be taken as
15 kN/m
3
and 20 kN/m
3
, respectively.
Determine the allowable vertical capacity of the pile using a factor
of safety of 3.


3. What load would cause failure immediately after construction of
the cast-in-situ reinforced concrete pile shown in the figure
opposite? The pile has a diameter of 600 mm and a length of 8m
and the following soil properties are given:
Brown clay:
t
= 16 kN/m
3
, c
u
= 30 kPa, |
u
= 0
Dense sand:
t
= 21 kN/m
3
, |' = 40
o

Grey clay:
t
= 19 kN/m
3
, c
u
= 120 kPa, |
u
= 0


4. A square group of 9 piles is arranged with 3 rows and 3 columns
spaced 3m c/c apart. The cast-in-situ piles have a diameter of 600
mm embedded 6m in a deep layer of stiff to very stiff clay having an
undrained cohesion of 100 kPa, a unit weight of
t
= 20 kN/m
3
, and a
Youngs modulus of 20 MPa. The group of piles has a rigid cap and
Youngs modulus of the pile material can be taken as 2000 MPa.
a) Determine the ultimate capacity of the pile group assuming that
there is no interaction between the piles, i.e, the capacity of the
group is the sum of capacity of all piles.
b) Calculate the load required to cause block failure of the entire
group.
c) Calculate the allowable bearing capacity of the group piles based
on the results of parts (a) and (b), using a factor of safety of 2.
d) Determine the settlement of the pile cap assuming that a total load
of 3600 kN is applied to the pile cap.

Sand
Gravel

t
=15kN/m
3

t
=20kN/m
3

0.6m0.6m
5m
5m

6m
Clay

t
=20kN/m
3

3m 3m
3m
3m

Sand

t
=18kN/m
3

6m
0.5m

Brown clay
4m
Dense sand 2m
Grey clay 2m
2m
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 7 Autumn 2014

TUTORIAL 6 EARTH PRESSURE

1. Consider the wall in the opposite figure which
has been built in front of a stable rock. Gravel
backfill has been placed in the space between the
wall and the rock face with a drainage pipe. The
gravel has the following properties:

t
= 19 kN/m
3
, c' = 0, |' = 35
o
.
a) The worst case design scenario is when the
drainage pipe is blocked and the water table rises
to the top surface of the backfill. Determine the
resultant lateral force on the wall for this case
using Rankines theory of active earth pressure.
b) Determine the resultant force when the drainage pipe is working properly.
c) Determine the resultant force as in part (a) using Coulombs earth pressure theory.
Consider only one possible mode of failure as shown in the figure as dotted line. The
friction angle between the wall and the gravel may be taken as 25
o
.

2. A section through a long retaining wall embedded
into rock is shown in the opposite figure. The wall
retains 4m of clay and 3m of sand and supports a
surcharge of 10 kPa as shown. The following
properties of the soils are given:
Clay:
t
= 18 kN/m
3
, c' = 5 kPa, |' = 20
o
.
Sand:
t
= 20 kN/m
3
, c' = 0, |' = 30
o
.
Use Rankines theory of lateral earth pressure to
determine the bending moment (per meter run) in the
wall section at point A, a long time after construction
of the wall.

3. A vertical cut is proposed through a very
weak rock mass which has an inclined seam
carries groundwater as shown in the
opposite figure. Testing of the material in
the seam has revealed that it has the
following properties:
c' = 8 kPa, |' = 15
o
.
In addition, piezometric measurements show
that the average pore pressure along the
entire length of the inclined seam may be
taken as 15 kPa. The total unit weight of the rock is
t
= 18 kN/m
3
.
To maintain the stability of the rock face, horizontal anchors may be used at an interval of 3m
(into the page). Determine the minimum tensile force required to be developed in each anchor
in order to maintain the stability of the rock face.

Clay
3m
2m
2m
Sand
WT
Rock
Point A
10kPa

Pipe
0.6m
3m
0.5m
Pipe Pipe
Stable
rock

8m
Inclined seam
4m
Anchor
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 8 Autumn 2014

TUTORIAL 7 RETAINING WALLS

1. The retaining wall shown in the figure
opposite retains sand. A borehole has been
sunk behind the wall and SPT testing
carried out. The results are indicated in the
figure opposite. Use the SPT results to
determine values of the unit weight and
friction angle of the sand. Find the total
lateral force acting on side AB of the wall.
Use Rankines theory of earth pressure. Do
not apply any code factors to the soil
properties.


2. Gabions consist of wire baskets filled with rocks. They
are often used as retaining walls. Consider the gabion wall
shown in the figure opposite. The design of this wall is to
be checked according to AS4678-2002. The wall retains a
natural soil near a minor road. There are no buildings in
the vicinity. A live load surcharge of 5 kPa should be
applied to the soil behind the wall. The following soil
properties have been determined from testing:
Soil: = 18 kN/m
3
| = 35
o
c = 0 kPa


Gabion: = 22 kN/m
3
o = 25
o


You are to apply code factors as appropriate and use the Rankines theory for calculation of
K
a
. Evaluate the stability of the wall against sliding and overturning.


3. A concrete retaining wall supports a clay soil as shown in
the figure opposite. Behind the wall the clay is sealed with
asphalt pavement so that no water can enter the backfill. A
surcharge of 10 kPa is applied to the surface of the backfill
due to traffic loading. The following properties of clay are
known:

t
= 18 kN/m
3
, c' = 5 kPa, |' =
30
o
.

a) Use Rankines theory of earth pressure to determine the
factor of safety against overturning for the wall. You
should ignore any passive soil resistance in front of the
wall. Use
concrete
= 25 kN/m
3
.

b) Assuming class I for clay backfill, use AS4678-2002 recommendations and check the
stability of the wall against overturning.

4m
0.4m
Asphalt seal
Clay
0.4m
10kPa
1.4m

3 m
S P T T e s t r e s u l t s
D e p t h S P T v a l u e s

0 . 5 m 3 , 3 , 2

1 . 5 m 1 , 5 , 3

2 . 5 m 6 , 6 , 8

3 . 5 m 6 , 1 0 , 1 0
1 m
1 m
A
B
S a n d
W a t e r

2 m
U n c o n t r o l l e d
b a c k f i l l s a n d

N o g r o u n d w a t e r
1 m
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 9 Autumn 2014

TUTORIAL 8 SLOPE STABILITY

1. A long clay canal bank is to be rapidly constructed to give the section shown in the figure
below. The level area adjacent to the canal is subjected to a surcharge of 50 kPa and water
fills the canal to a depth of 3m. The soil consists of clay having the following properties:

t
= 17 kN/m
3

c
u
= 40 kPa
|
u
= 0
o


A trial failure plane is shown in
the figure opposite. The centre
of the trial circle lies exactly
over the toe of the slope.

Determine the factor of safety
of the slope against undrained
failure of the clay occurring
along the failure plane. Tension
crack should not be considered.

2. A slope stability analysis by the simple method of slices is being carried out for a slope in
clayey sand. The following properties of the clayey sand are known:

t
= 20 kN/m
3
c' = 5 kPa |' = 30
o


A computer program has been used to determine the
factor of safety of the slope. It is decided to check the
program output for a particular slice, slice 5. This slice
is drawn in the figure opposite.
Draw up the following table in your solution book. In
the table certain values are given but many are left
blank (these are indicated by .. in the table). Note the
table uses usual nomenclature for slope stability
analyses and all dimensions are in metres and angles in
degrees.

Slice L b h o z W N T u cL (N-ul) tan|
5 2.1 2.0 4.6 26 1.4 .. .. .. .. .. ..

(i) Fill in the blanks in the table for slice 5.
(ii) The factor of safety of soil slopes is usually required to lie between 1.3 and 1.5. What
factors would you consider in deciding whether to accept a value at the low end of the
range or at the high end of the range?
(iii) An engineer has determined the factor of safety of the slope (of which slice 5 is a part)
using Taylors Charts. Comment on whether this is an appropriate method.

5 0 k P a
3 m
3 m
3 m
4 . 5 m
C e n t r o i d o f
s h a d e d a r e a
1
1

S l i c e
5
o
C e nt r e o f ci r cl e
z
W a t er t a b l e,
hy dr o st a t i c
co n di t i o n s
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 10 Autumn 2014

3. A circular base slide is considered in clayey soil consisting of three layers (the top, the
middle and the bottom clay layers). Assume the values of variables shown on the figure are
given to you. The total weight of the sliding section per metre run is W and the distance
between the centre of mass to the point of rotation is X.
Accordingly, provide a proper formula for the factor of safety of this slope against sliding in
the undrained condition (|
u
= 0).
.

Cross Section of a Circular Base Slide
Not to Scale
R
O
W
Point of rotation
(Centre of circle)
X
q
o
1
o
5
Top clay: c
u1
Bottom clay: c
u3
o
4
Middle clay: c
u2
o
2
d
1
d
2
o
3
Cross Section of a Circular Base Slide
Not to Scale
R
O
W
Point of rotation
(Centre of circle)
X
q
o
1
o
5
Top clay: c
u1
Bottom clay: c
u3
o
4
Middle clay: c
u2
o
2
d
1
d
2
o
3
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 11 Autumn 2014

Assignment 1: Soil Mechanics Revision

Q1. The results of the particle size analysis of three soils are given in the following table.
Classify the soils according to the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS)?

Soil properties Soil 1 Soil 2 Soil 3
D
100
(mm) 35 9 2
D
60
(mm) 20 2 0.5
D
50
(mm) 15 1.2 0.4
D
30
(mm) 5 0.35 0.05
D
10
(mm) 0.5 0.1 0.01
% finer than 60 m 8% 4% 40%
Liquid limit* (%) 34 NP 52
Plastic limit* (%) 25 NP 27

* Atterberg limit tests were conducted on the soil fractions passing 0.425 mm sieve. NP = non plastic

Q2. The soil conditions at a site consist of 6m of clay over shale bedrock. The water table is
1m below the surface. A sample of the clay was taken from a depth of 4 m. Laboratory
testing of the sample revealed the following properties:
Water content, w% = 14% Compression index, C
c
= 0.4
Recompression index, C
r
= 0.1 Pre-consolidation pressure, o'
pc
= 100 kPa
Total unit weight = 18 kN/m
3

(a) Determine the total final settlement of the clay layer when it is subjected to a surface
surcharge of 150 kPa. Use one-point estimation based on conditions at a representative
point located 4 m below the surface of the clay.
(b) The surcharge is left in place until all settlement stops. The surcharge is then removed.
Determine the thickness of the clay layer a long time after removing the surcharge.

Q3. A canal is dug parallel to a river as shown in the following figure. A sandy silt seam of
average thickness 0.5 m cuts across the otherwise impermeable clay. The average vertical and
horizontal permeabilities are 210
-7
m/s and 510
-6
m/s, respectively. Assume a 1 m length of
canal; determine the flow rate of water from the canal to the river.
(Answer: 9.210
-8
m
3
/s)


10 m
RL 6 m
RL 8 m
RL 10 m
RL 9 m
Canal
Sandy silt seam
0.5 m (average)
Clay
Clay
River
10 m
RL 6 m
RL 8 m
RL 10 m
RL 9 m
Canal
Sandy silt seam
0.5 m (average)
Clay
Clay
River
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 12 Autumn 2014

Assignment 2: Bearing Capacity

Q1. A 4m wide strip footing is founded 1m below the surface of a level site. The water table
is at a depth of 2m below the surface. The soil at the site consists of clay having the following
properties:

t
= 20 kN/m
3
c
u
= 50 kPa |
u
= 0
o

|' = 25
o
c' = 8 kPa
Use Terzaghis theory of bearing capacity to determine the allowable bearing pressure which
could be placed on the footing assuming a factor of safety of 3 for the following cases:
a) Immediately after loading the footing
b) Long time after loading the footing


Q2.A strip footing is shown in the following figure. The wall is fixed into the foundation.
Determine:
(a) the effective width (B) incorporating the weights of the foundation and fill material;
(b) the factor of safety of the footing against the bearing capacity failure based on the
following data: (Use Hansens equations and the concept of effective area).

P = 250 kN pmr (excluding the weights of the foundation and fill material)
M = 60 kN.m pmr,
o = 14
| = 9

concrete
= 25 kN/m
3
,

t
(unsaturated soil) = 18 kN/m
3

t
(saturated soil) = 19 kN/m
3

Shear strength parameters of the base soil: |' = 30, c' = 0 kPa


Not to Scale
1.2m
1.7m
0.5m
0.3m
M
Water table
1.3m
Saturated Soil
P
o
|
Unsaturated Soil
Not to Scale
1.2m
1.7m
0.5m
0.3m
M
Water table
1.3m
Saturated Soil
P
o
|
Unsaturated Soil
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 13 Autumn 2014

Q3. It is proposed to construct a 6m by 6m flexible pad footing on the surface of a site. The
pad is to be loaded at a uniform pressure of 100 kPa. The soil conditions under the pad consist
of:

0 - 3m Sand total unit weight of sand = 20 kN/m
3

3 - 6m Clay total unit weight of clay = 17 kN/m
3

6m+ Sandstone

The water table is at a depth of 2 m below the ground surface. A road runs parallel to one side
of the pad footing 2 m away, as shown in the figure. The settlement of the clay layer along the
edge line of this road due to the pad is to be investigated. The clay is normally consolidated
with a compression index of 0.4 and an in situ moisture content of 26%. (Assume the specific
gravity of soil is equal to 2.65 and the soil above the water table is saturated.)

Determine the extra settlement of the clay at Points A and B shown in the figure due to the
construction of the pad footing. These points are on the edge of the road. Use the modified
one-dimensional approach with a one-point settlement estimation based on the conditions at
the mid-point of the clay layer.




Edge of
the road
A
2m
B
3m
6m
The pad footing is
uniformly loaded at
a pressure of
100 kPa and
founded on the
surface
6m
Edge of
the road
A
2m
B
3m
6m
The pad footing is
uniformly loaded at
a pressure of
100 kPa and
founded on the
surface
6m
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 14 Autumn 2014

Assignment 3: Settlement of Shallow Foundations

Q1. The soil conditions at a site consist of the following strata:
0 - 7m Clayey sand
t
= 19 kN/m
3
7 - 10m Clay
t
= 17 kN/m
3
Below 10m Shale bedrock
The water table is located 6m below the surface. A sample of the clay is taken from a depth of
8.5m and subjected to consolidation testing giving the following results:
Compression index, C
c
= 0.3,
Recompression index, C
r
= 0.1,
Pre-consolidation pressure, o'
p
c
= 130 kPa,
Water content, w = 38%
A partly buried circular steel water tank of diameter 10m is to be constructed at the site.
Construction is to involve a two-stage process:
Stage 1: A circular excavation of diameter 10m is to be made to a depth of 5m. The sides of
this excavation will be vertical and will be retained by a circular steel caisson (tube) that is
lowered as the excavation proceeds.
Stage 2: The tank is to be completed by connecting a steel floor at the base of the caisson and
adding an additional steel section at the top of the caisson such that the completed tank will
hold a depth of water of 9m.

(a) Determine the thickness of the clay layer under the centre of the base of the excavation a
long time after completing Stage 1.

(b) When all ground movement associated with Stage 1 has ceased Stage 2 is undertaken and
the tank filled with 9m of water. Determine the thickness of the clay layer under the centre
of the tank a long time after filling the tank.

University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 15 Autumn 2014

Q2. A rigid strip footing is constructed on top of a sand layer overlying a clay deposit, as
show in the figure.
The total unit weight of sand is 18 kN/m
3
, the Youngs modulus, E
s
= 50 MPa and the
Poissons ratio, v = 0.3.
Before construction of the footing, laboratory tests on a saturated clay sample, taken at a
depth of 6m below the ground surface, gave the following results:
C
c
=0.4, C
r
=0.1, Consolidation coefficient, c
v
= 2x10
-8
m
2
/s
Over consolidation ratio, OCR = 2, Water content, w = 25%, Specific gravity, G
s
= 2.65.
[Hint:
sat
=
w
(G
s
+e) / (1+e)]
(a) Calculate the immediate settlement of the footing based on the vertical deformation of
the sand layer.
(b) Based on Boussinesqs equation, calculate the excess pore water pressures at points A
and B immediately after applying the surcharge load. Assume the vertical stress is
applied instantaneously.
(c) Find the total settlement of this rigid footing due to consolidation of the clay layer
long time after construction.
(d) Determine the average settlement of the footing after 90 days of applying the total
load due to consolidation of clay only
(c) Calculate the settlement of the footing after 100 days of applying the total load.

NOTE: the over consolidation ratio or OCR (o'
pc
/o'
vo
) is defined as the highest stress
experienced divided by the current vertical stress.


5m
3m
Impermeable bedrock
200 kPa
3m
Clay
Sand
Section (Strip Footing)
Not to Scale
3m
2.5m
B A
5m
3m
Impermeable bedrock
200 kPa
3m
Clay
Sand
Section (Strip Footing)
Not to Scale
3m
2.5m
B A
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 16 Autumn 2014

Assignment 4: Pile Foundations

Q1. A 500-mm square solid concrete pile is to be bored in cohesionless soil with two layers,
as shown in the following figure. The design capacity of the pile is 700 kN.
1. Determine the required length of the pile if the factor of safety is 3.
2. Find the settlement of this floating pile due to the design load (i.e. 700 kN).
Assume: Assume the average Youngs modulus of concrete and soil to be 20 GPa and 80
MPa, respectively.



Q2. The section of a 44 pile group in a layered saturated clay soil is shown in the following
figure. The bored concrete piles are square in cross section (0.4 m 0.4 m). The centre-to
centre spacing of the piles is 1 m. Determine the allowable load bearing capacity of the pile
group in an undrained condition based on the following approaches:

(a) Find the allowable group capacity based on individual pile failure. Use a factor of safety
of 2.5, along with the following equation for the pile group efficiency.


( )()

)

where = pile group efficiency, n = number of piles in a row, m = number of rows of piles, d
= pile diameter or side, and s = piles spacing.

(b) Based on Hansens equations, find the allowable block capacity of the pile group. Use a
factor of safety of 3.5.

Assume the average unit weight of soil and concrete piles are 19 kN/m
3
and 25 kN/m
3
,
respectively.


Section
Not to Scale
x
3m
Ave. SPT: N = 20
L
Q
Ave. SPT: N = 40
Section
Not to Scale
x
3m
Ave. SPT: N = 20
L
Q
Ave. SPT: N = 40
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 17 Autumn 2014



Assignment 5: Earth Pressure

Q1. Use Rankines theory to determine the resultant forces acting on either side of the
continuous piling wall shown in the figure. The wall is part of a harbour-side structure. Water,
1m deep, exists above the clay on one side of the wall and the water table is at the same level
in the soil on the other side of the wall. You should assume that active conditions develop on
the side marked by the letters A and B, and that passive conditions will exist on side CD. The
properties of the soils are as follows:
Gravely sand:
t
= 20 kN/m
3
|' = 35
o
Clay:
t
= 18 kN/m
3
c
u
= 25 kPa |
u
= 0
o
c' = 0 kPa |' = 25
o

Consider two cases:
(a) Immediately after construction of the wall
(b) Long time after construction of the wall


C
B D
A
Gravely sand
Clay
Piling wall
2m
4m
1m

1m
Section
Not to Scale
2.5m
1m 1m
2.5m
Clay1: c
u
= 40 kPa
0.4m x 0.4m
2m
Clay2: c
u
= 60 kPa
Clay3: c
u
= 80 kPa
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 18 Autumn 2014

Q2. The figure opposite shows a section of a 4 m high gravity wall. The wall is inclined
toward the backfill at an angle equal to 80
o
measured with respect to the horizontal.
The backfill soil is cohesionless and has a unit weight of
t
= 19 kN/m
3
and a friction
angle of | = 30
o
. The wall friction angle is o = 20
o
. There is no sign of water in the soil.
a) Calculate the lateral force on the wall due to active earth pressure using the Coulombs
method and the trial failure line shown in the figure.
b) Sketch the direction of the lateral force applied to the wall, clearly mark the inclination of
the force with respect to the horizontal and calculate the horizontal and vertical
components of the lateral force.

80
o

4m
52
o

Failure line
1m
3m


Q3. A section of an anchored retaining wall embedded 1.5 m into a saturated stiff clay layer is
shown in the figure opposite. The soil behind the wall is a sandy soil. The following
properties of the soils are known:
Sand:
t
= 17 kN/m
3
, c' = 0 kPa, |' = 30
o

Clay:
t
= 20 kN/m
3
, c
u
= 25 kPa, |
u
= 0
o

The water table is 0.65m below the surface of the clay layer as shown. The short term stability
of the wall is going to be considered in an undrained analysis.
Use Rankins theory of lateral earth pressure and determine the active and passive total
horizontal pressure at points 1 to 6 on the wall.


T
d

4m
1.5m
0.65m
Sand
Clay
1m
1
2
3
4
5
6
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 19 Autumn 2014

Assignment 6: Retaining Walls

Q1. A concrete cantilever wall is shown in the following figure. Determine the value of B to
reach a minimum global factor of safety of 2 for overturning stability of the wall.

Groundwater table is 5m below the base of the wall. The effect of passive force due to soil
should be included in your calculations.

(NOTE: no need to determine the factor of safety for sliding stability or bearing capacity
strength.)





1
Section
Not to Scale
1.3 m
0.5 m
6.5 m

c
= 25 kN/m
3
20
B
Compacted
backfill: sand

t
= 19 kN/m
3
|' = 35
Base soil: clayey sand

t
= 18 kN/m
3
c' = 0 kPa, |' = o = 32;
Compacted
backfill: sand
q = 30 kPa
1m
1
Section
Not to Scale
1.3 m
0.5 m
6.5 m

c
= 25 kN/m
3
20
B
Compacted
backfill: sand

t
= 19 kN/m
3
|' = 35
Base soil: clayey sand

t
= 18 kN/m
3
c' = 0 kPa, |' = o = 32;
Compacted
backfill: sand
q = 30 kPa
1m
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 20 Autumn 2014

Q2. The following figure shows a section of an anchored retaining wall embedded into a
saturated stiff clay layer. The sand has a unit weight of
t
= 18 kN/m
3
, c = 0 kPa and |' = 34
o
.
The clay has a unit weight of
t
= 20 kN/m
3
, c
u
= 80 kPa and |
u
= 0
o
. A uniform pressure of
40 kPa is applied on the soil surface. The short term stability of the wall is considered in an
undrained analysis.

Use the Rankins theory of lateral earth pressure to determine the active and passive
horizontal stresses. You should apply the requirements of AS 4678 and the partial factors of
safety method in estimation of soil pressures. Assume the soil is in-situ and use a structural
classification factor of u
n
= 1.

(a) Determine the ultimate tension force for the anchor, T
d
, per meter run of the wall.
(b) Determin the the minimum unbonded length of the anchor.


T
d

3m
1.5m
Sand
1m
40 kPa
Clay
Water table
Not to Scale








University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 21 Autumn 2014

Q3. A section of a cantilever retaining wall is shown in the following figure. The soil
properties are:

Soil (kN/m
3
) | c (kPa)
Fill Class I 20 35 0
Fill Class II 19 32 0
In Situ Base Soil 18 30 10

According to Rankins theory of lateral earth pressure and the requirements of AS 4678 in the
estimation of soil pressure, examine the sliding and overturning stability of the wall.

Draw a few sketches, in your answering booklet, to show proper drainage systems providing
good surface and subsurface drainage around the wall. Groundwater table is 1m below the
base of the wall. (Assume for the base soil: o
-
= 2/3|
-
)


Structure
type: 2
Section
Not to Scale
0.5m
1m
6m

c
= 24 kN/m
3
4.5m
Base soil: sandy clay
Fill class I: sand
Fill class I: sand
Fill class II: sand
1.4m 1.6m
Structure
type: 2
Section
Not to Scale
0.5m
1m
6m

c
= 24 kN/m
3
4.5m
Base soil: sandy clay
Fill class I: sand
Fill class I: sand
Fill class II: sand
1.4m 1.6m
Section
Not to Scale
0.5m
1m
6m

c
= 24 kN/m
3
4.5m
Base soil: sandy clay
Fill class I: sand
Fill class I: sand
Fill class II: sand
1.4m 1.6m
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 22 Autumn 2014

Assignment 7: Slope Stability

Q1. It is proposed to stabilise a highway cutting using a series of piles which are closely
spaced and designed strong enough so as to prevent any failure surface to intersect them. The
clay has a cohesion c
u
= 20 kPa and unit weight of 18 kN/m
3
. Assume no frictional shear
resistance can be developed in the clay. Based on Taylors charts:

a. Determine the factor of safety with respect to cohesion for the slope shown in the
figure without the piles being present, and indicate where approximately the failure
surface intersects the ground at the base of the excavation.


b. Determine the safety factor of the slope with the piles only at location A as shown in
the figure.


c. The piles would be more effective if located further up the slope e.g. at location B, as
shown in the figure. Determine the height h
B
necessary to produce a factor of safety of
1.5.


30
o
Bedrock
Clay
Highway cutting
6m
6m
Clay
30
o
Bedrock
A
Clay
Highway cutting
Piles
6m
6m
Clay
30
o
Bedrock
B
Clay
Highway cutting
Piles
h
B
6m
6m
Clay
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 23 Autumn 2014

Q2. A 6m deep excavation is to be made with side slope at an angle of 27
o
. The soil consists
of clay with a total unit weight of
t
= 17 kN/m
3
and zero friction angle.
Using Taylors charts determine the undrained cohesion required to obtain a safety factor of
1.5 for the following conditions:

(a) The clay extends to a great depth.
(b) Bedrock is found at the bottom of the excavation.

Q3. A section of a long canal embankment is shown in the following figure. In this figure
point O is a trial point of rotation. The water table is 3 m above the bottom of the canal, as
shown in the figure. For the given failure surface:

(a) Calculate the radius of this circular failure.

(b) Calculate the depth of tension crack.

(c) Determine the factor of safety against undrained failure of the embankment. Allow for
the possibility that heavy rainfall may occur and assume the crack is full of water
during wet periods.

The soil is layered clay and its properties are given in the following table:


Clay layer Area (m
2
) Unit weight (kN/m
3
) c
u
(kPa)
|
u

Clay above water level 78 18 36 0
Clay below water level 89 20 50 0






University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 24 Autumn 2014

DESIGN PROJECT
Introduction
A company is planning to carry out a construction project. This land was used to be a storage
area for a petrochemical factory. Your firm (group) has been engaged to consider certain
geotechnical aspects of this project.
This is a group project. You are to form yourselves into a group of 4 and elect 1 member
as the group leader. You should submit the name of your group members and the group leader
to the subject coordinator by Week 4.
Project Description
The project consists of the construction of:
- A concrete block walled industrial building with plan dimensions of 16 m 40 m. The
building is to have an on-ground concrete floor slab 120 mm thick, with a finished RL
of 14.0 m. The walls are load bearing and there are some internal columns carrying the
weight of the roof and other elements.
- A steel water tank having a diameter of 12 m and an effective height of 3.8 m, with its
base at RL 17.5 m.
- There is an existing one-storey double brick building on the site. The RL of the slab on the
ground is 17.2 m.
A Site Plan is attached, showing the location of the tank, the car park (RL 17.0m) the
proposed and existing buildings. The Structural Engineer for the project has determined the
proposed building loads and they are as follows:
- Wall vertical loading: 125 kN per meter run (NOTE: the weight of foundation is not
included.)
- Wall moment: 50 kN.m per meter run
- Each column total load: 140 kN
Note: There would be 12 internal columns in the proposed building. They are located 6 m
centre-to-centre. The distance between the centre of each column and the back of the wall is 5
m.

In addition, 3 boreholes have been sunk at the locations shown on the Site Plan and the logs
of these boreholes are included in this brief.
REQUIRED TASKS FORM YOUR GROUP
The Group is required to prepare a brief report to address the following aspects:
1. Introduction to the project including client name, location of the project, the scope of the work and
a cross section of the ground layers of the site based on the information given in the borehole logs
2. The sequence of construction that should be adopted.
3. A general layout of the retaining walls around the proposed building and the pedestrian access
from car park to this building
4. The type of retaining structure that should be employed between the proposed building and the
water tank.
5. The type of retaining structures that should be employed between the proposed and existing
building as well as the proposed building and the planned car park.
6. Preliminary design aspects of these retaining structures. This should include sufficient results to
enable the Structural Engineer to design the wall section.
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 25 Autumn 2014

7. The type and size of footings are required for the load bearing elements, i.e. walls, columns and
the water tank. (NOTE: Use a proper eccentricity for load application to eliminate the effect of the
moment on the wall footings).
8. An estimate of the likely order of settlements of the tank, wall and column footings. (Assume the
average Poissons ratio of the soil is 0.28 and use the following formula to calculate the soils
Youngs modulus: E
s
= 500 (N+15)
9. Recommendations defining any future soil exploration/testing that would be required in order to
be able to finalise the design. Be specific; if more boreholes are needed state where they should be
placed and suggest their depths; and if any testing is required explain what kind of tests would be
required.
The report (one per group) should address the above aspects. It can be noted that your report should
also have an Executive Summary, Table of contents, Conclusions and List of References. All figures
and tables in the report should have proper numbers and titles. If figures or tables are taken from a
source, the source or the reference should be provided or acknowledged. Every member in the group
must write some sections of the report. The name of the author(s) of each section of the report must be
clearly stated at the beginning of each section.
The report should include 2 Appendices. Appendix 1 should be allocated to the Group
Assessment table including some discussion on the effectiveness of the group. Appendix 2 should
simply be a collection of the paperwork and calculations generated by the group members. Once again
the name(s) of the members of the group responsible for the work presented in the Appendix 1 must be
stated. Comments should be included on any relevant matters pertaining to the functioning of the
group, for example:
- Did all members pull their weights and what measures were taken to ensure that each member did
do their share?
- Did the group function successfully and what could have been done to make the group more
effective?
Submission Day
Submission day will be on Friday Week 13 by 5 PM.
No hard copy is required. Please submit a CD including:
Project report in MS-Word [please write your name on the header of those pages that you
produce.]
Project slides in MS-PowerPoint with a minimum of 42 slides (including 2 slides for the title
and outline of the project, plus a minimum of 10 slides for each group member) [please write
your name on the footer of those slides that you produce.]
Oral presentation is not required however you might be interviewed to ensure the report and
slides are your own work.
Marks
Marks will be awarded for the following components of the project: The project slides (5%),
the written report (5%) and the adequacy of the design work and correctness of calculations
(5%). Individual marks will be adjusted at the discretion of the subject coordinator. The total
mark for the project is 15% of the overall mark of the subject.
Group Assessment Table
Each group must submit a group assessment table (i.e. Appendix 1), similar to that given in
the next page, with the written report. In this table, individual student should be given a mark
out of 20 for each of the five categories. The purpose of this table is to divide the group mark
proportionally among group members based on their individual contributions to the project.
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 26 Autumn 2014

The final individual mark will be determined by adjusting the group mark in proportion to
each student total contribution obtained in the group assessment table.

Group Assessment Table
Student Name:

1. 2. 3. 4.
Regular attendance at group meetings (out of 20)

Researching & contribution of ideas (out of 20)

Calculation and checking (out of 20)

Contribution in writing the report (out of 20)

Contribution in preparing presentation/poster
(out of 20)

Total (out of 100)

Signatures of group members




SITE PLAN
Steel water tank, | = 12m
Gap between the building and tank: 1.5m
Proposed concrete block walled building
BH3
BH2
BH1
5m
30m
27m
N
Slope of the land:
There is a negligible fall
from east to west through
the area.
Existing Building (Double Brick):
Area: 16m25m
Height: 5 m; Gap: 6m
5m
20m 16m
Proposed car park
area on flexible
pavement (open
area no roof)
Q = 20 kPa
3m
Proposed retaining
structures
max 3m
16m
Q = 2.5 kPa
G = 8 kPa
Driveway Entrance Garden Garden
University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 27 Autumn 2014

BOREHOLE LOG 1

Other information: Sample D1 not tested, bore log description
verified from observation of sample
M
E
T
H
O
D
S
A
M
P
L
E

T
E
S
T
S
W
A
T
E
R
D
E
P
T
H
L
O
G
U
S
C
S


DESCRIPTION OF MATERIAL

Soil type and colour, structure, plasticity
and other characteristics
M
O
I
S
T.

Con.
CON
S
I
S
T
E
NCY

REMARKS

Observed and other
relevant data
A
u
g
e
r

V
bit
D1
SPT
2,6,6
0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Sandy loam, brown with occasional roots
and organics.
SP
D VL
Hole stood without
supporting after
drilling
Client: DBI Development
JOB: Factory complex
Location: Industrial park
Port Kembla
Logged by: HT
Date: Autumn 2014
Hole No: BH1
Sheet 1 of 1
Surface RL 17.0
Rig: Edson 3000
Details Vertical hole,
Flight auger


SPT
5,7,7
SPT
8,9,10
SPT
3,7,8
SPT
5,8,9
SP
SC
SM
SP
Sand, light brown becoming yellow with
depth. A fine grained, uniform silica
sand. Dune sand.
Clayey sand, appearance of sandstone.
Grey/brown, medium grained sand
grains.
Sandstone, grey medium grained
sandstone.
Sand, dark brown indurated sand,
slightly cemented, coffee rock.
Sand, grey at first becoming dark grey at
depth. Fine grained, uniform, silica sand.
A dune sand.
SM
SM
D
D
M
L
L
MD
MD
F
Becoming harder to
cut below 6.8m.
V bit refusal at 7.1m.
Water slowly seeped
into hole below
6mWater level noted
30 minutes after
drilling.

University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 28 Autumn 2014

BOREHOLE LOG 2

Other information: Sample D2 not tested, bore log description
verified from observation of sample
M
E
T
H
O
D
S
A
M
P
L
E

T
E
S
T
S
W
A
T
E
R
D
E
P
T
H
L
O
G
U
S
C
S


DESCRIPTION OF MATERIAL

Soil type and colour, structure, plasticity
and other characteristics
M
O
I
S
T.

Con.
CON
S
I
S
T
E
NCY

REMARKS

Observed and other
relevant data
A
u
g
e
r

V
bit
D2
SPT
2,5,5
0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Sandy loam, brown with occasional roots
and organics.
SP
D
VL
Hole stood without
supporting after
drilling
Client: DBI Development
JOB: Factory complex
Location: Industrial park
Port Kembla
Logged by: HT
Date: Autumn 2014
Hole No: BH2
Sheet 1 of 1
Surface RL 17.1
Rig: Edson 3000
Details Vertical hole,
Flight auger


SPT
4,6,6
SPT
6,7,8
SPT
3,6,7
SPT
6,7,7
SP
SC
SM
SP
Sand, light brown becoming yellow with
depth. Occasional light brown mottles
below 5m contained a trace of silt. A fine
grained, uniform silica sand. Dune sand.
Clayey sand, appearance of sandstone.
Red, medium grained sand grains.
Sandstone, Red medium grained
sandstone.
Sand, dark brown indurated sand,
slightly cemented, coffee rock.
Sand, dark grey. Fine grained, uniform,
silica sand. A dune sand. SM
SM
D
D
M
L
L
L
MD
F
V bit cut slowly into
rock until sudden
refusal at 7.7m.
Water slowly seeped
into hole below
6.1m. Water level
noted 30 minutes
after drilling.
VM

University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 29 Autumn 2014

BOREHOLE LOG 3

Other information: Sample D3 not tested, bore log description
verified from observation of sample
M
E
T
H
O
D
S
A
M
P
L
E

T
E
S
T
S
W
A
T
E
R
D
E
P
T
H
L
O
G
U
S
C
S


DESCRIPTION OF MATERIAL

Soil type and colour, structure, plasticity
and other characteristics
M
O
I
S
T.

Con.
CON
S
I
S
T
E
NCY

REMARKS

Observed and other
relevant data
A
u
g
e
r

V
bit
D3
SPT
2,5,5
0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Sandy loam, brown
SP
D
VL
Hole stood without
supporting after
drilling
Client: DBI Development
JOB: Factory complex
Location: Industrial park
Port Kembla
Logged by: HT
Date: Autumn 2014
Hole No: BH3
Sheet 1 of 1
Surface RL 17.2
Rig: Edson 3000
Details Vertical hole,
Flight auger


SPT
2,5,5
SPT
6,8,9
SPT
6,7,7
SPT
6,7,8
SP
SC
SM
SP
Sand, light brown becoming yellow with
depth. A fine grained, uniform silica
sand. Dune sand.
Clayey Sandy, grey, appearance of
sandstone.
Sandstone, Red medium grained
sandstone.
Sand, dark brown indurated sand,
negligible cementation.
Sand, grey. Fine grained, uniform, silica
sand. A dune sand.
SM
SM
D
D
M
L
L
MD
MD
F
V bit cut slowly into
rock until sudden
refusal at 7.5m.
Water slowly seeped
into hole below
6.2m. Water level
noted 30 minutes
after drilling.
VM



University of Technology, Sydney 48360 Geotechnical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and IT 30 Autumn 2014

Subject Timetable




Week /
Date
Lecture Tutorial Deliverables
1
24/2/14
Revision of Soil Mechanics including soil
shear strength.
Tutorial 1: basic design
2
3/3/14
Site investigation: planning, investigation
methods, evaluation, reporting.

Site investigation equipment
and quiz samples

3
10/3/14
Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering.
Shallow foundations: load deformation
behaviour, ultimate load and working load,
Terzaghis theory of bearing capacity, total
and effective stress analyses.
QUIZ 1 (on soil mechanics
and site investigation)
Tutorial 2: shallow
foundations.

4
17/3/14
Shallow foundations: Hansens bearing
capacity analysis, eccentric loading and
moments.
Tutorial 3: shallow
foundations.
Major project organisation
Major Project
Group
Selection and
Report
5
24/3/14
Settlement of shallow footings: Distribution
of stresses under loaded areas. Immediate
and total final settlements, settlement based
on 1D and elastic theory, rate of settlement.
Tutorial 4: stress and
settlement.

6
31/3/14
Deep foundations: pile types and methods
of installation, load carrying capacity of
single piles and pile groups.
QUIZ 2 (on shallow
foundations and settlement)


7
7/4/14
Lateral earth pressures: at rest, active and
passive states, Rankine and Coulomb theories,
total and effective stress analyses.
Tutorial 5: deep foundations
8
14/4/14
Tutorial Week - No class No class
Assignments
1-4 due on
18/4/14
-
21/4/14
Non Teaching Week - No class No class
9
28/4/14
Retaining walls: AS 4678, gravity walls,
factors of safety against sliding, overturning
and bearing capacity.
QUIZ 3 (on plies and lateral
earth pressures)

10
5/5/14
Retaining walls: cantilever walls, anchored
walls, braced walls.
Tutorial 6: earth pressure
Major project work.

11
12/5/14
Slope stability: failure mechanisms, infinite
slopes, method of slice, Swedish and
Bishop methods, total and effective stress
analyses, Taylors charts, practical
considerations.
Tutorial 7: retaining walls.
Major project work.

12
19/5/14
Practical examples on retaining walls and
slope stability analysis
Tutorial 8: slope stability.
QUIZ 4 (on retaining walls
and slope stability)

Assignments
5-7 due on
23/5/14
13
26/5/14
Site classification, reactive soils behaviour
and ground improvement methods.
Major project work.
Major Project
report due on
30/5/14
14
2/6/14
Revision of main topics. No tutorial class