Fundamentals of Ground Engineering is an unconventional study guide that serves up the key principles, theories, definitions, and analyses of geotechnical engineering in bite-sized pieces. This book contains brief—one or two pages per topic—snippets of information covering the geotechnical engineering component of a typical undergraduate course in civil engineering as well as some topics for advanced courses. Written in note form, it summarizes the basic principles and theories of soil mechanics, the procedures for creating a geotechnical model, and the common analyses for slopes, foundations, and walls.
- Puts the mechanics into soil mechanics
- Presents information that is simple to use—structured around diagrams and formulae with few words
- Explains detailed analyses given in the longer standard texts
A short, easily read summary of the basic theories and routine analyses of ground engineering, Fundamentals of Ground Engineering incorporates plenty of diagrams and concentrated data without going into detailed explanations. This text is an ideal reference for students, practicing civil engineers—senior and junior—and by engineering geologists.
What is Geotechnical Engineering?
Construction in the Ground
Who are Geotechnical Professionals and What Do They Do?
Education and Training
What Goes Wrong?
Things to Do
Further Reading
Part A Discovering the Ground
Formation of Soils and Rocks
Basic Soil and Rock Cycle
Geological Age
Natural Earth Materials
Surface Processes
Local Climate and Rocks in England
Things to Do
Further Reading
Description and Classification of Soils
Differences between Soils and Rocks
Basic Description of Soils and Rocks
Grading of Soil
Characteristics of Soil Grains
Water Content Unit Weight Relationships
Packing of Grains
Structure in Soils
Things to Do
Further Reading
Ground Investigations
Ground Models
Methodology for Ground Investigations
Reports
Components of Ground Investigations
Reliability of the Geotechnical Model
Things to Do
Further Reading
Part B Essential Physics and Mechanics
Basic Mechanics
Mass, Force and Common Units in Ground Engineering
What Do Structures Have to Do?
Stress and Strain: Strength and Stiffness
Analysis of Stress by the Mohr Circle Construction
Things to Do
Behaviour of Materials
Specific Loading Configurations
Stiffness: Compression and Distortion
Strength
Theories to Define Strength
Stress–Strain Relationships
Elastic and Inelastic Behaviour
Perfectly Plastic Behaviour
Elasticity, Plasticity and Hardening
Creep
Things to Do
Further Reading
Water Pressure and Seepage
Water and Water Pressure
Saturation
Negative Pore Pressure and Suction
Steady-State Seepage
Permeability and Speed of Drainage
Things to Do
Further Reading
Part C Soil Mechanics
Pore Pressure and Effective Stress
Effective Stress
Effects of Changes of Stress
Drained and Undrained Loading and Consolidation
Rates of Loading
Things to Do
Further Reading
Soil Behaviour Observed in Tests on Samples
Soil Testing Apparatus
Loading of Soil Samples
Characteristics of Soil Behaviour during Compression and Swelling
Characteristics of Soil Behaviour during Shearing
Unified Soil Behaviour
Things to Do
Further Reading
Soil Deformation
Stiffness of Soil for Drained and Undrained Loading
Compression and Swelling, Yielding and Overconsolidation
Simple Model for D Compression
General Model for Isotropic and D Compression
Horizontal Stress in the Ground
Non-Linear Stiffness of Soil
Very Small Strain Stiffness G′
Relationships between Stiffness Moduli for Isotropic Elastic Soil
Consolidation
Creep
Things to Do
Further Reading
Soil Strength
Soil Has Several Strengths
Critical State Strength
Residual Strength
Undrained Strength and Effective Stress Strength
Unconfined Compressive Strength
Peak Strength of Soil
Stress Dilatancy
Equations for Peak Strength
Strength of Soil in Triaxial Compression
Strength and Stiffness of Typical Soils and Engineering Materials
Things to Do
Further Reading
State and State Parameters
State: Soils and Rocks
State Parameters
State Parameter and a State Boundary
State Paths
Creep and Change of State
Things to Do
Further Reading
Cam Clay and Numerical Modelling
Numerical Models
Cam Clay
Behaviour of Cam Clay in Drained Loading
Behaviour of Cam Clay in Undrained Loading
Comments on Behaviour of Cam Clay
Further Reading
Soil Parameters for Design
Soil Parameters
Tests and Results
Sources of Error in Soil Tests
Derivation of Geotechnical Parameters
Characteristic and Design Values
Estimation of Parameters from Soil Description
Selection of Soil Parameters for Design
Further Reading
Part D Geotechnical Engineering
Routine Analyses of Geotechnical Structures
Basic Analyses
Limit Equilibrium Analyses
Upper and Lower Bound Plasticity Methods
Foundations on Elastic Soil
Steady Seepage
Consolidation Settlement
Further Reading
Stability of Slopes
Slope Failures
Stress Changes in Slopes
Basic Slope Stability Solutions
Pore Pressures in Slopes
A Hole in the Beach
Things to Do
Further Reading
Foundations
Foundation Types
Stress Changes below a Shallow Foundation
Loading and Movement of a Foundation
Bearing Capacity Factors
Floating Foundations
Settlement of Shallow Foundations
Single Piles
Things to Do
Further Reading
Retaining Walls
Types of Retaining Wall
Earth Pressures on Retaining Walls
Rankine Earth Pressures
Coulomb Wedge Analyses
Overall Equilibrium of Embedded Walls
Overall Equilibrium of a Gravity Wall
Influence of Water on Retaining Walls
Further Reading
Unsaturated, Improved and Difficult Soils
Compaction
Unsaturated Soil
Ground Improvement
Structured Soils
Further Reading
Principles of Geotechnical Design
What is Failure?
Use of Factors to Prevent Failure
Changes with Time
Selection of Design Parameters
Design of a Shallow Foundation for Undrained Loading
Design of a Shallow Foundation for Drained Loading
Standards and Codes
Keywords, Definitions and Index
Biography
John Atkinson is senior principal at Coffey Geotechnics, and emeritus professor of soil mechanics at City University, London. He is the author of several textbooks, including The Mechanics of Soils and Foundations (2nd ed) also published by Taylor & Francis.
"… Professor John Atkinson takes readers on a journey of discovery – or rediscovery – of what geotechnical engineering is about. Although this is indeed another book covering common aspects of ground engineering, the approach used by Atkinson contrasts very noticeably from that adopted in the vast majority of other similarly themed works. … Those relatively new to ground engineering will find this book a useful and easily tapped into source of background information on the subject… more seasoned ground engineering practitioners will find this a refreshing book, in appearance simple but going to the heart of the various elements of geotechnical engineering. Colleagues in construction related occupations will also find this a useful tool to gain an initial appreciation of many of the geotechnical engineering aspects of construction projects. In short, Fundamentals of Ground Engineering is an interesting addition to almost any construction professional’s technical library.
—Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers"The book covers, in a concise and easily readable form, the basics of geological and ground investigation, physics, and mechanics, and then applies these principles to the fundamentals of soil mechanics. It also discusses how basic soil mechanics are applied to a range of common geotechnical problems. In addition to outlining these problems, the concluding chapter sets out how the topics covered in the book can be applied to practical design. This is a critical chapter which many current texts fail to treat adequately, if at all."
—Harry Poulos, Coffey Geotechnics/University of Sydney, Australia"I like the book so much because it covers the complete range of geotechnical engineering … from underlying principles to the design of all major geotechnical constructions. … This book is a perfect companion for those learning the subject for the first time as B.Sc and M.Sc students, and also a nice tool for practical engineers looking to refresh their knowledge. It contains the classical content as well as addresses current subjects. It offers chapter summaries and also suggests relevant literature for further study."
—Tom Schanz, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany
