Soil Mechanics

This book teaches the principles of soil mechanics to undergraduates, along with other properties of engineering materials, to which the students are exposed simultaneously. Using the critical state method of soil mechanics to study the mechanical behavior of soils requires the student to consider density alongside effective stresses, permitting the unification of deformation and strength characteristics. This unification aides the understanding of soil mechanics. This book explores a one-dimensional theme for the presentation of many of the key concepts of soil mechanics – density, stress, stiffness, strength, and fluid flow – and includes a chapter on the analysis of one-dimensional consolidation, which fits nicely with the theme of the book. It also presents some theoretical analyses of soil-structure interaction, which can be analyzed using essentially one-dimensional governing equations. Examples are given at the end of most chapters, and suggestions for laboratory exercises or demonstrations are given.

• This book tries to integrate soil mechanics teaching with the teaching of other elementary civil engineering subjects
• The book introduces critical state ideas in order to emphasize the importance of volume change and density in soils
• The book includes a chapter on soil-structure interaction as an integrating subject which is often neglected in civil engineering degree programs