Geomechanics and Geology

This module commences by dealing with mineralogy and weathering of rocks as context for the origin soil as an engineering material. The majority of the module is devoted to basic behaviour and mechanics of soils relevant to engineering applications.

Learning Outcomes
1. Distinguish between the various categories of rocks and how they are formed
2. Understand how mineralogy influences the formation of soil and its behaviour today
3. Laboratory and field classification of soils and rocks
4. Appreciate the significance of some basic characteristics of soils such as gradings and plasticity
5. Use phase relations to work out basic soil mass and volume parameters; apply them to compaction problems
6. Understand the principle of effective stress and the significance of undrained and drained behaviour
7. Estimate soil permeability and construct flow nets to calculate flowrates and pore pressures in seepage problems
8. Compute soil settlements due to 1-D Consolidation
9. Distinguish between soil strength in its peak, critical state, undrained and drained forms
10. Apply lateral earth pressure theory to the design of simple retaining structures
11. Appreciate the importance of a geological understanding to the successful, safe and timely delivery of engineering projects