Course Code Course Title Hours per week Credit
L-T-P C
CE181505 Geotechnical Engineering-I 3 -1- 0 4
MODULE 1: Composition, Index Properties Classification of Soils
Soil structure and its behavior. Typical clay mineral structures of Kaolinite, Montmorillonite and Illite.
Soil-water system. Soil as a three phase system. Index properties and Phase relationship. Particle-size
analysis. Consistency of soils and Atterberg’s limits. Activity of clays. Soil classification – according
to grain size, according to plastic properties (IS classification). Numerical problems.
MODULE 2: Permeability of Soil
Darcy’s law – discharge velocity and seepage velocity, it’s validity. Factors affecting permeability.
Laboratory and field determination of permeability co-efficient. Permeability of stratified soil deposits.
Numerical problem.
MODULE 3: Seepage Analysis
Seepage pressure – quick condition. Derivation of Laplace equation of flow in 2-D. Properties and
applications of flow net – determination of quantity of seepage, seepage pressure, uplift pressure and
exit gradient. Construction of flow net. Phreatic line of an earth dam – Casagrande’s method of
determining phreatic line in a dam. Numerical problems.
MODULE 4: Stress and Stress distribution
Stress path. Effective stress concept. Geostatic Stresses Boussinesq’s theory and Westergaard theory.
Pressure distribution diagrams – stress isobar. Newmark’s influence chart. Contact pressure. Numerical
Problems.
MODULE 5: One Dimensional Consolidation
Introduction. The consolidation process. Consolidation of laterally confined soil – compression index,
co- efficient of compressibility, co- efficient of volume change. Consolidation of undisturbed
specimen. Determination of pre-consolidation pressure. Secondary Compression. Numerical problems.
MODULE 6: Compaction
Introduction. Standard Proctor Test. Zero air voids line. Modified Proctor test. Field compaction
methods and its control. Factors affecting compaction. Numerical problems.
MODULE 7: Shear Resistance of Soil
Introduction- Friction and cohesion. Mohr’s stress circle. Mohr- Coulomb Failure theory. Drainage
conditions and measurement of shear strength – direct shear test, tri-axial test, unconfined compression
test, vane shear test. Pore pressure parameters. Sensitivity and thixotropy of cohesive soils. Stress-
strain-volume change characteristics of cohesion less and cohesive soils. Numerical problems
Textbooks / Reference Books:
1. Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering- P. Purushothama Raj, Pearson Education in South
Asia, Second Edition, (2018)
2. Geotechnical Engineering – Debasish Moitra, Universities Press; First Edition edition (2016)
3. Geotechnical Engineering – Shashi K Gulati & Manoj Dutta, McGraw Hill Education (16 May
2005)
Assam Science and Technology University Page 8 of 14
4. Basic and Applied Soil Mechanics- Gopal Ranjan & A. S. Rao (1991), Wiley Eastern Ltd., New
Delhi.
5. Soil Mechanics and Foundation: Dr. B. C. Punmia, Laxmi Publications; Sixteenth edition (2017),
Language: English, ISBN-10: 8170087910, ISBN-13: 978-8170087915
6. Soil Engineering in Theory and Practice (Part I & Part II): Dr. Alam Singh, CBS; 2 edition
(1 December 2009)
7. Foundation Analysis and Design: Joseph E. Bowles, McGraw-Hill
Assam Science and Technology University Page 9 of 14