ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY

/ EIABC/

COURSE TITLE
SOIL MECHANICS
COURSE NUMBER :-
COTM 2171

INSTRUCTORS:-
ASEMELASH BEKELE
BELAY YETAYEW
HAILEMARIAM GIRMA
SINTAYEHU HUNDE
 qGoals of the Course
vThe course deals with the study of physical
properties of soils, and their relevance in soil
mechanical behaviour as Strength,
Compressibility, Stability and Drainage.
vIt is intended to give the students a fundamental
insight in basic soil mechanical properties and
processes, and how these are used in geotechnical
engineering practice and in construction works.
vTo determine parameters from soil testing to
characterize soil properties, soil strength, and soil
deformations.

PREPARED BY:-H/MARIAM GIRMA (MSc in Geotechnical Engineering) 2

OBJECTIVE OF THE COURSE
v This course is designed to introduce COTM students to know
the properties and behavior of soil as construction &
foundations material and their application in the solution of
certain Geotechnical engineering problems such as
compressibility of soil, seepage, retaining walls and stability
of slopes
v Students will obtain a basic understanding of geotechnical
engineering principles including soil classification,
Permeability, Consolidation, Shear strength, and Bearing
capacity.
v Students will also learn how to perform and apply
fundamental laboratory tests on soils.
v Evaluations
Ø Mid–Semester Exam 35%.....could be raised to 40%
Ø Laboratory Test work 10%
Ø Semester Project 15%.....Omitted
Ø Final Exam 40%.....could be raised to 50%
Ø Total 100%
10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 3
COURSE OUTLINE
1. GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF SOILS AND
TYPES
2. SIMPLE SOIL PROPERTIES
3. CLASSIFICATIONS AND FIELD IDENTIFICATION
OF SOILS
4. SOIL MOISTURE, PERMEABILITY AND
STRESSES
5. CONSOLIDATION OF SOILS
6. STRESS DISTRIBUTION IN SOILS AND
SETTLEMENT ANALYSIS
7. SHEARING RESISTANCE AND STRENGTH OF
SOILS
8. LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE
9. COMPACTION OF SOILS
10. SLOPE STABILITY

10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 4

• COURSE OUTLINE
1. GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF SOILS AND TYPES
vIntroduction/Definition
vOrigin, formation & transformation of soil
vSoil mechanics & its application to foundations
vSimple soil types and engineering problems of soil
vComparison of coarse grained and fine grained soil for Engineering
uses
2. SIMPLE SOIL PROPERTIES
vIntroduction/Definition
vPhase relationships
vWeight volume relationships
vDetermination of particle size of soils
vPhysical states and index properties of fine grained soils
vAtterberg limits
3. CLASSIFICATIONS AND FIELD IDENTIFICATION OF SOILS
vIntroduction
vUnified soil classification system(USCS)
vAASHTO soil classification system
10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 5
• COURSE OUTLINE
4. SOIL MOISTURE, PERMEABILITY AND STRESSES
v Introduction/Definition
v Soil Moisture (Adsorbed, Capillary & Gradational Water)
v Permeability of Soil
ü Methods of measuring Ko by :-
a) Constant Head Permeability Test vs Coarse grained soil
b) Variable (Falling) Head Permeability Tests Vs Fine grained
soils (Silt & Clay)
ü Field Measurement of Permeability – Pumping Tests
v Stresses in a soil
ü Effective Stress and Neutral Stresses/Pore Water Presuure in Soils
ü Critical Hydraulic Gradient and Quick Sand Condition
5. CONSOLIDATION OF SOILS
v Introduction/Definition
v Basic concepts
v Calculation of primary consolidation settlement
v Terzaghi one-dimensional consolidation theory
v One-dimensional consolidation laboratory tests
v Evaluation of total settlement
10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 6
10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 7
vREFERANCES (You have to be selective in reading)
vBraja M. Das, Fundamentals of Geotechnical Engineering,
3rd Edition up to 7th Edition
vNumerical Problems, Examples and objective questions in
Geotechnical Engineering by Dr. A.V. Narasimha Rao &
Professor C. Venkatramaiah, Inedian University Press
vJ.E.BOWLES, Physical and geotechnical properties of soil,
1st ed.(1979), M.Graw Hill New York.(624.1 Bow1979)
vRow Withlow, Basic soil Mechanics, 3rded (1995), Pearson
education ltd, Harlow(uk) (624.1WHL2001,1983)
vK.R. ARORA, Soil mechanics and foundation engineering
1sted (1997) standard publishers, Delhi.
vS.K.GARG, Soil mechanics and foundation engineering
vPROF, Alemayehu Teferra & Mesfin Leikun, Basic soil
mechanics for civil engineering
vAnd other related books
10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 8
 DEFINITIONS OF SOILS AND SOIL MECHANICS
vSoil is defined as a natural aggregate of mineral
grains and loose unconsolidated material on the
earth crust that can be produced by the
disintegration of rocks and also that have the
capacity of being separated by means of simple
mechanical processes e.g. by agitation in water.
vGeotechnical meaning:- Soil is uncemented aggregate
of mineral grains and decayed organic matter (solid
particles) with liquid and gas in the empty spaces
between the solid particles.
vGenerally, soil is one form of construction material
in various engineering projects which can supports
structural foundations.
10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 9
DEFINATION OF SOIL MECHANICS
vSoil Mechanics is one of the youngest disciplines of
civil Engineering involving the study of soil, its
behaviour and application as an engineering
material.
vSoil mechanics is the study of the engineering
behaviour of soil when it is used either as a
construction material or as a foundation material.
vAccording to Terzaghi (1948): "Soil Mechanics is the
application of laws of mechanics and hydraulics to
engineering problems dealing with sediments and
other unconsolidated accumulations of solid particles
produced by the mechanical and chemical
disintegration of rocks regardless of whether or not
they contain an admixture of organic constituent."
10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 10
DEFINATION OF SOIL MECHANICS

Soil Mechanics is the branch of science that deals with

the study of :-
A. The physical properties of soil such as origin, grain size
distribution, ability to drain water,
B. The behaviour of soil masses subjected to various types
of forces such as COMPRESSIBILITY, SHEAR
STRENGTH and LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY.
• Foundation engineering:- is the application of the
principles of soil mechanics to the design and
construction of foundations.
• Geotechnical engineering may be considered to
include both Soil mechanics and Foundation
Engineering.
10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 11
DEFINATION OF SOIL MECHANICS

• Geotechnical engineering deals with the following

issues:-
üThe application of the principles of soil
mechanics to practical problems.
üThe application of soil mechanics and rock
mechanics to the
§ Design of foundations
§ Underground & retaining structures
§ Pavements, Dams and earth structures
(Embankments, Excavations and Earth dam).

10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 12

 GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF SOILS
Ø Soil is formed by the “weathering” of rocks (disintegration &
decomposition of rocks into smaller grains).
Ø The agents of weathering could be:-
A. Mechanical weathering like the action of wind, water and glaciers.
B. Chemical weathering like oxidation, hydration and carbonation.
Ø The properties of the soil can be depend on the geological nature
of the parent rocks, extent of weathering and the agents of
weathering.
Ø The materials that constitute the earth’s crust are soil and rock
– Rock is a natural aggregate of mineral grains connected by
strong and permanent cohesive forces.
– Rocks are classified according to their mode of formation as
follows:- Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic Rocks
10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 13
GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF SOILS
ü IGNEOUS ROCKS: - are formed by cooling and solidification of
magma within or on the surface of the earth’s crust
qe.g. granite, basalt, dolerite, gabbro, andesite, rhyolite,
pegmatites, peridotite, syenite.
ü SEDIMENTARY ROCKS: - are formed by consolidation and
cementation of sediments deposited under water
qe.g. limestone, sandstone, shale, dolomite, mudstone,
conglomerate.
ü METAMORPHIC ROCKS: - are formed from older rocks
when they are subjected to increased temperature, pressure
and shearing stresses at considerable depth in the earth’s crust
qe.g. slate, schist, marble, quartzite, gneiss.
10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 14
•All soils originate, directly or indirectly, from solid
rocks by the process of weathering.
Mechanical/ Physical
and Chemical
weathering of parent
rocks

Reduction in size Reduction in size

without change in and change in

Composition of
composition of
Parent rocks
parent rocks
AGENTS AGENTS
•Temperature Changes
•Oxidation
•Freezing action of water
•Carbonation
•Spreading of roots of plants
•Hydration
•Abrasion
•Leaching
10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 15
•RESIDUAL AND TRANSPORTED SOILS
v Soils, which are formed by mechanical or
chemical weathering, may be classified as residual
or transported soils.
v Residual soils are stay-on soils which are still
located in the place of their origin.
v Transported soils are soils which have been
transported by water, wind, ice and deposited in
an area different from their place of origin.
v Residual soils are usually homogeneous and stiff
while transported soils are loose, soft and non-
homogeneous.

10/30/2024 16
PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING)
TRANSPORTED SOILS CLASSIFICATION
Transported soils may be classified according to the mode of their
transportation and deposition such as
Ø ALLUVIAL or FLUVIAIL SOILS are those soils that have
been transported by running water & deposited along a stream.
Ø AEOLIAN SOILS are those soils that have been transported and
deposited by wind.
Ø LACUSTRINE SOILS are those soils that have been deposited
from suspension in quite fresh water lakes.
Ø GLACIAL SOILS are those soils that have been deposited as
results of glaciers activities.
Ø COLLUVIAL SOILS are those soils that have been deposited
by movement of soil by gravity such as landslides.
In addition to transported and residual soils, there are PEATS
AND ORGANIC SOILS, which derive from the decomposition of
organic materials.
10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 17
 COMMON SOIL TYPES:- with SOIL-PARTICLE SIZE
Ø Clay is fine-grained cohesive soils, but silt is fine grained soil.
Ø Sand, gravel, cobbles and boulders are coarse-grained cohesionless
soils.
Ø Grain- size ranges are used to distinguish between them.
• Clay ~~ < 0.002mm
• Silt ~~ 0.06 to 0.002mm
• Sand ~~ 0.06 to 2mm
• Gravel ~~ 2 to 60mm
• Cobbles ~~60 to 200mm
• Boulders ~~ > 200mm
Ø ORGANIC SILT is a fine-grained soil somewhat plastic, highly
compressible, and relatively impervious. It is a very poor
foundation material because of compressibility.

10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 18

 COMMON SOIL TYPES in SOIL MECHANICS ISSUES
Ø INORGANIC SILTS (ROCK FLOUR) contain only mineral grains and
are free from organic material. They are mostly coarser than 0.002 mm.
Ø CLAY is composed of microscopic particles of weathered rock within a
wide range of water content, clay exhibits plasticity when mixed with a
limited amount of water.
Ø ORGANIC CLAY contains some finely divided organic particles. Organic
clays are highly compressible when saturated and their dry strength is
very high.
Ø BLACK COTTON SOIL is clay characterized by its high expansive and
shrinkage properties. Its color varies from dark grey to black.
ü Black soil containing a high percentage of montmorillonite and
colloidal material, it exhibits a high degree of shrinkage and
swelling.
ü Great care is required when structures are to be built on black
cotton soil.
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 COMMON SOIL TYPES:- with SOIL-PARTICLE SIZE
Ø Laterite:- formed by a process called LEACHING,
Laterite gets hardened on exposure to air, although
easy to excavate.
Ø Hardpan is a term often used to describe any hard
cemented layer, which are not softening when wet.
ü Hardpan is densely cemented soil which remains hard
when wet (very difficult to excavate)
Ø Peat is composed of fibrous particles of decayed
vegetable matter. It is so compressible that it is
entirely unsuitable to support any type of foundation.
Ø Loam is a mixture of sand, silt and clay in nearly
equal proportion.

10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:- HAILEMARIAM GIRMA (MSC IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING) 20

 THANK YOU!

10/30/2024 PREPARED BY:-H/MARIAM GIRMA (BSc in COTM & MSc in Geotechnical Engineering) 21