Geotechnical Engineering (9ECTS) Lecturer: Dr. Davide Noè Gorini; email: davideno.gorini@uniroma1.it academic year 2020-2021 Programme Genesis and classification of soils  Formation and composition of soils  Soil classification: grain size distribution, Atterberg limits and plasticity chart  Phase relationships  State of a soil  Exercise on soil classification Water flow through soils  Basics of hydraulics  Darcy’s law and one-dimensional seepage  Governing equation under three-dimensional conditions  Solution of one- and bi-dimensional seepage  Exercise: one-dimensional seepage for different schemes, bi-dimensional problem Elements of stress analysis  Stress and strain state  Mohr’s circle  Invariants of the stress-strain state  The Principle of effective stress  Relevant stress paths for geotechnical problems  Exercise: lithostatic stress state in a layered soil deposit, case of an indefinite sloping ground, construction of Mohr’s circles Mechanical behaviour of soil: modelling and experimental evidences  Modelling aspects: elasticity, plasticity and volumetric behaviour  Strength criteria and Rankine’s formulas  Exercise: analysis of the stress-strain response of simple elastic-plastic materials  Drainage conditions  Compressibility  Oedometer test  Consolidation: one-dimensional theory, solution for different boundary conditions  Exercise: oedometer test, compressibility properties, coefficient of consolidation  Strength of soils: drained and undrained behaviour, Critical State, effect of dilatancy  Exercise: limit contact pressures on a retaining structure  Triaxial test  Choice of the strength parameters  Exercise: drained and undrained triaxial tests, evaluation of the strength parameters, evolution of the stiffness with the strain level  Direct shear test  Exercise: direct shear test, stress paths and strength parameters

Study material The recorded lessons, exercises and lecture notes will be uploaded on the Google Classroom of the course. Suggested books: • Lancellotta, R. (2008). Geotechnical Engineering, 2nd edition, Taylor & Francis, London and New York. • Budhu, M. (2010). Soil mechanics and foundations, 3nd edition, John Willey & Sons, New York.