This course is the laboratory class focusing on the material property of soil and mechanical behaviour of geotechnical structures.
Soils are composed of soil grain, water, and air. The characteristics (i.e. compressibility, strength, and permeability) depend not only on inherent properties of soils but also on state of soils. In addition, theoretical solutions do not necessarily capture the actual behaviour of geotechnical structures. Therefore, it is important to know mechanical characteristics of soils and behaviour of geotechnical structures through experiments. The aim of this course is to obtain knowledge of physical and mechanical properties of soil through conducting various soil tests (compaction tests, permeability tests, various index tests, oedometer tests, shear tests) and to experience performance evaluation of shallow foundation through physical model test using geotechnical centrifuge.
Through this course, students are expected to cultivate the basis of civil engineering and to get an experience of the team management in engineering.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Understand the influence of particle size distribution and water content on soil compaction and its mechanical consequences.
2) Understand the influences of void ratio on permeability of soil and basic mechanism of soil liquefaction.
3) Understand the important basic properties of clay for estimation of shear strength, such as the relationship between consolidation pressure and void ratio, concepts of the normally consolidated and overconsolidated states.
4) Understand the influences of void ratio and stress history on shear strength of soil.
5) Accumulate skill and knowledge for design of foundation through prediction of the bearing capacity of shallow foundation.
Geomaterials, Soil mechanics, Geotechnial structures
✔ Specialist skills | Intercultural skills | ✔ Communication skills | ✔ Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
Classes will be held in each separated groups. You should gather at the instructed room, and the understanding of the experiment contents and related matters are checked in advance of the experiment. Sometimes the understanding of the experiment is checked after the class. In every class, you are requested to submit a report.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Proctor tests | Influence of particle size distribution and water content on soil compaction and its mechanical consequences. |
Class 2 | Permeability tests and liquefaction test | Influences of void ratio on permeability of soil and basic mechanism of soil liquefaction. |
Class 3 | Oedometer tests, Tests for liquid limit and plastic limit of soils | Understanding of the consolidation phenomenon and important basic properties of clay for estimation of shear strength. |
Class 4 | Unconfined compression tests on clay, Direct shear box tests on sand | Influences of void ratio and stress history on shear strength of soil. |
Class 5 | Physical model test on bearing capacity of foundation (Competitive contest on performance evaluation of shallow foundation using geotechnical centrifuge) | Prediction of the bearing capacity of shallow foundation and evaluation of its performance by conducting the geotechnical centrifuge test. |
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend a certain length of time outside of class on preparation and review (including for assignments), as specified by the Tokyo Institute of Technology Rules on Undergraduate Learning (東京工業大学学修規程) and the Tokyo Institute of Technology Rules on Graduate Learning (東京工業大学大学院学修規程), for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Course materials will be handed out in the first class.
Soil testing (2nd edition), 2010, The Japanese geotechnical society, ISBN978-4-88644-084-6. (In Japanese)
Soil mechanics, 1984, H. Yamaguchi, Gihoudo shuppan Co,. Ltd., ISBN: 978-4765513425. (In Japanese)
Guide for civil engineering experiments (Soil mechanics), 1993, T. Kimura and O, Kusakabe. (eds.), Gihoudo shuppan Co., Ltd., ISBN: 978-4765515184. (In Japanese)
Soil mechanics (Civil engineering series No. 8), 1977, K. Ishihara and T. Kimura, Shokokusha Publishing Co., Ltd., ISBN: 4-395-40008-6. (In Japanese)
Report(100%). You are requested to join all classes.
Students must have successfully completed Soil Mechanics I(CVE.C201), Soil Mechanics II (CVE.C202) and Foundation Engineering (CVE.C310) or have equivalent knowledge.
Students are divided into some groups at the guidance, and students will tale classes with the group members. The order of the classes for each group is informed at the guidance.