Physical Behaviour in Geotechnics

Geotechnical Engineering has become a more involved applied science and, as a result, a geotechnical engineer is expected to have a working knowledge in engineering aspects relating to geology, geomorphology, and even paleontology. Physical Behaviour in Geotechnics covers a wide range of useful topics which affect the response of a soil or a rock mass to an applied stress field. As well as the classical themes in geotechnics, the book includes highly stimulating topics such as: - practical aspects of engineering geology including rock formation & mineralogy, and elements of earthquake engineering - detailed analysis of finite difference modelling of seepage problems (including inclined flow boundaries) as well as (3-D) diffusion problems - critical state modelling of soil behaviour - the expansion of cylindrical cavities theory applied to the pressuremeter test - a unique and highly informative chapter on centrifuge modelling in geotechnics. Presented in a logical way, and analysed in a clear manner using in excess of 320 high quality illustrations and more than 50 worked examples, the book is an essential text for students as well as junior and more experienced engineers.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgements List of main symbols Conversion factors 1. Practical aspects of Geology p.1 - 1.1 The planet Earth: formation and constitution p.1 - 1.2 Seismicity of the Earth upper crust: elements of earthquake theories p.7 - 1.3 Plate tectonics and deformation of the Earth upper crust p.21 - 1.4 Cycle of rock formation p.23 * Rock minerals p.25 * Igneous rocks p.30 * Sedimentary rocks p.33 * Metamorphic rocks p.36 - 1.5 Weathering and soil formation p.39 * Type of soil deposits p.40 Problems p.46 References p.47 2. Engineering properties of soils p.49 - 2.1 Physical properties of soils p.49 - 2.2 Particle size analysis p.55 - 2.3 Statistical analysis of the grain size distribution: the phi-method p.59 - 2.4 Design of soil filters p.63 - 2.5 Classification of fine-grained soils p.65 - 2.6 Soil compaction p.70 - 2.7 Practical aspects of soil compaction p.73 - 2.8 Collapsible soils p.76 - 2.9 Methods of deep compaction p.78 Problems p.81 References p.83 3. Stress distribution within a soil mass p.85 - 3.1 Effective stress principle p.85 - 3.2 Stresses due to self-weight p.86 - 3.3 Effective stresses related to unsaturated soils p.93 - 3.4 Stresses due to surface loading p.96 * Elastic equilibrium of a weightless soil subject to a point load: Boussinesq solution p.99 * Vertical stress due to a uniformly loaded circular area p.101 * Vertical stress due to a uniformly loaded rectangular area p.103 * Vertical stress due to any shape of a uniformly loaded area p.105 * Stresses due to a vertical line load p.108 * Stresses due to a uniformly loaded strip p.111 * Stresses due to a linearly increasing vertical uniform load p.113 - 3.5 Depth of influence and stress isobars p.119 - 3.6 Shortcomings of elastic solutions p.122 Problems p.123 References p.128 4. Seepage flow p.130 - 4.1 Introduction p.130 - 4.2 Darcy's law, seepage force, critical hydraulic gradient p.132 - 4.3 Permeability of soils p.136 * Laboratory measurement of permeability p.137 * In situ measurement of permeability p.139 * Design of dewatering systems p.144 - 4.4 Seepage theory p.150 * Governing flow equation p.150 * Confined flow p.152 * Unconfined flow p.169 - 4.5 Conformal mapping p.171 * Velocity potential, stream function p.171 * Seepage along a sheet pile cut-off wall driven in a homogeneous soil of infinite thickness p.172 * Seepage along a sheet pile cut-off wall driven in a homogeneous layer of finite thickness p.179 - 4.6 The method of fragments p.184 Problems p.195 References p.200 5. Transient flow: elastic and consolidation settlements p.202 - 5.1 Introduction p.202 - 5.2 Stress-strain relationships in 1-D consolidation p.204 - 5.3 1-D consolidation theory p.209 - 5.4 Practical aspects of vertical consolidation p.221 - 5.5 3-D consolidation theory p.222 - 5.6 Settlement analysis p.226 * Nature of settlement p.226 * Immediate settlement p.228 * Primary consolidation settlement p.230 * Effects of soil type and foundation size p.233 * Secondary compression settlement p.239 Problems p.240 References p.243 6. Finite difference modelling of seepage & settlement problems p.245 - 6.1 Centred FD formulae p.245 - 6.2 Centred FD formulation applied to Laplace equation p.247 - 6.3 Boundary conditions p.248 - 6.4 Laplace equation: case of confined flow p.249 - 6.5 Laplace equation: case of unconfined flow p.261 - 6.6 FD modelling of the diffusion equation p.279 * Mathematical aspects of diffusion p.279 * FD modelling of the 3-D consolidation equation p.281 * Practical aspects relating to soil consolidation p.299 - 6.7 Limitation of FD modelling p.301 Problems p.302 References p.306 7. Shear strength of soils and rock masses p.307 - 7.1 Peak, critical and residual strengths p.307 - 7.2 Mohr's circle representation of stresses p.308 - 7.3 Stress-strain relationships at failure p.310 * Effective stress analysis p.310 * Total stress analysis p.315 - 7.4 Shear strength of coarse-grained soils: direct shear test p.317 - 7.5 Shear strength of saturated fine-grained soils: the triaxial test p.320 * The triaxial apparatus p.320 * State of a clay sample prior to testing p.321 * undrained shear strength of saturated clays p.324 * Drained shear strength of saturated clays p.329 - 7.6 Quality assurance related to triaxial testing p.337 - 7.7 The shear vane test p.345 - 7.8 Shear strength of rocks p.349 - 7.9 Engineering properties of soils and rocks p.355 Problems p.357 References p.359 8. Modelling of soil behaviour: limit & critical states p.360 - 8.1 Introduction p.360 - 8.2 Critical state theory: the modified Cam-clay model p.362 - 8.3 Hvorslev limit state & the complete state boundary surface p.367 - 8.4 Stress paths within and on the state boundary surface during a triaxial test p.370 * Normally consolidated clays p.370 * Lightly overconsolidated clays p.375 * Heavily overconsolidate clays p.382 - 8.5 Shear strength of clays related to the critical state concept p.395 * Undrained shear strength p.395 * Drained shear strength parameters p.397 - 8.6 Calculation of elasto-plastic strains p.398 * Elastic deformations prior to yielding p.398 * Calculation of plastic strains p.400 - 8.7 Shortcomings of Cam-clay theory & alternative models p.410 Problems p.414 References p.418 9. Analysis of the expansion of cylindrical cavities in an infinite soil mass p.420 - 9.1 The stability of cylindrical cavities: equilibrium equation p.420 - 9.2 Stress analysis related to circular tunnels p.422 * Circular tunnels in cohesive soils p.422 * Circular tunnels in cohesionless soils p.423 - 9.3 The pressuremeter test analogy p.426 * Pressuremeter equipment p.426 * The pressuremeter test in clays p.428 * The pressuremeter test in sand p.439 - 9.4 Practical aspects related to the use of pressuremeter p.445 References p.449 10. Centrifuge modelling p.451 - 10.1 Introduction p.451 - 10.2 Modelling principles, stress similarities p.451 - 10.3 Scale effects p.455 - 10.4 Scaling laws p.460 * Static models p.460 * Dynamic models p.464 - 10.5 Practical aspects of centrifuge modelling p.466 References p.469 Index p.470 Aide Memoire p.481

About the Author :
Fethi Azizi has a degree in Civil Engineering, an MSc in Applied Mechanics, and a PhD in Geotechnics. He is chartered Engineer, Euroupean Engineer, Chartered Mathematician, Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics & its application, and Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers in London. He has more than 20 years experience in geomechanics research and teaching acquired at the Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussees in Paris, the University of Manitoba in Canada, the Queen's University in Belfast, and the University of Plymouth in England. His research interests also include finite element modelling in Glaciology an in Geocryology.