DALMINE
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- understand the fundamental principles governing the mechanical behaviour of soils, with particular reference to the effective stress principle, drained and undrained conditions, compressibility and shear strength;
- interpret the influence of geological history and stress history on the behaviour of natural soils;
- select and interpret the results of the main laboratory and in situ geotechnical tests for the definition of the geotechnical model;
- analyse the main geotechnical engineering problems, including settlement, seepage, consolidation, retaining structures and limit state verification;
- apply the acquired knowledge to the analysis, design and verification of the main geotechnical structures, demonstrating critical judgement in the interpretation of the obtained results.
The course also contributes to the development of independent judgement in the selection of geotechnical parameters and calculation models, the ability to critically interpret the results of geotechnical investigations and analyses, the ability to communicate technical results using appropriate scientific terminology, and the capacity for independent learning through teaching materials, practical exercises, experimental data and self-assessment tools.
Course Prerequisites
Teaching Methods
Lectures provide the theoretical framework of the main concepts of Soil Mechanics. Practical sessions focus on the application of analysis and verification methods to geotechnical engineering problems similar to those discussed in the final examination. Seminars present professional applications and case studies.
Independent study is devoted to consolidating the theoretical concepts introduced during lectures and preparing for the practical sessions and final examination. Self-directed learning is supported through the Moodle platform and the Su Basi Solide innovative teaching project, which provides supplementary learning materials, bibliographic resources, self-assessment quizzes and videos of geotechnical laboratory tests, enabling students to progressively consolidate their knowledge.
These activities also foster independent learning, critical interpretation of experimental results, and the effective use of digital learning resources.
Assessment Methods
The written examination, lasting 90 minutes, consists of three problems covering the main practical topics addressed during the course. These typically include one-dimensional consolidation and settlement analysis, seepage problems, the geotechnical verification of retaining structures and the interpretation of laboratory and in situ geotechnical test results. The problems are comparable in format and level of difficulty to those discussed during the practical sessions. The written examination is considered successful when all problems demonstrate an overall satisfactory level of achievement or when two problems show a thorough mastery of the topics being assessed.
The oral examination is intended to assess the student's understanding of the theoretical principles of Soil Mechanics and their ability to critically relate the different topics covered during the course. The discussion begins with a topic freely selected by the student and is followed by more in-depth questions. The oral examination covers the entire course syllabus, with particular emphasis on the effective stress principle, the stress-strain behaviour of coarse-grained and fine-grained soils, the influence of the current stress state and stress history on soil behaviour and the interpretation of the main geotechnical phenomena.
The final grade is expressed on a thirty-point scale and is based on the overall assessment of both the written and oral examinations. The written examination primarily evaluates the student's ability to apply geotechnical analysis and verification methods, whereas the oral examination assesses the understanding of theoretical principles, the ability to establish connections among different topics, the appropriate use of technical terminology, and the ability to critically justify assumptions, interpret results and recognise the limitations of the adopted geotechnical models. The schedule of the oral examinations is published according to the University's procedures.
Contents
1. Description and classification of soils
Origin and geological/depositional history of soil.
Phases and relations between phases.
Grain size characteristics and index properties.
Characteristics of natural deposits.
2. Behavior of the element of volume
Effective stresses, geostatic stresses.
Normal consolidation and overconsolidation.
Oedometer test; application to the calculation of one-dimensional settlements.
Strength of coarse grained and fine grained soils: failure criteria and stress-strain behaviour.
3. Mechanical characterization of soils
Standardc laboratory tests (TX, DS).
In situ tests (surveys, SPT, CPT, CPTU).
4. Boundary problems
Seepage in porous media.
Steady state seepage.
Theory of consolidation.
Limit equilibrium. Stability analysis of rigid and flexible retaining structures.
Online Resources
More information
There is no distinction between attending and non-attending students with regard to either the course contents or the examination requirements. All teaching materials (lecture slides, worked examples and supplementary material) are made available through the course Moodle platform. The course also benefits from the "Su Basi Solide" innovative teaching platform, which provides students with additional learning resources, including supplementary reading material, bibliographic references, self-assessment quizzes, videos of geotechnical laboratory tests, and other educational resources designed to reinforce both the theoretical and practical aspects of the course. The self-assessment quizzes available through the "Su Basi Solide" platform support independent learning and enable students to progressively monitor the achievement of the intended learning outcomes.