WEEK 1
PART (1): GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Instructor: Prof. Baker
1. Introduction
- Historical development of geotechnical engineering
- Relationship between geologic engineering, soil mechanics & geotechnical engineering
- Understanding geologic profiles
2. Geotechnical Planning
- Purpose, scope, and responsibility
- Geotechnical requests and use of geologic maps
- Reviewing existing borings and hydraulics reports
- Determining boring and in-situ test frequency
- Subsurface investigation planning
WEEK 2
PART (1): GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Instructor: Prof. Baker
3. Field Investigations
- Utility clearance, property access, roadway safety, and traffic control
- Location surveys and subsurface exploration procedures
- Boring vs. trenching: purposes and procedures
- SPT, Modified SPT, CPT, DMT, PMT, and test pits
- Preparing field logs
- Geophysical methods
- Groundwater investigations
- Transporting and storing samples; in-situ measurement protocols
4. Geotechnical Report
- Types of reports
- Essential contents and current reporting practice
- Presenting subsurface investigation information
- Project background and site information
- Subsurface investigation results
- Geotechnical analysis
- Foundation recommendations
Exam (1): Geotechnical Engineering Exam
WEEKS 3–4
PART (2): SOIL MECHANICS
Instructor: Prof. Malekzadeh
1. Soil Properties
- Weight–volume relationships
- Void ratio, porosity, and degree of saturation
- Water content, total and dry unit weight
- Specific gravity
- Shear strength and sensitivity
- Engineering properties of soils
- Atterberg limits
- Grain-size analysis
- Organic content tests
- Unconfined compression tests for rock
WEEK 5
PART (2): SOIL MECHANICS
Instructor: Prof. Malekzadeh
2. Soil Composition and Soil Structure
- Soil formation
- Soil structure
3. Permeability and Seepage
- Soil permeability
- Seepage forces
- Effective stress during seepage
WEEK 6
PART (2): SOIL MECHANICS
Instructor: Prof. Malekzadeh
4. Compressibility and Consolidation
- Stress distribution in soil from surface loading
- Terzaghi’s consolidation theory
- Determining the coefficient of consolidation
- Radial consolidation behavior
Exam (2): Soil Mechanics Exam
WEEK 7
PART (3): FOUNDATIONS DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
Instructor: Prof. Askar
1. Introduction to Foundation Design & Construction
- Importance of foundations
- Types and classifications of foundations
- Role of the foundation engineer
- Codes, standards, and technical literature
2. Shallow Foundations Analysis
- Spread footings: isolated, combined, and strip
- Mat/raft foundations
- Bearing pressure concepts
- Allowable bearing pressures
WEEK 8
PART (3): FOUNDATIONS DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
Instructor: Prof. Askar
3. Spread Footings – Geotechnical Ultimate Limit States
- Bearing capacity failure modes
- Bearing capacity analysis (general shear)
- Effects of groundwater
- Designing footings against bearing capacity failure
4. Spread Footings – Structural Design
- Materials selection
- Structural design methodology
- Individual footing design approach
- Minimum cover and dimensional requirements
- Structural design considerations
WEEK 9
PART (3): FOUNDATIONS DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
Instructor: Prof. Askar
4. Spread Footings – Structural Design (continued)
- Design of square footings
- Design of continuous (strip) footings
Computer Lab 1: SkyCiv Foundation – Spread Footing Design
WEEK 10
PART (3): FOUNDATIONS DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
Instructor: Prof. Askar
4. Spread Footings – Structural Design (continued)
- Design of rectangular footings
- Design of combined footings
Computer Lab 2: SkyCiv Foundation – Combined Footing Design
WEEK 11
PART (3): FOUNDATIONS DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
Instructor: Prof. Askar
4. Spread Footings – Structural Design (continued)
- Combined footings (continued)
- Connection design between the footing and the superstructure
Computer Lab 3: SkyCiv Foundation – Structural Connections
WEEK 12
PART (3): FOUNDATIONS DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
Instructor: Prof. Askar
5. Mat Foundations – Structural Design
- Mat configurations and applications
- Compensated mats
- Rigid method
- Non-rigid method
- Structural analysis and design procedures
WEEK 13
PART (3): FOUNDATIONS DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
Instructor: Prof. Askar
6. Pile Foundations – Structural Design
- Overview of pile foundations
- Types of concrete piles
- Load-carrying capacity of single piles
- Design of concentric pile groups
- ACI 318-14 & 318-19 design considerations
Computer Lab 4: DeepFND – Pile Design
WEEK 14
PART (3): FOUNDATIONS DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
Instructor: Prof. Askar
7. Pile Foundations – Structural Design (continued)
Computer Lab 5: DeepFND – Pile Cap Design
Exam (3): Foundations Design and Construction Exam
WEEK 15
Final Exam Review
Instructor: Prof. Askar
- Comprehensive review covering:
- Geotechnical engineering
- Soil mechanics
- Shallow and deep foundation design
- Construction methods and code requirements