The Chartership Forum

Soil Mechanics

Understand soil description, effective stress, water flow, settlement and shear strength.

Available course · 15 modules
  1. 1What soil mechanics is
  2. 2Geology, soil formation and fabric
  3. 3Ground investigation and ground profiles
  4. 4Particle size, description and classification
  5. 5Phase relationships and soil states
  6. 6Soil compaction and earthworks
  7. 7Water in soil and Darcy's law
  8. 8Effective stress and stress in the ground
  9. 9Stress paths, drainage and loading
  10. 10Consolidation and settlement with time
  11. 11Shear strength of soils
  12. 12Laboratory and field testing
  13. 13Critical-state soil behaviour
  14. 14Two-dimensional seepage and flow nets
  15. 15Integrated soil interpretation

Course references
  • Muni Budhu, Soil Mechanics and Foundations — curriculum reference; no affiliation or endorsement implied
  • R. F. Craig / J. A. Knappett, Craig's Soil Mechanics
  • British Standards for soil description, classification and testing (BS EN ISO 14688, BS 5930, BS EN ISO 17892 series) — consult the current editions