Geotechnical Engineer Course

Lesson 1 • Geotechnical Engineering Workflow Overview

Maps the full project cycle from site reconnaissance to design and construction monitoring. Orients students to professional roles and deliverables expected at each stage.

Lesson 2 • Soil Consistency and Atterberg Limits

Defines liquid, plastic, and shrinkage limits and their role in fine-grained soil behaviour. Connects consistency indices to field performance predictions.

Lesson 3 • Soil Composition and Basic Properties

Covers mineral constituents, particle sizes, and phase relationships of soil. Establishes the physical framework needed for all subsequent soil behaviour analysis.

Lesson 4 • Soil Classification Systems

Applies unified and highway-based classification frameworks to categorise soils systematically. Enables engineers to communicate soil type consistently across project teams.

Lesson 1 • Groundwater Assessment and Monitoring

Addresses piezometer installation, water table measurement, and permeability testing in the field. Establishes groundwater conditions as a critical design input.

Lesson 2 • Drilling and Sampling Methods

Introduces rotary, percussion, and auger drilling alongside undisturbed and disturbed sampling. Connects method selection to soil type and required sample quality.

Lesson 3 • Geophysical Investigation Methods

Presents seismic refraction, electrical resistivity, and ground-penetrating radar as non-invasive tools. Shows how geophysical data supplements borehole information.

Lesson 4 • In-Situ Testing Techniques

Covers SPT, CPT, vane shear, and pressuremeter testing procedures and data interpretation. Links each test to specific soil parameters used in design calculations.

Lesson 1 • Permeability and Drainage Design

Addresses factors affecting permeability and the design of drainage layers and filters. Prepares students to control pore pressures in embankments and retaining structures.

Lesson 2 • Seepage and Flow Nets

Covers Darcy's law, permeability measurement, and graphical flow net construction. Enables engineers to quantify seepage quantities and assess piping risk.

Lesson 3 • Stress Distribution in Soil Masses

Applies Boussinesq and Westergaard solutions to compute stress increments under loads. Connects stress distribution to settlement and bearing capacity analyses.

Lesson 4 • Effective Stress Principle

Derives total, pore water, and effective stress relationships and their engineering significance. Provides the theoretical basis for all strength and settlement calculations.

Lesson 1 • Strength in Special Soil Conditions

Covers strength behaviour of organic soils, expansive clays, and cemented materials. Equips students to recognise and address non-standard strength conditions in practice.

Lesson 2 • Direct Shear and Triaxial Testing

Covers test setup, drainage conditions, and data reduction for direct shear and triaxial tests. Connects test selection to drainage conditions expected in the field.

Lesson 3 • Undrained Shear Strength of Clays

Addresses undrained strength measurement via vane, unconfined compression, and triaxial tests. Links undrained strength to short-term stability analyses in soft ground.

Lesson 4 • Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion

Introduces cohesion, friction angle, and the Mohr-Coulomb envelope as the primary strength model. Establishes the conceptual basis for slope, foundation, and retaining wall design.

Lesson 1 • Ground Improvement for Settlement Control

Introduces preloading, vertical drains, and surcharge methods to accelerate consolidation. Connects improvement techniques to project timelines and performance targets.

Lesson 2 • Compressibility and Consolidation Theory

Derives Terzaghi's one-dimensional consolidation equation and defines key compressibility parameters. Provides the theoretical framework for all settlement prediction methods.

Lesson 3 • Immediate and Primary Settlement Calculation

Applies elastic theory for immediate settlement and Terzaghi theory for primary consolidation. Teaches step-by-step calculation procedures for layered soil profiles.

Lesson 4 • Secondary Compression and Creep

Addresses long-term creep settlement in organic and soft clays beyond primary consolidation. Enables engineers to account for post-construction settlement in sensitive structures.

Lesson 1 • Shallow Foundation Settlement Analysis

Combines elastic and consolidation methods to predict total and differential settlement. Links settlement limits to structural tolerance and serviceability requirements.

Lesson 2 • Mat and Raft Foundation Design

Covers mat foundation analysis using rigid and flexible plate methods on elastic subgrades. Addresses differential settlement control and structural interaction effects.

Lesson 3 • Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations

Applies Terzaghi and Meyerhof bearing capacity equations to spread and strip footings. Covers shape, depth, and inclination correction factors for realistic conditions.

Lesson 4 • Pile Foundation Types and Capacity

Introduces driven and bored pile types and calculates axial capacity from static and dynamic methods. Connects pile selection to soil conditions, load magnitude, and constructability.

Lesson 1 • Slope Failure Mechanisms and Classification

Identifies rotational, translational, and compound failure modes and their triggering factors. Provides the conceptual basis for selecting appropriate analysis methods.

Lesson 2 • Slope Remediation and Stabilisation

Covers drainage, regrading, retaining structures, and soil reinforcement as remediation options. Enables engineers to select and design cost-effective slope stabilisation measures.

Lesson 3 • Pore Pressure and Seepage Effects on Stability

Incorporates pore pressure ratio and seepage forces into stability calculations. Demonstrates how groundwater conditions control slope safety factors.

Lesson 4 • Limit Equilibrium Methods

Applies Fellenius, Bishop, Janbu, and Spencer methods to compute factors of safety. Compares method assumptions and accuracy for different slope geometries.

Lesson 1 • Sheet Pile and Embedded Wall Design

Applies free and fixed earth support methods to cantilever and anchored sheet pile walls. Addresses embedment depth, anchor force, and structural section selection.

Lesson 2 • Mechanically Stabilised Earth Walls

Covers internal and external stability of reinforced soil walls using geosynthetic and metallic reinforcement. Links reinforcement spacing and length to required safety factors.

Lesson 3 • Gravity and Cantilever Retaining Wall Design

Checks sliding, overturning, and bearing capacity for gravity and cantilever wall configurations. Connects geotechnical and structural design requirements for wall proportioning.

Lesson 4 • Braced Excavations and Temporary Support

Analyses apparent pressure diagrams and strut loads for braced cuts in sand and clay. Prepares students to design safe temporary support systems for deep excavations.