Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory

Use in Undergraduate Instruction

Geotechnical engineering involves the study of the engineering mechanics and properties of soil. Civil Engineers must understand these properties in order to build with, or upon, soils. This laboratory gives students "hands on" experience in the analysis of soil properties which are required for design and analysis. Experiments are conducted using a range of soil types, from coarse grained sands and gravels to fine grained silts and clays. The range of particle sizes within a given soil sample are examined by conducting laboratory experiments using dry sieve analysis, hydrometer analysis, and specific gravity of solids tests. The consistency of soils is examined by conducing experiments to determine the liquid limit and plastic limit of various soil types. Students utilize data from these experiments to classify the soils based on standard classification systems. Moisture-density relations are examined by conducting standard Proctor tests on coarse, fine, and mixed soils types. Shear strength properties are also exmined using direct shear and unconfined compression tests. Students also conduct cone penetration and foundation load carrying tests, using model experiments, and develop empirical relations between test results.

Other Equipment in the Laboratory

Unconfined Compression Test Device: The unconfined compression test is used to determine the undrained shear strength of cohesive soils. This data is used by the students to estimate the load carrying capacity of soils under building foundations and to assess the stability of earthen slopes.

Model Penetration and Foundation Load Tests:

The model test devices are used by the students to develop data trends for penetration resistance and load carrying capacity of granular soils as a function of the compacted relative density. These data trends are also used to develop empirical correlations between penetration resistance and load carrying capacity which simulate typical correlations used during field sampling programs.