| School/Faculty/Institute | Faculty of Engineering | |||||||||
| Course Code | CE 301 | |||||||||
| Course Title in English | Soil Mechanics | |||||||||
| Course Title in Turkish | Zemin Mekaniği | |||||||||
| Language of Instruction | EN | |||||||||
| Type of Course | Lecture,Laboratory Work,Flipped Classroom | |||||||||
| Level of Course | Introductory | |||||||||
| Semester | Fall | |||||||||
| Contact Hours per Week |
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| Estimated Student Workload | 160 hours per semester | |||||||||
| Number of Credits | 6 ECTS | |||||||||
| Grading Mode | Standard Letter Grade | |||||||||
| Pre-requisites |
STM 203 - Strength of Materials |
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| Co-requisites | None | |||||||||
| Expected Prior Knowledge | Prior knowledge of the mechanical properties of the materials and fundamental concepts of deformable bodies; stress, strain and failure of materials is expected. | |||||||||
| Registration Restrictions | Only Undergraduate Students | |||||||||
| Overall Educational Objective | To learn soil formation, soil classification, phase diagrams, the fundamental principles of soil mechanics (including compaction behavior, 1-Dimensional (1-D) flow, consolidation theory, 2-Dimensional (1-D) flow, effective stress concepts, stresses in soil, shear strength behavior, earth pressures) that is the basic knowledge required for the design of all structures/structural components in contact with soil (e.g., tunnels, foundations, retaining structures, dams). | |||||||||
| Course Description | This course provides the main principles of soil mechanics and a comprehensive introduction to geotechnical engineering. The course initiates with a brief review of geology including rock cycle, soil formation & introduction to ground exploration and following topics are covered: Soil phase diagrams & phase relations, physical and index properties of soils, characterization & engineering classification of soils, soil compaction behavior, field compaction and compaction quality control, 1-D water flow, permeability & seepage, hydraulic gradient, effective stress concepts, load induced stress distribution in a soil mass, 2-D groundwater flow & construction of flow-nets, consolidation theory & soil settlement, soil-shear strength, Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion, passive & at-rest lateral earth pressures. |
Course Learning Outcomes and CompetencesUpon successful completion of the course, the learner is expected to be able to:1) describe soil & rock formation, solve soil-phase diagram relationship problems, identify physical and index soil properties, classify soils based on engineering standards; 2) demonstrate an understanding of soil-compaction behavior, identify various field-compaction equipment; 3) explain permeability, comprehend 1-D flow and hydraulic gradient, develop 2-D flow-nets for groundwater flow and solve basic groundwater flow boundary value problems; 4) comprehend concept of effective stress, calculate effective stresses and pore pressures; 5) analyze the distribution of stresses in soil due to load application, apply consolidation theory to solve 1-D consolidation and compression problems; 6) determine soil shear strength parameters and analyze stress state on a plane using Mohr-Coulomb criterion; 7) calculate lateral earth pressures; 8) function effectively as a member of a group; 9) conduct geotechnical experiments based on established procedures, analyze and interpret the results of the experiments with an assessment of error and uncertainty; 10) communicate effectively with well-organized written document. |
| Program Learning Outcomes/Course Learning Outcomes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1) Has a broad foundation and intellectual awareness with exposure to mathematics, history, economics, and social sciences | ||||||||||
| 2) Demonstrates knowledge and skills in different functional areas of business (accounting, finance, operations, marketing, strategy, and organization) and an understanding of their interactions within various industry sectors | ||||||||||
| 3) Applies theoretical knowledge as well as creative, analytical, and critical thinking to manage complex technical or professional activities or projects | ||||||||||
| 4) Exhibits an understanding of global, environmental, economic, legal, and regulatory contexts for business sustainability | ||||||||||
| 5) Demonstrates individual and professional ethical behavior and social responsibility | ||||||||||
| 6) Demonstrates responsiveness to ethnic, cultural, and gender diversity values and issues | ||||||||||
| 7) Uses written and spoken English effectively (at least CEFR B2 level) to communicate information, ideas, problems, and solutions | ||||||||||
| 8) Demonstrates skills in data and information acquisition, analysis, interpretation, and reporting | ||||||||||
| 9) Displays computer proficiency to support problem solving and decision-making | ||||||||||
| 10) Demonstrates teamwork, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills | ||||||||||
| 11) Displays learning skills necessary for further study with a high degree of autonomy |
| N None | S Supportive | H Highly Related |
| Program Outcomes and Competences | Level | Assessed by | |
| 1) | Has a broad foundation and intellectual awareness with exposure to mathematics, history, economics, and social sciences | N | |
| 2) | Demonstrates knowledge and skills in different functional areas of business (accounting, finance, operations, marketing, strategy, and organization) and an understanding of their interactions within various industry sectors | N | |
| 3) | Applies theoretical knowledge as well as creative, analytical, and critical thinking to manage complex technical or professional activities or projects | N | |
| 4) | Exhibits an understanding of global, environmental, economic, legal, and regulatory contexts for business sustainability | N | |
| 5) | Demonstrates individual and professional ethical behavior and social responsibility | N | |
| 6) | Demonstrates responsiveness to ethnic, cultural, and gender diversity values and issues | N | |
| 7) | Uses written and spoken English effectively (at least CEFR B2 level) to communicate information, ideas, problems, and solutions | S | Presentation |
| 8) | Demonstrates skills in data and information acquisition, analysis, interpretation, and reporting | S | Participation |
| 9) | Displays computer proficiency to support problem solving and decision-making | N | |
| 10) | Demonstrates teamwork, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills | S | Participation |
| 11) | Displays learning skills necessary for further study with a high degree of autonomy | S | Participation |
| Prepared by and Date | GÖKÇE TÖNÜK , September 2023 |
| Course Coordinator | GÖRKEM AKYOL |
| Semester | Fall |
| Name of Instructor | Asst. Prof. Dr. GÖKÇE TÖNÜK |
| Week | Subject |
| 1) | Introduction to soil mechanics, Review of Geology: rock cycle, soil formation & Introduction to soil exploration & sampling |
| 2) | Introduction to Soil Laboratory & Measurement Techniques, Error & Uncertainty, Soil Minerals, Soil Composition Lab 1: Specific gravity |
| 3) | Soil Phase Diagram and Volume-Density Relationship Equations, Lab 2: Hydrometer analysis, Sieve analysis, |
| 4) | Physical and index soil properties, Soil classification based on engineering standards, Lab 3: Moisture content, Atterberg Limits |
| 5) | Compaction Behavior of Soils & Field Compaction, Quality Assurance Lab 4: Compaction test (Proctor) |
| 6) | Permeability, 1-D Water Flow in Soils |
| 7) | Effective Stress Concept |
| 8) | Stress Distribution in Soils and Compressibility of Soils |
| 9) | Consolidation Theory, 1-D Consolidation and compression problems Lab 5: Consolidation Test |
| 10) | Time Rate of Consolidation, Compressibility and Settlement |
| 11) | 2-D Groundwater flow and flow boundary value problems |
| 12) | Shear Strength of Soils Lab 6: Unconfined Compression Test |
| 13) | Shear Strength of Soils Lab 7: Direct Shear Test |
| 14) | Lateral Earth Pressures |
| 15) | Final Exam/Project/Presentation Period. |
| 16) | Final Exam/Project/Presentation Period. |
| Required/Recommended Readings | Required Textbooks: • Das, Braja, M.,(2018) Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, 9th Edition , PWS Publishers. Recommended Readings from Textbooks: • Holtz, R.D., Kovacs, W.D. and Sheahan, T.C. (2011), An Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering, 2nd Edition, Pearson-Prentice-Hall. • Coduto, D.P., Yeung, M.R., Kitch, W.A. (2011). Geotechnical Engineering: Principles & Practices: International Edition, 2/E, ISBN 10: 0132368684, ISBN 13: 9780132368681 • Craig, R.F. (1997). Soil Mechanics, Spon Press; 6th edition • Ozudogru, K., Tan, O., Aksoy, I.H., 2001, Soil Mechanics with Solved Problems, Birsen Press, Istanbul. • Kumbasar, V., Kip, F., 1999, Soil Mechanics Problems, Caglayan Kitabevi, Beyoglu, Istanbul. | |||||||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Contact hours using “flipped classroom” as an active learning technique | |||||||||||||||
| Homework and Projects | Three Lab Reports | |||||||||||||||
| Laboratory Work | Laboratory tests (7 or 8) held for relevant topics. | |||||||||||||||
| Computer Use | MS Office or Equivalent Programs are required | |||||||||||||||
| Other Activities | None | |||||||||||||||
| Assessment Methods |
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| Course Administration |
Instructor’s office: 5th Floor, Room:535 E-mail address: tonukg@mef.edu.tr Rules for attendance: YÖK Regulations. Missing a midterm/lab work: No make-up will be given. A reminder of proper classroom behavior, code of student conduct: YÖK Regulations Statement on plagiarism: YÖK Regulations. |
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| Activity | No/Weeks | Hours | Calculation | ||||
| No/Weeks per Semester | Preparing for the Activity | Spent in the Activity Itself | Completing the Activity Requirements | ||||
| Course Hours | 14 | 0 | 4 | 56 | |||
| Laboratory | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 48 | ||
| Midterm(s) | 10 | 4 | 1 | 50 | |||
| Final Examination | 1 | 5 | 1 | 6 | |||
| Total Workload | 160 | ||||||
| Total Workload/25 | 6.4 | ||||||
| ECTS | 6 | ||||||