School/Faculty/Institute Faculty of Engineering
Course Code CE 434
Course Title in English Earth Retaining Systems and Slopes
Course Title in Turkish Zemin İstinad Yapıları ve Şev Stabilitesi
Language of Instruction EN
Type of Course Lecture,Flipped Classroom
Level of Course Introductory
Semester Spring,Fall
Contact Hours per Week
Lecture: 3 Recitation: None Lab: None Other: None
Estimated Student Workload 128 hours per semester
Number of Credits 5 ECTS
Grading Mode Standard Letter Grade
Pre-requisites None
Co-requisites None
Expected Prior Knowledge Prior knowledge of soil mechanics is expected.
Registration Restrictions Undergraduate Students & Graduate Students
Overall Educational Objective To learn the necessary theoretical background for application of soil mechanics to the design and analysis of various types of retaining structures and slopes.
Course Description This course uses the basic principles of soil mechanics to design and analysis of earth retaining systems and slope stability. The following topics are covered: lateral earth pressures, retaining walls, and slope stability analysis.

Course Learning Outcomes and Competences

Upon successful completion of the course, the learner is expected to be able to:
1) calculate lateral earth pressures;
2) design mechanically stabilized earth and concrete retaining walls, and sheet-pile walls;
3) describe retention systems for deep excavations and learn the design criteria concerning how to select and apply appropriate techniques and tools;
4) understand the importance of water related problems for retaining structures, get familiar with instability problems and instrumentation of deep excavations;
5) analyze the stability of slopes and supported sloped excavations;
6) develop computational skills by an analysis software.
Program Learning Outcomes/Course Learning Outcomes 1 2 3 4 5 6
1) An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
2) An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
3) An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
4) An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
5) An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
6) An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7) An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

Relation to Program Outcomes and Competences

N None S Supportive H Highly Related
     
Program Outcomes and Competences Level Assessed by
1) An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics H Participation,Exam
2) An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors H Participation,Project,Exam
3) An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences N
4) An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts N
5) An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives N
6) An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions N
7) An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies S Project,Exam
Prepared by and Date GÖKÇE TÖNÜK , February 2024
Course Coordinator GÖRKEM AKYOL
Semester Spring,Fall
Name of Instructor

Course Contents

Week Subject
1) Introduction, lateral earth pressures
2) Concrete retaining walls – gravity and cantilever
3) Sheet – pile walls
4) Mechanically stabilized earth walls
5) Mechanically stabilized earth walls - geosynthetics
6) Deep excavation retention systems – type of walls, earth pressures
7) Deep excavation retention systems - type of supports, type of failures
8) Deep excavation retention systems – analysis and design steps
9) Deep excavation retention systems – examples
10) Water related problems, Instabilities and Instrumentation of excavations
11) Slopes – review on slope stability analysis
12) Slopes – stability analysis of sloped excavations, soil nailing
13) Slopes - examples
14) Earth retaining structures and slope stability under seismic loading
15) Final Exam/Project/Presentation period
16) Final Exam/Project/Presentation period
Required/Recommended ReadingsRequired: None Recommended: • Earth Pressures and Earth Retaining Structures, Chris R.I. Clayton, Rick I. Woods, Andrew J. Bond, Jarbas Milititsky, CRC Press. • Bowles, J. E., Foundation Analysis and Design, McGraw Hill. • Principles for Foundation Engineering, PWS Braja M. Das, 2010, 8th Edition. • Foundation Design, Principles and Practices, Prentice Hall, Donald P. Coduto, William A. Kitch, Man-chu Ronald Yeung, 3rd Edition. • Salgado R., The Engineering of Foundations, McGraw Hill. • Soil Mechanics, Spon Press R.F.Craig, 2004, 7th Edition.
Teaching MethodsContact hours using “flipped classroom” as an active learning technique
Homework and ProjectsDesign assignments as take-home midterm exams and a project
Laboratory WorkNone
Computer UseSeveral software and/or numerical methods for the analysis of retaining wall design / slope stability problems may be introduced.
Other ActivitiesNone
Assessment Methods
Assessment Tools Count Weight
Attendance 14 % 5
Project 1 % 20
Midterm(s) 3 % 75
TOTAL % 100
Course Administration tonukg@mef.edu.tr

Rules for attendance: Attendance required. Classroom practice contributes to 5% of the final grade. Missing the project: No make-up will be given. Missing a midterm: Provided that proper documents of excuse are presented, make-up MAY be given. Missing a final: University regulations will be enforced. A reminder of proper classroom behavior, code of student conduct: YÖK Regulations Statement on plagiarism: YÖK Regulations

ECTS Student Workload Estimation

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 3 42
Project 1 13 1 14
Midterm(s) 3 12 12 72
Total Workload 128
Total Workload/25 5.1
ECTS 5