Unit I: Introduction
Concept of soil,Definition and meaning of soil mechanics, History of soil mechanics
Scope of soil mechanics, Soil formation
Unit II: Weight And Volume Relationship Of Soil
Definition of soil mass, Components of soil mass, Phase diagram of soil mass and its
labeling, Weight and volume of soil with usual notation, Dry soil and wet soil
Void ratio, Porosity and their relations, Types of water in soil, Bulk density, saturated,
submerged and dry density, Difference between adsorbed water and absorbed water in
soil, Saturated, partly saturated and dry soil
Unit III: Classification Of Soil
Definition of Coarse and fine grained soil, Homogeneity, Consistency, Cohesiveness,
Toughness, Shear strength, Compressibility, Difference between coarse and fine grained
soil, Two methods of soil classification, Grain size classification of soil as per I.S.I and
classification of soil using plasticity chart, Sieve analysis and Stoke’s law, Sedimentation
analysis of soil, Particle size - Distribution curve on semi log scale, States of consistency and
its diagram, Consistency limits- Liquid limit, plastic limit, shrinkage limit and plasticity
index (P.I), Laboratory methods to find out these limits, Field identification tests
Unit IV: Permeability
Definition and understanding of permeability, Different types of soil and permeability,
Laminar and turbulent flow, Importance of permeability, Darcy’s Law
Coefficient of permeability and its determination in laboratory, Factors affecting
permeability, Confined and unconfined aquifer, Dupit’s Formula, Field determination of
permeability by pumping out and pumping in test, Concepts meaning of seepage, Effects of
seepage, Flow lines and flow net diagram (only understanding)
Unit V: Shear Strength And Bearing Capacity
Concepts of shear strength of loaded soil, Friction and coefficient of friction, between two
soils, Internal friction, Cohesion, Normal and shear stress, Shear strength of soil, Factors on
which shear strength of soil depends, Coulomb’s law, Shear failure, Types of shear test-
Box shear test and Tri axial test, Causes of failure of foundation, Meaning of Bearing
capacity and safe bearing capacity, Concepts of S.B.C. and ultimate bearing capacity,
Methods of finding S.B.C. of soil (Plate load test), Factors affecting bearing capacity of soil
Unit VI: Compaction
Concepts of meaning of compaction, Consolidation and its meaning, Difference between
consolidation and compaction, Max. Dry density and optimum moisture content, Proctor
test, Modified compaction test, Factors affecting compaction, Methods of compaction in
field
Unit VII: Earth Pressure
Define Earth pressure, Effective pressure, Neutral pressure, Total pressure, Magnitude of
earth pressure, Rankines theory, Assumptions made in the Rankine’s theory, Earth
retaining structures, Earth pressure on earth retaining structures.
Unit VIII: Soil Stabilization
Concepts and purpose of soil stabilization, Methods of stabilization, Materials of stabilizing
of soil and their uses, Determination & application of it
Unit IX: Soil Investigations
Meaning and objectives of soil investigation, Site investigation, Site exploration
Number Depth and disposition of borings, Methods of exploration, Trial pits types of
Augers- Auger boring, Wash boring and percussion, drilling.
Soil sample and their types, Disturbed and undisturbed samples and their meaning, Record
of boring, Borehole log.
