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| Baccalareus Technologiae Degree |
Year module |
NQF level: 7 |
Credits: 9 |
| Module presented in English |
Module presented online |
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Co-requisite: FEN4702 |
| Purpose: The aim of this course is to make students aware of the importance of soil properties and their influence on foundation design. To distinguish between the different types of natural soils. To identify and define the problems associated with different soils. Students will also be able to provide a number of engineering solutions to the problem soil encountered. Students will be able to calculate stresses underneath foundations for various types of loading, to calculate stresses at different depths and lateral positions underneath the footings so that differential changes in stress can be obtained. Students will also be able to calculate consolidation settlement as well as the degree of consolidation after a specific time span. Student should also be able to calculate the spacing of sand drains to speed up the consolidation process for soft clay profiles. Students will also be able to use the appropriate test method to obtain the shear strength of the soil and be able to apply the correct test method for a particular application of the shear strength parameters. The Geotechnical technicians should be able to do a though soil investigation and to prepare a geotechnical report. He must be able to do the profiling of test holes and interpret the results of boring logs during the drilling operation. He must also be able to sample representative soil samples for the relevant laboratory tests. He must also be able to do all the different in-situ tests together with the interpretation and the associated design methods. Student should be able to calculate lateral earth pressure on near vertical interfaces for the rest condition, as well as for the limiting active and passive conditions, using the theories by Rankine and Coulomb. The student will know how to include in the calculations the effects of self-weight, submergence, seepage, simple surcharge loads and interface friction. Students will be able to classify the degree of damage and advice on the settlement that a building will be able to tolerate. To determine the ultimate bearing capacity of shallow footings on sand and on clay. To determine the allowable bearing capacity of clays, by making use of the total stress analysis for the undrained bearing capacity and the effective stress analysis for the drained case in clay. For the allowable bearing capacity of sand the student will have been informed with regard to the different in-situ tests that can be used to obtain the bearing capacity. The student will also be able to design a raft foundation if the soil conditions are that ordinary strip or single footings cannot be used. To investigate the stability of gravity retaining walls embedded retaining structure, and structures that are installed to provide temporary support to the walls of vertical excavations. After completion of the contents, the student should know the different possible failure modes of these structures, and how to determine the factors of safety against failure. |