Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Objectives The student is expected to gain an appreciation of soil mineralogy and variability, limitations in computational methods, the importance of testing and observation, an understanding of the effect of water on soil behaviour, a knowledge of soil classification systems and their use and the role of soil in geotechnical construction. The student should develop the ability to observe and interpret soil exposures, make basic earthworks calculations, determine effective soil stresses and be able to classify soils through classification tests.
Synopsis Soil as a structural material; nature and origin of soils; pedology; clay mineralogy and clay-water interaction; soil structure; identification and classification; soil physics and chemistry; the effective stress concept; basic earthworks practice, compaction, stabilisation, flexible pavements, geosynthetics.
Assessment Examinations (3 hours): 90% + Laboratory work: 10%