Geotechnical engineering
Undergraduate · Engineering
Syllabus focus
Standard syllabus · STEM / applied
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Topics typically covered
Standard syllabus
Soil properties and classification
- Soil formation and mineralogy for engineers
- Phase diagrams: water content, void ratio, saturation
- Grain size distribution and Atterberg limits
- USCS and AASHTO soil classification systems
- Compaction: Proctor tests and field control
- Effective stress principle and pore water pressure
- Capillarity and seepage in soils
- Darcy's law and coefficient of permeability
- Flow nets and uplift/seepage forces
- Stress distribution in elastic half-space (intro)
Strength and consolidation
- Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion for soils
- Triaxial and direct shear testing
- Undrained versus drained strength parameters
- Lateral earth pressure: at-rest, active, passive
- Rankine and Coulomb earth pressure theories
- One-dimensional consolidation theory
- Settlement: immediate and consolidation components
- Bearing capacity of shallow foundations
- Slope stability: infinite slope and circular slip surfaces
- Retaining wall design basics
STEM / applied
Site investigation and foundations
- Subsurface exploration: borings and SPT
- Laboratory testing program design
- Geophysical methods overview (GPR, seismic)
- Deep foundations: piles and drilled shafts
- Pile load tests and capacity estimation
- Ground improvement: compaction grouting, vibroflotation
- Excavation support: sheet piles and bracing
- Pavement subgrade design link to geotechnical
- Report writing for geotechnical investigations
- Capstone: foundation recommendation for a structure
Environmental and advanced topics
- Contaminated site characterization
- Landfill liner and cover systems
- Liquefaction during earthquakes
- Expansive and collapsible soils
- Frozen ground and permafrost (survey)
- Offshore geotechnics intro
- Instrumentation: piezometers and inclinometers
- Risk and uncertainty in geotechnical parameters
- FE civil geotechnical topic alignment
- Professional licensure for geotechnical reports
Notes
Topics reflect common engineering syllabi at US colleges and universities. Exact order, depth, and applied emphasis vary by institution, department, and instructor.