Course Details

Soil Mechanics

Academic Year 2026/27

BFA019-A course is part of 1 study plan

​ BPA-SIS Summer Semester 2nd year

Credits

5 credits

Language of instruction

English

Semester

summer

Course Guarantor

doc. Ing. Lumír Miča, Ph.D.

Institute

Institute of Geotechnics

Forms and criteria of assessment

course-unit credit and examination

Aims

By completing the course, students will understand the response of soil to loading/unloading and shear stress and will master the principles for conducting laboratory tests. They will be able to define the requirements for soil parameters. Based on this, they will be able to determine the criteria for geotechnical investigation and evaluate the impact of soil behaviour on the construction during its realization.

By completing the course, students will understand the response of soil to loading (loading/unloading) and shear stress, and will learn the principles for conducting laboratory and field tests. They will be able to define the requirements for soil parameters. Based on this, they will be able to determine the requirements for geotechnical investigation and evaluate the impact of soil behavior on the construction during its implementation.

Basic Literature

BUDHU, Muni. Soil mechanics and foundations, USA, Wiley, 2011,  ISBN 978-0-470-55684-9 (en)
CRAIG, R.F. Craig's soil mechanics , London ;New York :Spon Press,2004. ISBN 0-415-32703-2 (en)

Offered to foreign students

To offer to students of all faculties

Course on BUT site

https://www.vut.cz/en/students/courses/detail/299105

Lecture

13 weeks, 2 hours/week, elective

Syllabus

  1. Introduction to soil mechanics and soil sampling.
  2. Description of soils and soil parameters (theory + laboratory test + practical aspects).
  3. Physical soil parameters (cont.) (theory + laboratory test + practical aspects).
  4. Water in soil (theory + laboratory/in-situ test).
  5. Geostatic stress and stress in soil from surface loads.
  6. Response soil to loading/unloading (theory + laboratory test + practical aspects).
  7. Consolidation of soil (theory + laboratory test + practical aspects).
  8. Soil strength (theory).
  9. Soil strength (laboratory tests).
  10. Stability problems (theory + practical use in connection with soil strength).
  11. Earth pressures (theory).
  12. Earth pressures (practical use in connection with soil strength)
  13. Compaction of soil (theory + laboratory test).

Exercise

13 weeks, 2 hours/week, compulsory

Syllabus

  1. Semester assignment and introduction to geotechnical site investigation.
  2. Construction of subsoil profile
  3. Laboratory I. – determination of grain size and consistency limits.
  4. Evaluation of physical index properties.
  5. Calculation of geostatic stress and stress from additional loading.
  6. Determination of stiffness parameters and calculation of settlement.
  7. Determination of the consolidation coefficient and calculation of consolidation.
  8. Laboratory II. – shear box test (sand)/Proctor standard.
  9. Evaluation of triaxial test (simple compression, CIUP) for clay.
  10. Slope stability calculation
  11. Use of computer technology in deformation and stability problems in soil mechanics).
  12. Calculation of earth pressure.
  13. Final evaluation of the semester assignment and credit.

Self-study

30 weeks, 1 hours/week

Individual preparation for an ending of the course

48 weeks, 1 hours/week