Principles of Foundation Engineering, Ninth Edition

Braja M. Das

Preference :

Geotechnical engineering, also known as geomechanics, is an emerging area in civil engineering. It deals with soil mechanics, with some emphasis on rock mechanics, where we apply engineering principles, such as the theory of elasticity, Mohr’s circle, and continuum mechanics, to develop simple solutions that can be applied to geotechnical and foundation engineering problems. When dealing with problems related to geomaterials, which include soil, aggregates, and rocks, some knowledge of geology is always an advantage. A thorough understanding of the geotechnical engineering fundamentals is a prerequisite for studying foundation engineering. These include phase relations, soil classification, compaction, permeability, seepage, consolidation, shear strength, slope stability, and soil exploration. These areas are covered in Principles of Geotechnical Engineering (9th Edition) in good detail. The main points are discussed very briefly in Chapters 2 and 3 in Part 1 of this text. A new chapter on geotechnical instrumentation is included in this edition as Chapter 4 in Part 1. When projects become complex or the design or construction methods are nonstandard, it is often advisable to use instruments and measure the loads, stresses, deformations, and strains at critical locations and monitor them over a certain period to ensure the performance of the structure is satisfactory. This new chapter gives an overview of the major instruments used in geotechnical engineering.