Engineering Geology and Soil Mechanics

Module Information
2022.01, Approved

Summary Information

Module Code 4301CIVH

Formal Module Title Engineering Geology and Soil Mechanics

Owning School Civil Engineering and Built Environment

Career Undergraduate

Credits 20

Academic level FHEQ Level 4

Grading Schema 40

Teaching Responsibility

LJMU Schools involved in Delivery

Civil Engineering and Built Environment

Learning Methods

Learning Method Type Hours

Lecture 48

Practical 9

Workshop 9

Module Offering(s)

Display Name Location Start Month Duration Number Duration Unit

SEP-CTY CTY September 28 Weeks

Aims and Outcomes

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 To provide the student with an introduction to the engineering characteristics of geological
Aims materials and an understanding of how geological materials are classified.To provide the
student with an appreciation of the significance of site investigations, the codes of practice
involved, and the various methods of sampling and in-situ testing.To enable the student to
identify the principles involved in assessing the stability of slopes.To enable the student to
identify the principles involved in the design of foundations and earth retaining structures.To
enable the student to identify the effects that seepage and the compressibility of soil can have
on structures.

After completing the module the student should be able to:

Learning Outcomes

Code Number Description

MLO1 1 Identify the various techniques involved in site investigation.

MLO2 2 Describe the common rock and soil types, their mode of formation, geographical/geological
distribution and their uses within the construction industry.

MLO3 3 Investigate the engineering performance of rock materials and rock masses and analyse the
results obtained from standard soil tests, establishing the primary design parameters for soils.

MLO4 4 Analyse the significance of water in soil, its movement and effects upon properties and strength
parameters and identify the effects of ground water and seepage on geotechnical design.

MLO5 5 Identify the effect of imposing loads on soil and the various methods of analysing, the stress
increases due to such loads, the bearing capacity of soil and the settlement caused.

MLO6 6 Identify various techniques involved with the analysis of slopes and earth retaining structures and
apply these principles in conjunction with their knowledge of soil properties to solve geotechnical
problems.

Module Content
Site investigation: purpose and benefits; types of site; ground investigation techniques;
Outline Syllabus sampling methods; in-situ testing; safety and supervision; site investigation reports.Geology:
structure of the Earth; Earth history; geochemical cycle - processes and products; introduction
to petrology - broad classification of rocks; structural geology - stratification, bedding, faults,
folds and unconformities; geological maps.Engineering classification of soils: index properties,
particle size distribution, soil properties and phase relationships.The effects of water in soils:
measurement of soil permeability using laboratory and in-situ testing, seepage, measurement
and implications.Earth-fill: compaction theory, standard laboratory testing and field compaction
techniques.Introduction to the relationship between total stresses: effective stress and
porewater pressure.Introduction to consolidation theory: one dimensional consolidation and
the long term effects of loading soils.Shear strength of soils: shear strength theory, laboratory
testing and in-situ determination of shear strength parameters.Stability of slopes above the
water table: analysis of failure modes in various soil conditions; methods of stabilization.Earth
pressure and retaining structures: Principles of active and passive earth pressure; the stability
analysis of simple gravity and embedded earth retaining structures.Stress analysis; the
measurement of pressure distributions in a soil mass from loads applied to a homogeneous
isotropic material, the measurement of changes in stress.Stability of shallow foundations;
various methods of determining the bearing capacity from in-situ testing results and empirical
formulae; design of foundations and settlement of soil subject to changes in loading.

This module provides you with an introduction to the engineering characteristics of geological
Module Overview materials and an understanding of how geological materials are classified. The significance of
the ground investigation element of site investigation is also developed.

This module introduces learners to the classification of soil types and establishes primary
Additional Information design parameters for soils. The significance of the ground investigation element of site
investigation is developed.

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Assessments

Assignment Category Assessment Name Weight Exam/Test Length (hours) Module Learning
Outcome Mapping

Report 2000 WORDS REPORT 40 0 MLO1, MLO2

Centralised Exam Examination 60 2 MLO1, MLO2,

Module Contacts
Module Leader

Contact Name Applies to all offerings Offerings

Georgios Nikitas Yes N/A

Partner Module Team

Contact Name Applies to all offerings Offerings

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