AASTU 11/08/21

Addis Ababa Science and Technology University

1 College: Architecture and Civil Engineering Department: Civil Engineering
Course Category Core Category Code: 1
2 Course Name Soil Mechanics I
Course Code: CEng 3103
In this course, students will be introduced to the basic concepts of the physical properties of soils as a
3 Synopsis:
civil engineering material and the fundamental principles of soil mechanics.
Name(s) of
4 Ayenew Y.; Yitayou E.; Ephrem F.(+251913116185) email (ephrem.feleke@aastu.edu.et) office(B-63 R-405)
Academic Staff:
Semester and Year
5 Semester: I Year: 3
offered:
6 Credit Hour: 3
Prerequisite/ Co-
7 Hydraulics (CEng 2106) & Strength of Materials (CEng 2104)
requisite: (if any)
Course Learning Outcome (CLO): At the end of the course the student will be able to do:
1 Evaluate and classify soils.
8 2 Evaluate the state of stress in a soil mass.
3 Calculate seepage volume through a soil mass.
4 Estimate settlement magnitude of compressible soils and soil stabilization.
Mapping of the course Learning Outcomes to the program Learning Outcomes, Teaching Methods and Assessment:
Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)
Course Learning
Outcomes (CLO)

Assessment
Teaching
Methods

Assignment

Lab-report
Project
10

11

12
1
2
3

Quiz
Test
L T P O
9

1          
2     
3        
4         
Indicate the relevancy between the CLO and PLO by ticking “√” on the appropriate relevant box
Transferable Skills (if applicable)
(Skills learned in the course of study which can be useful and utilized in other settings)
10 1 They will have the ability to design and conduct engineering experiments, and to analyze and interpret
experimental results.
2
Distribution of Student Learning Time (SLT)
Teaching and Learning Activities Total
Guided Independent (SLT)
Guided learning (F2F) Learning Learning Hrs.
CLO
Course Content Outline (NF2F) (NF2F)
L T P O
11
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1. Definition of Soil Mechanics
1.2. Soil, Geotechnical Engineering
and Soil Mechanics 1 5 1 6
1.3. Soil Mechanics and Foundation
Engineering
1.4. Formation of soils
1.5. General types of soils

Page 1 of 3
 AASTU 11/08/21

Chapter 2 Physical Characteristics

of Soils
2.1. The phase diagram
2.2. Soil Phase Relationship
2.3. Particle Size Analysis 1 4 3 2 7 16
2.4. Consistency of Clay Soils
2.5. Index Properties of Soils
2.6. Classification of Soils
Chapter 3 Effective Stress and Pore
Water Pressure
3.1. Effective Stress Principles
3.2. Effect of Water Table
Fluctuations on Effective Stress
3.3. Effective Stress in a Soil Mass
under Hydrostatic Conditions 4.
3.4. Effective Stresses Capillary Zone 1, 2 5 9 18.5
5
3.5. Effect of surcharge on
effective stress
3.6. Effect of seepage pressure on
effective stress
3.7. Effective Stress in Partially
Saturated Soils
Chapter 4: Soil Permeability and
Seepage
4.1. Soil Permeability
4.2. Hydraulic Head
4.3. Darcy’s Law
4.4. Determination of Coefficient of
Permeability
4.5. Permeability of Stratified Soil 8.
Deposits 3 10 1 15 34.5
5
4.6. Seepage through Soils
4.7. Laplace’s Equation
4.8. Stream and Potential Functions

4.9. Characteristics and Construction

of Flow Net
4.10. Seepage through Earth Dams
Chapter 5 Compressibility and
Consolidation of Soils
5.1. Initial, Primary and Secondary
Consolidation.
5.2. Basic Terms Related to
Consolidation
5.3. Consolidation Test
5.4. Determination of Void Ratio in 3, 4 6 2 4 5 17
Consolidation Testes
5.5. Terzaghi’s Theory of
Consolidation
5.6. Determination of Coefficient of
Consolidation
5.7. Pre-Consolidation Pressure

Page 2 of 3
 AASTU 11/08/21

Chapter 6 Compaction
6.1. Essential of soil compaction
1,4 1 4 5
6.2. Soil compaction requirements

Total 31 18 7 41 97
Assessment
Continuous Assessment Percentage F2F NF2F SLT
Total-50(%) Hrs.
1 Lab-report 5% 2 2 4
2 Test I 15% 1.5 1.5
3 Quiz 5% 0.5 0.5
4 Test II 10% 2 2
5 Project 15% 1 1 2
Total 10
Final Exam Percentage 50 (%) F2F NF2F SLT
Final Exam 50% 3 10 13
Grand Total SLT 120
L = Lecture, T = Tutorial, P = Practical, O = Others, F2F = Face to Face, NF2F = Non-Face to Face
Note: indicates the CLO based on the CLO’s numbering in item 9.
Special requirements 1 Software
and resources to 2 Simulation Room
12 deliver the course (e.g. 3 Choose an item.
software, computer lab, 4 Choose an item.
simulation room …etc.)
5 Choose an item.
1 Das, B. and Subhan, K. (2016), Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, Stamford: Cengage
Text book
Learning.
2 Murthy, V. N. S. (2014), Principles and practices of soil mechanics and foundation engineering,
New York, USA: CRC Press.
13 3 Budhu, M. (2011), Soil Mechanics and Foundations, New York Wiley.
Reference:
4 K. R. Arora @ (2011), Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Standard Publishers
Distributors.
5 Michael E. Kalinski (2011), Soil Mechanics Lab Manual , Wiley.
6 Lambe, T. W, (2012), Soil Mechanics. New York: Wiley

Page 3 of 3