OVERVIEW

SOIL AND ROCK MECHANICS - 

Module of the Course : Soil and Rock Mechanics and Foundation Engineering

Course leader: Riccardo Berardi

Course Code: 84539

Scientific Sector (MIUR): ICAR/07 Geotechnics

Credits: 5

Degree: MSc  in Civil and Environmental Engineering – First year – First Semester

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Course aims

The main objective is to supply a deeper knowledge in the fundamentals of soil mechanics, focusing particularly the attention to the mechanical behaviour of soils, analysing the more consolidated approaches based on the framework of elasto-plasticity. The fundamentals of rock mechanics are treated; the most important aspects related to rock mass analyses are considered as well

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learning outcomes

Development of mechanical schemes for soil behaviour in order to analyse complex geotechnical problems under generalised soil and stress conditions. Capabilities in understanding and defining analyses for geo-mechanical problems.

TEACHING METHODS

This module uses lectures, tutorial exercises, case histories.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Mechanical behaviour of soil. Elasticity and Plasticity in Soil Mechanics: non-linear elastic models. Elasto-plastic models. Critical State Soil Mechanics. Dilatancy. Elastic and Limit analyses in geotechnical problems.  Fundamentals of Soil Dynamics. Applications to foundation problems.

Fundamentals of Rock Mechanics: characteristics of intact rock. Deformability, strength and failure of intact rock. Measurements of rock properties. Rock mass: discontinuities; natural and induced stresses; rock mass classification methods ; deformability, strength and failure of rock masses. Engineering applications.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Soil Mechanics:

Set of Lectures

R. Berardi (2017), Fondamenti di Geotecnica, 3a Ed. Città Studi, De Agostini Scuola.

J. Atkinson (1997) , Geotecnica -Meccanica delle terre e fondazioni , Mc Graw Hill .

R. Lancellotta (2008) Geotechnical Engineering, 2nd edition, Taylor & Francis.

Rock Mechanics:

Set of Lectures

M. Barla (2010) Elementi di Meccanica e Ingegneria delle Rocce, Celid Ed., Torino

J.A. Hudson and J.P. Harrison (1997), Engineering Rock Mechanics, Pergamon .

 (Reading lists available at DICCA and School of Engineering Libraries)

Web resources

Set of lectures (AulaWeb)

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

RICCARDO BERARDI (President)

ROSSELLA BOVOLENTA (President)

LUDOVICA CAMBIAGGI

LESSONS

LESSONS START

September 19, 2016

Class schedule

ROCKS MECHANICS

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral and written (technical report related to a real case history) examination

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Oral examination. Questions are posed intended to establish the theoretical knowledge of the topics and links with practical applications.

Written examination: the students, divided into groups, will have to prepare a technical report on the mechanical characterization of a rock mass, having available data from a real geomechanical investigation (laboratory and in situ tests, geological investigation)

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Prerequisites for grading

Geotechnics