RMIT Course Guide System - HE Part B: Course Detail Page 1 of 3

Geotechnical Engineering 2
Part B: Course Detail
Status: Published Version 1

Teaching Period Offsh3 14

RMIT Course Code CIVE1129
RMIT Course Title Geotechnical Engineering 2
School 120H Civil, Environ & Chemical Eng
Career Undergraduate
Campus Voc Training Ctre of Hong Kong
Learning Mode Face-to-Face
Primary Learning Mode
Face-to-Face
Credit Points 12
Teacher Guided Hours 38 per semester
Learner Directed Hours 82 per semester
Course Coordinator Dr Abbas Mohajerani
Course Coordinator Phone +61 3 9925 3082
Course Coordinator Email dr.abbas@rmit.edu.au
Course Coordinator Location 10.12.19
Offering Coordinator Dr Dilan Robert
Offering Coordinator Phone +61 3 9925 1908
Offering Coordinator Email dilan.robert@rmit.edu.au
Offering Coordinator Location 10.13.17b
Additional Staff Contact Details
Mr. Justin Chiu (email: justchiu@vtc.edu.hk)
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
CIVE1178 Geotechnical Engineering 1
Course Description
This course covers a wide range of problems in Civil Engineering. It includes topics such as:
foundations for different types of buildings and bridges, road pavements, excavations, tunnels,
slopes, earth dams, and landfills. This course builds on the material introduced in Geotechnical
Engineering 1 and develops concepts and models for analysis and design of engineering
projects involving soils in a natural or compacted state.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course specifically addresses the following Program Learning Outcomes:
1.3. In-depth understanding of specialist bodies of knowledge within the engineering discipline.
1.6. Understanding of the scope, principles, norms, accountabilities and bounds of contemporary
engineering practice in the specific discipline
2.1. Application of established engineering methods to complex engineering solving.
2.2. Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources.

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On successful completion of this course, you will also be able to:

1: Describe Geotechnical Engineering and the type of projects Geotechnical Engineering covers
2: Describe and determine soil physical properties
3: Describe the time dependent consolidation settlement of fine-grained soils under vertical load
4: Calculate consolidation settlement of fine-grained soils
5: Describe the laboratory consolidation test and interpret laboratory test results to obtain
consolidation parameters
6: Determine the shear strength of soils and describe the differences between drained and
untrained shear strength
7: Describe laboratory shear testing of soils and interpret laboratory and field test results to
obtain shear strength parameters
8: Describe the types of retaining walls and modes of failure
9: Describe and determine lateral earth pressures using Rankine’s and Coulomb’s methods
10: Estimate the stability of slopes with simple geometry and geological features
11: Describe the forces and activities that provoke slope failures
12: Describe the effects of seepage and pore water pressure on the stability of slopes
13: Calculate the safe bearing capacity of soils
14: Estimate the settlement of shallow foundations
15: Estimate the size of shallow foundations to satisfy bearing capacity and settlement criteria
16. Apply established engineering practices to design foundations considering strength, long and
short-term settlement, deformation and safety.

Overview of Learning Activities

z Introduction and soil physical characteristics (Review) - Learning Activities include
attending lectures/tutorial classes, web search, text books reading, visualizing video clips
and interactive problem solving
z Consolidation of fine-grained soils - Learning Activities include attending lectures/tutorial
classes, text books reading, interactive animations, work through examples, and complete
exercises and quizzes
z Shear strength of soils- Learning Activities include attending lectures/tutorial classes,
text books reading, laboratory practice, work through examples, and complete exercises
and quizzes
z Earth pressures and retaining walls- Learning Activities include attending lectures/tutorial
classes, text books reading, work through examples, and complete exercises and quizzes
z Slope stability- Learning Activities include attending lectures/tutorial classes, text books
reading, work through examples, Excel spread sheet activity, and complete exercises and
quizzes
z Bearing capacity of soils and shallow foundations- Learning Activities include attending
lectures/tutorial classes, text books reading, work through examples, and complete
exercises and quizzes
Teaching Schedule
z Week 1 : Introduction and soil physical characteristics (Review)
z Weeks 2 & 3 : Consolidation of fine-grained soils
z Weeks 4 : Shear strength of soils
z Weeks 5 : Earth pressures and retaining walls
z Weeks 6 : Slope stability
z Weeks 7 & 8: Bearing capacity of soils and shallow foundations

Please refer to the learning guide in Blackboard for learning objectives and approximate contact
hours within each subject area.
Overview of Learning Resources

Prescribed text, recommended references, a learning package, available computer and

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simulation programs and Geomechanics Laboratory resources

Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts

Muni Budhu, Soil Mechanics & Foundations, 3rd Edition, 2011, John Wiley & Sons
Learning Guide for Geotechnical Engineering 2 (CIVE1108), 3rd edition, 2012

References

The following provide additional references for exploration:

• Das, B.M. 2013. Fundamentals of Geotechnical Engineering, 4th ed., Cengage Learning
• Das, B.M. 2010. Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, 7th ed., Stamford, CT : Cengage
Learning
• Whitlow, R. 1995. Basic Soil Mechanics, 3rd ed., Longman: Essex, England
• Craig, R.F. 1997. Soil Mechanics, 6th ed., E & FN SPON: London
• Lambe, T.W. & Whitman, R.V. 1979. Soil Mechanics, SI edition, Wiley: New York
• Terzaghi, K., Peck, R.B & Mesri, G. 1996. Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice, 3rd ed., Wiley:
New York

Overview of Assessment
The assessment will be based on: laboratory reports, design assignment/s, a test and a final
examination.
Assessment Tasks
The assessment tasks for the coarse include;

z Mid-semester test/quizzes: Closed book, 2 hrs, Value: 37 %

z Laboratory prac:( preparation, attendance and contribution): 5 %
z End of semester examination: Closed book: 2 hrs, Value: 58 %

Hurdle – you need to obtain 50% in the final examination in order to pass the course.

You must use acceptable calculators in your mid-semester test and final exam. Please read the
School guidelines on use of calculators in Civil Engineering Tests and Exams at:
http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=0f0t7v369cce1

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