Course Syllabus
Physical Properties and Classification of Soil
1.1 The origin of soil weathering of rocks and the formations of residual and transported soils.
1.2 Engineering definition of soil. The constituents of soils - solid, liquid and gas phases (mineral particle, water and air). Basic physical properties of soils and three
phase diagrams (volume relations, mass relations and mass -volume relations).
1.3 Determination of moisture content and particle density of soil solids.
1.4 Types of soils based on particle sizes - Gravels, sands, silts and clays. Determination of particles size distribution and grading characteristic. Sieving methods
and sedimentation methods.
1.5 Consistency of fine-grained soils - Atterberg limit (liquid limit, plastic limit and shrinkage limit). Plasticity index, Liquidity index, Activity, Plasticity chart.
Laboratory determination of liquid limit and plastic limit.
1.6 Soil description based on visual examination and simple tests.
1.7 Soil classification for engineering purposes. Soil classification system based on British/ Malaysia Standard.
Flow of Water Through Soil
2.1 The concept of Pressure Head and Hydraulic Gradient - Bernoulli equation.
2.2 Permeability and 1-D flow of water through soil - Darcy's Law.
2.3 Determination of coefficient of permeability (k) in laboratory - constant head, falling head, and determination of k in the field pumping steady state test.
2.4 Seepage and 2-D - flow in isotropic and homogeneous soil and construction of flow net. Flow net construction rules for flow lines, equipotential lines and
boundary conditions. Seepage calculation using flow net under concrete dam, earth dam and sheet piles.
Shear Strength of Soils
3.1 Concept of effective stress - total stress, pore water pressure and excess pore pressure.
3.2 Concept of friction model (sliding block on rough surface) and soil shear strength. Mohr-Coulomb failure theory and shear strength parameters of soil.
3.3 Determination of shear strength parameters of soils based on total stress analysis (cu - horizontal failure envelope) and effective stress analysis (c' and ᶲ' -
inclined failure envelope). Shear box and triaxial test (CD - consolidated drained test, CU - consolidated undrained test, UU - unconsolidated undrained test and
UC - unconfined compression test).
3.4 Stress-strain relationships and derivation of failure envelope and mobilized shear strength envelope based on effective stress analysis. Stress strain
relationship and derivation of failure envelope base on total stress analysis.
Soil Compaction and Consolidation
4.1 Soil compaction and consolidation.
4.2 Theory of compaction dry density and moisture content relationship. Laboratory compaction tests using standard and modified proctor. Determination of
maximum dry density and optimum moisture content and air-voids curves.
4.3 Relative compaction and specifications for field compaction. Required field dry density and allowable range of moisture content in the field.
4.4 Compaction plants for various types of soils.
4.5 Field density tests for quality control (sand replacement method, core-cutter method, water emersion method and nuclear method).
4.6 Theory of consolidation. Laboratory 1-D consolidation test (Oedometer test). Determination of coefficient of volume compressibility, mv from e - a curve and
determination of compression index, Cc and swelling index, Cs from e - log a curve. One-dimensional normal compression line calculation of primary
consolidation settlement.
4.7 Determination of pre-compression/pre-consolidation stress. Normally consolidated and over-consolidated soils.
4.8 Terzaghi time rate consolidation theory. Determination of coefficient of consolidation (cv) using root-time and log time methods. Degree of consolidation and
time factor, Tv.
4.9 Soil stabilization method using pre-loading and vertical drains.
1.1 The origin of soil weathering of rocks and the formations of residual and transported soils.
1.2 Engineering definition of soil. The constituents of soils - solid, liquid and gas phases (mineral particle, water and air). Basic physical properties of soils and three
phase diagrams (volume relations, mass relations and mass -volume relations).
1.3 Determination of moisture content and particle density of soil solids.
1.4 Types of soils based on particle sizes - Gravels, sands, silts and clays. Determination of particles size distribution and grading characteristic. Sieving methods
and sedimentation methods.
1.5 Consistency of fine-grained soils - Atterberg limit (liquid limit, plastic limit and shrinkage limit). Plasticity index, Liquidity index, Activity, Plasticity chart.
Laboratory determination of liquid limit and plastic limit.
1.6 Soil description based on visual examination and simple tests.
1.7 Soil classification for engineering purposes. Soil classification system based on British/ Malaysia Standard.
Flow of Water Through Soil
2.1 The concept of Pressure Head and Hydraulic Gradient - Bernoulli equation.
2.2 Permeability and 1-D flow of water through soil - Darcy's Law.
2.3 Determination of coefficient of permeability (k) in laboratory - constant head, falling head, and determination of k in the field pumping steady state test.
2.4 Seepage and 2-D - flow in isotropic and homogeneous soil and construction of flow net. Flow net construction rules for flow lines, equipotential lines and
boundary conditions. Seepage calculation using flow net under concrete dam, earth dam and sheet piles.
Shear Strength of Soils
3.1 Concept of effective stress - total stress, pore water pressure and excess pore pressure.
3.2 Concept of friction model (sliding block on rough surface) and soil shear strength. Mohr-Coulomb failure theory and shear strength parameters of soil.
3.3 Determination of shear strength parameters of soils based on total stress analysis (cu - horizontal failure envelope) and effective stress analysis (c' and ᶲ' -
inclined failure envelope). Shear box and triaxial test (CD - consolidated drained test, CU - consolidated undrained test, UU - unconsolidated undrained test and
UC - unconfined compression test).
3.4 Stress-strain relationships and derivation of failure envelope and mobilized shear strength envelope based on effective stress analysis. Stress strain
relationship and derivation of failure envelope base on total stress analysis.
Soil Compaction and Consolidation
4.1 Soil compaction and consolidation.
4.2 Theory of compaction dry density and moisture content relationship. Laboratory compaction tests using standard and modified proctor. Determination of
maximum dry density and optimum moisture content and air-voids curves.
4.3 Relative compaction and specifications for field compaction. Required field dry density and allowable range of moisture content in the field.
4.4 Compaction plants for various types of soils.
4.5 Field density tests for quality control (sand replacement method, core-cutter method, water emersion method and nuclear method).
4.6 Theory of consolidation. Laboratory 1-D consolidation test (Oedometer test). Determination of coefficient of volume compressibility, mv from e - a curve and
determination of compression index, Cc and swelling index, Cs from e - log a curve. One-dimensional normal compression line calculation of primary
consolidation settlement.
4.7 Determination of pre-compression/pre-consolidation stress. Normally consolidated and over-consolidated soils.
4.8 Terzaghi time rate consolidation theory. Determination of coefficient of consolidation (cv) using root-time and log time methods. Degree of consolidation and
time factor, Tv.
4.9 Soil stabilization method using pre-loading and vertical drains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1 : Who shall take this course?
A1 : Part 3 students from Diploma in Civil Engineering
A1 : Part 3 students from Diploma in Civil Engineering