Soil mechanics is the branch of building engineering that studies how soil behaves under load: how strong and compressible the ground is, how water behaves within it and how much a structure will settle. Together with foundation engineering it forms the basis of geotechnics.
What does soil mechanics study?
- Bearing capacity — how much load the soil can carry without failing
- Settlement — how much and how fast the soil compresses under a structure
- Pore pressure — the role of groundwater and the split between grain and water pressure
- Stability — the failure of slopes, embankments and excavations
Importance for construction
Soil mechanics is indispensable in almost every building project:
- Choice of foundation — deciding whether a building should be founded on a spread (shallow) foundation or on piles
- Settlement calculation — preventing tilting and cracking from uneven settlement
- Earthworks and excavations — safely designing slopes, sheet piling and dewatering
- Roads and dikes — controlling settlement and stability of embankments
The data required come from site investigation, such as cone penetration tests and borings. With this information the engineer or geotechnician calculates a safe and economical foundation.
Related Terms
- Geotechnics
- Site investigation
- Bearing capacity
- Settlement
- Grain stress
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