Description
Objectives
By the end of this Unit, the student should: 1. Recognise the significance of key geotechnical parameters in the design of special foundations and have an understanding of how to use them in design; 2. Be familiar with a variety of special foundation types and have consideration for how they are constructed and designed safely and economically; 3. Have an awareness of the issues associated with the development of foundations in the offshore environment.
Syllabus
Mod. 1 (7 hrs) Soil behaviour relevant to foundation design - review of strength, deformation and consolidation concepts. Importance of nonlinear small strain stiffness in foundation response; Mod. 2 (14 hrs) Shallow foundations - review bearing capacity formula, comibine V-H-M loading, settlement in clayey and granular soils; Mod. 3 (14 hrs) Deep foundations - review of pile types, load-displacement response and capacity, pile testing & interpretation, pile groups and combined pile-raft foundations. Introduction to Energy Piles. Mod. 4 (7 hrs) Offshore foundations - introduction to marine environments & geohazards, offshore site investigation & foundation types - plate anchors, caissons and monopiles; Mod. 5 (7 hrs) Ground Improvement - overview of techniques (possible invited speaker), consolidation & surcharging, vibro-stone columns. Sustainability.
Prerequisites
Attendance of the CU Modelling of Geotechnical Structures
Cross Competence Component
This Unit allows the development of transversal skills in Critical Thinking, namely strategic thinking and approaches to problem solving, in practical work and its presentations; Interpersonal and intrapersonal skills (oral, organizational and team work, self-discipline, perseverance, self-motivation) in the practical work and its presentation, and Information and media literacy (ability to locate and access information, as well as to analyze and evaluate content) through the practical work and presentation.The percentage of assessment associated with these skills should be around 20%.
Programming And Computing Component
Students will need to develop calculation tools e.g. in spreadsheets
Ethical Principles
All members of a group are responsible for the group's work. In any assessment, every students shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used. In an oral assessment, every students shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.