Importance of geotechnical engineering knowledge to civil engineers:- In today\'s environmental challenges due to climatic changes and global increase in population the knowledge of geotechnical engineering is a boon for the civil engineers.The knowledge helps engineers in minimizing natural hazards :- 1) By Landslide stabilization. 2) Flood Protection. 3) Avalanche and mud flow protection. 4) Design of earthquake resistant structures etc. In former centuries drinking water was often contaminated with full of bacterias causing terrible epidemics like cholera,typhoid,fever etc. causing death of millions of populations.It is the merit of geotechnical engineering which saved millions of life than medicine by providing the means of supply of clean drinking water and for proper disposal of liquid and solid waste. The first public Vienna drinking water system, for instance, was constructed in the year 1870-1873, and it has been supplying the population with 470 million litres of high quality water per day ever since.The total length of the pipes from the headwaters region in the mountains to the reservoirsin Vienna is 3,100 km. It was through dams, not gold that california became the equivalent of the world\'s seventh richest country.Dams have turned the arid central valley into an agricultural supermarket to the world. Concept of Geotechnical engineering & application in construction Geotechnical engineering is the branch of civil engineering concerned with the engineering behavior of earth materials. Geotechnical engineering is important in civil engineering, but also has applications in military, mining, petroleum and other engineering disciplines that are concerned with construction occurring on the surface or within the ground. Geotechnical engineering uses principles of soil mechanics and rock mechanics to investigate subsurface conditions and materials; determine the relevant physical/mechanical and chemical properties of these materials; evaluate stability of natural slopes and man-made soil deposits; assess risks posed by site conditions; design earthworks and structure foundations; and monitor site conditions, earthwork and foundation construction. A typical geotechnical engineering project begins with a review of project needs to define the required material properties. Then follows a site investigation of soil, rock, fault distribution and bedrock properties on and below an area of interest to determine their engineering properties including how they will interact with, on or in a proposed construction. Site investigations are needed to gain an understanding of the area in or on which the engineering will take place. Investigations can include the assessment of the risk to humans, property and the environment from natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, sinkholes, soil liquefaction, debris flows and rock falls. An engineer then determines and designs the type of foundations, earthworks, and/or pavement sub grades required for t.

1. Importance of geotechnical engineering knowledge to civil engineers:-
In today's environmental challenges due to climatic changes and global increase in population
the knowledge of geotechnical engineering is a boon for the civil engineers.The knowledge helps
engineers in minimizing natural hazards :-
1) By Landslide stabilization.
2) Flood Protection.
3) Avalanche and mud flow protection.
4) Design of earthquake resistant structures etc.
In former centuries drinking water was often contaminated with full of bacterias causing terrible
epidemics like cholera,typhoid,fever etc. causing death of millions of populations.It is the merit
of geotechnical engineering which saved millions of life than medicine by providing the means
of supply of clean drinking water and for proper disposal of liquid and solid waste. The first
public Vienna drinking water system, for instance, was constructed in the year 1870-1873, and it
has been supplying the population with 470 million litres of high quality water per day ever
since.The total length of the pipes from the headwaters region in the mountains to the
reservoirsin Vienna is 3,100 km.
It was through dams, not gold that california became the equivalent of the world's seventh
richest country.Dams have turned the arid central valley into an agricultural supermarket to the
world.
Concept of Geotechnical engineering & application in construction
Geotechnical engineering is the branch of civil engineering concerned with the engineering
behavior of earth materials. Geotechnical engineering is important in civil engineering, but also
has applications in military, mining, petroleum and other engineering disciplines that are
concerned with construction occurring on the surface or within the ground. Geotechnical
engineering uses principles of soil mechanics and rock mechanics to investigate subsurface
conditions and materials; determine the relevant physical/mechanical and chemical properties of
these materials; evaluate stability of natural slopes and man-made soil deposits; assess risks
posed by site conditions; design earthworks and structure foundations; and monitor site
conditions, earthwork and foundation construction.
A typical geotechnical engineering project begins with a review of project needs to define the
required material properties. Then follows a site investigation of soil, rock, fault distribution and
bedrock properties on and below an area of interest to determine their engineering properties
including how they will interact with, on or in a proposed construction. Site investigations are
needed to gain an understanding of the area in or on which the engineering will take place.
Investigations can include the assessment of the risk to humans, property and the environment

2. from natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, sinkholes, soil liquefaction, debris flows
and rock falls.
An engineer then determines and designs the type of foundations, earthworks, and/or pavement
sub grades required for the intended man-made structures to be built. Foundations are designed
and constructed for structures of various sizes such as high-rise buildings, bridges, medium to
large commercial buildings, and smaller structures where the soil conditions do not allow code-
based design.
Foundations built for above-ground structures include shallow and deep foundations. Retaining
structures include earth-filled dams and retaining walls. Earthworks include embankments,
tunnels, dikes and levees, channels, reservoirs, deposition of hazardous waste and sanitary
landfills.
Geotechnical engineering is also related to coastal and ocean engineering. Coastal engineering
can involve the design and construction of wharves, marinas, and jetties. Ocean engineering can
involve foundation and anchor systems for offshore structures such as oil platforms.
The major applications involve -
. 1.Foundations
The loads from any structure have to be ultimately transmitted to a soil through the foundation
for the structure. Thus, the foundation is an important part of a structure, the type and details of
which can be decided upon only with the knowledge and application of the principles of soil
mechanics.
2. Underground and Earth-retaining Structures
Underground structures such as drainage structures, pipe lines, and tunnels and earth-retaining
structures such as retaining walls and bulkheads can be designed and constructed only by using
the principles of soil mechanics and the concept of ‘soil-structure interaction’.
3. Pavement Design
Pavement Design may consist of the design of flexible or rigid pavements. Flexible pavements
depend more on the sub grade soil for transmitting the traffic loads. Problems peculiar to the
design of pavements are the effect of repetitive loading, swelling and shrinkage of sub-soil and
frost action. Consideration of these and other factors in the efficient design of a pavement is a
must and one cannot do without the knowledge of soil mechanics.
4. Excavations, Embankments and Dams
Excavations require the knowledge of slope stability analysis; deep excavations may need
temporary supports—‘timbering’ or ‘bracing’, the design of which requires knowledge of soil
mechanics. Likewise the construction of embankments and earth dams where soil itself is used as
the construction material requires a thorough knowledge of the engineering behavior of soil
especially in the presence of water. Knowledge of slope stability, effects of seepage,

3. consolidation and consequent settlement as well as compaction characteristics for achieving
maximum unit weight of the soil in-situ, is absolutely essential for efficient design and
construction of embankments and earth dams.
The knowledge of soil mechanics, assuming the soil to be an ideal material elastic, isotropic, and
homogeneous material—coupled with the experimental determination of soil properties, is
helpful in predicting the behaviour of soil in the field.
Soil being a particulate and heterogeneous material, does not lend itself to simple analysis.
Further, the difficulty is enhanced by the fact that soil strata vary in extent as well as in depth
even in a small area. A thorough knowledge of soil mechanics is a prerequisite to be a successful
civil engineer. It is difficult to draw a distinguishing line between Soil Mechanics and civil
Engineering; the later starts where the former ends.
Civil engineering projects & geotechnical engineering
A complete design of civil engineering project involves the stages of excavation, construction
and operation, each representing different soil-structure interaction problems.Excavation
normally involves the geotechnical discipline much more than in the structural part.The tasks
involved in geotechnical engineering are -
1) Geological classification of the site for structural implantation.This work is usually carried out
with geology team.
2) Soil classification for the structure's foundation.
3) Definition of soil parameters for foundation design.Usually the soil parameters are defined by
in situ field test and/or laboratory tests.
4) Studies of the bearing capacity of foundations.
5) Studies of the foundation settlements.
6) Evaluation studies to define the soil dynamic behaviour under earthquake actions.
7) Improving the soil for the foundation.
8) Recommendations for the foundation types.
In general, geotechnical Engineering involves the application of soil and rock mechanics as well
as engineering geology to solve engineering problems such as design of foundations, slopes,
excavations, dams, tunnels and other Civil engineering projects relating to the mechanical
response of the ground, and the water within it.
Solution
Importance of geotechnical engineering knowledge to civil engineers:-
In today's environmental challenges due to climatic changes and global increase in population
the knowledge of geotechnical engineering is a boon for the civil engineers.The knowledge helps

4. engineers in minimizing natural hazards :-
1) By Landslide stabilization.
2) Flood Protection.
3) Avalanche and mud flow protection.
4) Design of earthquake resistant structures etc.
In former centuries drinking water was often contaminated with full of bacterias causing terrible
epidemics like cholera,typhoid,fever etc. causing death of millions of populations.It is the merit
of geotechnical engineering which saved millions of life than medicine by providing the means
of supply of clean drinking water and for proper disposal of liquid and solid waste. The first
public Vienna drinking water system, for instance, was constructed in the year 1870-1873, and it
has been supplying the population with 470 million litres of high quality water per day ever
since.The total length of the pipes from the headwaters region in the mountains to the
reservoirsin Vienna is 3,100 km.
It was through dams, not gold that california became the equivalent of the world's seventh
richest country.Dams have turned the arid central valley into an agricultural supermarket to the
world.
Concept of Geotechnical engineering & application in construction
Geotechnical engineering is the branch of civil engineering concerned with the engineering
behavior of earth materials. Geotechnical engineering is important in civil engineering, but also
has applications in military, mining, petroleum and other engineering disciplines that are
concerned with construction occurring on the surface or within the ground. Geotechnical
engineering uses principles of soil mechanics and rock mechanics to investigate subsurface
conditions and materials; determine the relevant physical/mechanical and chemical properties of
these materials; evaluate stability of natural slopes and man-made soil deposits; assess risks
posed by site conditions; design earthworks and structure foundations; and monitor site
conditions, earthwork and foundation construction.
A typical geotechnical engineering project begins with a review of project needs to define the
required material properties. Then follows a site investigation of soil, rock, fault distribution and
bedrock properties on and below an area of interest to determine their engineering properties
including how they will interact with, on or in a proposed construction. Site investigations are
needed to gain an understanding of the area in or on which the engineering will take place.
Investigations can include the assessment of the risk to humans, property and the environment
from natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, sinkholes, soil liquefaction, debris flows
and rock falls.
An engineer then determines and designs the type of foundations, earthworks, and/or pavement
sub grades required for the intended man-made structures to be built. Foundations are designed

5. and constructed for structures of various sizes such as high-rise buildings, bridges, medium to
large commercial buildings, and smaller structures where the soil conditions do not allow code-
based design.
Foundations built for above-ground structures include shallow and deep foundations. Retaining
structures include earth-filled dams and retaining walls. Earthworks include embankments,
tunnels, dikes and levees, channels, reservoirs, deposition of hazardous waste and sanitary
landfills.
Geotechnical engineering is also related to coastal and ocean engineering. Coastal engineering
can involve the design and construction of wharves, marinas, and jetties. Ocean engineering can
involve foundation and anchor systems for offshore structures such as oil platforms.
The major applications involve -
. 1.Foundations
The loads from any structure have to be ultimately transmitted to a soil through the foundation
for the structure. Thus, the foundation is an important part of a structure, the type and details of
which can be decided upon only with the knowledge and application of the principles of soil
mechanics.
2. Underground and Earth-retaining Structures
Underground structures such as drainage structures, pipe lines, and tunnels and earth-retaining
structures such as retaining walls and bulkheads can be designed and constructed only by using
the principles of soil mechanics and the concept of ‘soil-structure interaction’.
3. Pavement Design
Pavement Design may consist of the design of flexible or rigid pavements. Flexible pavements
depend more on the sub grade soil for transmitting the traffic loads. Problems peculiar to the
design of pavements are the effect of repetitive loading, swelling and shrinkage of sub-soil and
frost action. Consideration of these and other factors in the efficient design of a pavement is a
must and one cannot do without the knowledge of soil mechanics.
4. Excavations, Embankments and Dams
Excavations require the knowledge of slope stability analysis; deep excavations may need
temporary supports—‘timbering’ or ‘bracing’, the design of which requires knowledge of soil
mechanics. Likewise the construction of embankments and earth dams where soil itself is used as
the construction material requires a thorough knowledge of the engineering behavior of soil
especially in the presence of water. Knowledge of slope stability, effects of seepage,
consolidation and consequent settlement as well as compaction characteristics for achieving
maximum unit weight of the soil in-situ, is absolutely essential for efficient design and
construction of embankments and earth dams.
The knowledge of soil mechanics, assuming the soil to be an ideal material elastic, isotropic, and

6. homogeneous material—coupled with the experimental determination of soil properties, is
helpful in predicting the behaviour of soil in the field.
Soil being a particulate and heterogeneous material, does not lend itself to simple analysis.
Further, the difficulty is enhanced by the fact that soil strata vary in extent as well as in depth
even in a small area. A thorough knowledge of soil mechanics is a prerequisite to be a successful
civil engineer. It is difficult to draw a distinguishing line between Soil Mechanics and civil
Engineering; the later starts where the former ends.
Civil engineering projects & geotechnical engineering
A complete design of civil engineering project involves the stages of excavation, construction
and operation, each representing different soil-structure interaction problems.Excavation
normally involves the geotechnical discipline much more than in the structural part.The tasks
involved in geotechnical engineering are -
1) Geological classification of the site for structural implantation.This work is usually carried out
with geology team.
2) Soil classification for the structure's foundation.
3) Definition of soil parameters for foundation design.Usually the soil parameters are defined by
in situ field test and/or laboratory tests.
4) Studies of the bearing capacity of foundations.
5) Studies of the foundation settlements.
6) Evaluation studies to define the soil dynamic behaviour under earthquake actions.
7) Improving the soil for the foundation.
8) Recommendations for the foundation types.
In general, geotechnical Engineering involves the application of soil and rock mechanics as well
as engineering geology to solve engineering problems such as design of foundations, slopes,
excavations, dams, tunnels and other Civil engineering projects relating to the mechanical
response of the ground, and the water within it.