Course Descriptor CE 357 – Geotechnical Engineering Page 1 Department of CAEE Spring Semester 2021 The University of Texas at Austin Unique Nos. 16095, 16100, 16105, 16110, 16115, 16120, 16125, 16130, 16135, 16140, 16145, 16150, 16155, 16160

CE 357

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

Class Lectures: Laboratory: Days: M, W, F Varies with lab section Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon Or Ernest Cockrell, Jr., Hall 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ECJ B.140

Instructor: Lab TAs: TBA (varies with section) Dr. Jorge G. Zornberg Office: ECJ 9.227G E-mail: [email protected] Office hours: M, W 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Course Objectives and Academic/Learning Goals The overall objectives of this course are to expose civil, architectural, and environmental engineering undergraduate students to the terminology, important principles, and basic methods of analysis used in geotechnical engineering. Geotechnical engineering focuses on how soil and rock support and affect the performance of structures built on or below the earth's surface. Accordingly, this course introduces the student to the basic principles that govern the behavior of soils, and geotechnical engineering works. The central concepts to be covered in this class are:

(1.) Index properties and classification of soils; (2.) Soil hydraulic conductivity and pore water movement; (3.) Soil compressibility, consolidation, and settlements; (4.) Shear strength of soil; (5.) Geosynthetic types and functions; (6.) Stresses in soil and the effective stress concept; and (7.) Engineering soil properties and their measurement.

An understanding of these basic concepts is essential in the design of foundations for structures, retaining walls, tunnels, excavations, earth fills, dams, pavements, stable earth slopes, sanitary landfills, and environmental remediation projects. By the end of this course, the student should be able to:

(1.) Classify the different types of geotechnical materials. (2.) Become familiar with the tests needed to describe and predict the behavior of a soil, permitting the student to work effectively with specialists in geotechnical engineering. (3.) Apply basic hydraulic flow principles to interpret the behavior of geotechnical components in hydraulic systems (e.g. earth dams). (4.) Explain the response in effective stresses to a change in total stresses.

1 Course Descriptor CE 357 – Geotechnical Engineering Page 2 (5.) Apply the theory of consolidation to estimate time-dependent settlements. Select and justify the selection of solutions to settlement-related problems. (6.) Acquire the background knowledge needed to complete more advanced courses in geotechnical engineering (CE 360K - Foundation Engineering, CE 375 - Earth Slopes and Retaining Structures, as well as courses at the graduate level). (7.) Improve professional engineering skills, including the presentation of technical data and written communications.

Course Delivery This is a hybrid course, which means that some of the course content is delivered in person and some online. As the course progresses, the course TAs and I will coordinate any in-person components of the course. However, we will conduct the in-person components in a way that those of you that are taking the course entirely online can also gain access to the content. My initial plan for the course is reflected in the course syllabus. However, I may change the mix of in-person and online, in either direction, in response to changing health conditions. I understand how challenging this is and I will do my best to keep things as planned.

Synchronous and Asynchronous Course Components The course will make extensive use of the Modules features in Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) to facilitate the organization of course components. These components are briefly discussed below to highlight their sequencing in each course module. Additional information is provided subsequently in this syllabus regarding these components. The module components are color-coded and/or capitalized to facilitate following their sequence. Specifically, the different module components will be conducted as follows: • ASYNCHRONOUS COMPONENTS BEFORE SYNCHRONOUS MEETINGS: They include pre-recorded videos, which should be watched ahead of the synchronous meeting. You should plan your schedule accordingly, as the lecture/lab will be conducting assuming that everyone has successfully completed the items required before the meeting. All pre- meeting/lab components are DUE by the time of the synchronous meeting (i.e. lecture meetings or labs). • SYNCHRONOUS COMPONENTS: During which the class will meet in person or via Zoom and will start at the regular schedule of the class (Monday and Wednesdays at 1:00 pm for the lectures), Fridays at 1:00 pm for the labs). They may finish before 3:00pm depending on the volume of information that has been delivered asynchronously. • ASYNCHRONOUS COMPONENTS AFTER SYNCHRONOUS MEETINGS: They will provide additional opportunities to learn the course material. They also include the assessment components of the course. Because of the online nature of the course components, the number of assessment components will be more frequent, yet with lower stakes than in the case of typical (non-online) courses. The due date of the post-meeting components will be explicitly indicated.

The pre-meeting components of the modules may include: • GATHER SLIDE PRINTOUTS: This involves obtaining the printouts of the relevant PowerPoint slides to be used during the videos and the synchronous components of the course. You will need to write on these printouts during the lectures and laboratories. • PRE-RECORDED LECTURE/LABORATORY VIDEOS: They involve prerecorded lectures/labs that should be watched BEFORE the synchronous lecture/laboratory session begins. They correspond to the asynchronous portion of this course. They will present relevant topics to toe course and will include quizzes to facilitate your understanding of the material.

2 Course Descriptor CE 357 – Geotechnical Engineering Page 3 • QUIZZES: They will be used to assess your knowledge during the asynchronous or synchronous lectures/laboratories. They will be graded unless noted otherwise.

The meeting components of the modules may include: • SYNCHRONOUS MEETINGS: The class will meet in person or via Zoom to discuss the material presented in pre-class videos or to cover new topics for the class • SYNCHRONOUS LABORATORIES: They class will also meet in person or via Zoom to cover the laboratory material. While you will not be conducted your own lab experiments, our TAs will have generated experimental data that will allow you to prepare reports and evaluations of such data.

The post-meeting components of the modules may include: • HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS: They will provide additional opportunities to learn important components of the course material. Unlike the quizzes and exams, collaboration with your classmates is allowed (and even encouraged) to complete these assignments. Their submissions are individual, though. • LAB REPORTS: They involve compilation of the experimental data generated in preparation of the laboratories. • EXAMS: They will be used to assess your holistic understanding of the course material. • READING MATERIAL: Including material covered in class, as well as complementary background and relevant information. They will be useful as material to read after the lectures.

Information Technology Considering the online nature of the course components, the technology used to mediate such components has been carefully organized. You will need access to a laptop or desktop computer (modern and updated operating system) and a reliable internet connection. You will also need to have available during the lectures a version of the course packet in which you can write (printed or using a second iPad/tablet where you can write).

The following information technology platforms will be used in this course: • ZOOM: Videotelephony and online services to be used for delivery of the synchronous components of the course. • CANVAS: Learning Management System (LMS) used to facilitate the organization of course components. The Modules in Canvas will be used to organize the learning components of the course • PANOPTO: Main video platform to be used to deliver the asynchronous components of this course. They will be complemented with other video sources. • GRADESCOPE: Platform to be used to compile and deliver exams in the course • PIAZZA: Discussion platform adopted in this course for communication among students, TAs and Instructor. • QUIZZES: They will be compiled using both CANVAS and PANOPTO. Will be used to assess understanding of asynchronous components of the course.

Course Prerequisites • Civil Engineering 319F - Elementary Mechanics of Fluids

Course Textbooks 1. Class Textbook: Das, B.M. and Sobhan, K.: Principles of Geotechnical Engineering – Ninth Edition. Thomson Engineering, 2017; ISBN-10: 1305970934. 3 Course Descriptor CE 357 – Geotechnical Engineering Page 4

2. Course Notes: Zornberg, Jorge G., CE 357: Geotechnical Engineering Class Handouts - Available on-line in Canvas in the Module for each lecture. The notes include supporting materials for the course lectures. Please have them available for the pre-recorded lectures and for the synchronous lectures.

3. Laboratory Text: "Laboratory Notes for CE 357 - Geotechnical Engineering." (Available on-line in Canvas for each Lab).

4. Other Materials: To plot data and perform graphical solutions in homework assignments, laboratory reports, and exams, you must have a straight edge, compass, and protractor. You may also need several sheets of 3-cycle and 5-cycle semi-logarithmic graph paper.

There are a number of good, basic textbooks on geotechnical engineering that you may find helpful in your studies for this course. I suggest the following additional books, which should be available in the library:

Bardet, Jean-Pierre (1997). Experimental Soil Mechanics. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Bowles, Joseph E. (1986). Engineering Properties of Soils and Their Measurement. Third edition. McGraw-Hill, New York. Cernica, John N. (1995). Geotechnical Engineering: Soil Mechanics. John Wiley and Sons, New York. Coduto, Donald P. (1999). Geotechnical Engineering: Principles and Practices. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. (ISBN 0-13-576380-0). R. F. Craig (1997). Soil Mechanics. Sixth Edition, Chapman & Hall. Holtz, Robert D., and Kovacs, William D. (1981). An Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Lambe, T.W., and Whitman, R. (1969) Soil Mechanics. Wiley and Sons, New York. McCarthy, David F. (2002). Essentials of Soil Mechanics and Foundations: Basic Geotechnics. Sixth edition, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Sowers, George F. (1979). Introductory Soil Mechanics and Foundations: Geotechnical Engineering. Fourth edition, Macmillan Pub., New York.

Schedule This class will meet for an average of two lectures each week. The schedule for the class lectures is attached. Reading assignments from your text are indicated on the lecture schedule. During most weeks, the class will meet for lectures or exams on Monday and Wednesday with no class on Friday. However, because we will be having class on several Fridays during the semester, you should not make plans to leave town on any given Friday. In addition, the class will often meet on the lecture before each exam for a question-and-answer review session. Check the attached lecture schedule for the planned meeting days, as well as tentative dates for all examinations.

Recommended reading assignments from the course textbook are indicated on the lecture schedule. Clarifying and expanding your class notes by reading the appropriate text sections after each lecture is highly recommended. The course packet includes the handouts used in class during the lecture. Additional handouts may be given for some classes.

4 Course Descriptor CE 357 – Geotechnical Engineering Page 5 Attendance and Class Participation Students are expected to attend all class periods, and I may periodically record attendance. Since the textbook will provide only supplementary information, the lectures are clearly the main source of information to be covered in the homework assignments and exams. Those who regularly miss class are inviting scholastic difficulty and, with the approval of the Dean, may be dropped from the course. Attendance in all laboratory periods is mandatory.

The use of cell phones is strictly prohibited in class. Texting is not allowed, counting as talking on the phone for the purposes of this class.

Class participation is strongly encouraged. Do not hesitate to raise questions, ask for clarification, or suggest your own ideas during class. If some particular lecture topic is confusing and unclear, please ask for clarification. You are explicitly encouraged to see me during office hours for help with specific problems.

Quizzes and Exams Quizzes using Canvas and/or Panopto will be conducted during the asynchronous components of the course, including during the pre-recorded videos.

There will be two midterm exams, given at 5 p.m. on the following dates and at the locations: • Midterm Exam # 1: Tuesday 09 March, 5-7 pm • Midterm Exam # 2: Tuesday 20 April, 5-7pm

In addition to the midterm exams, there will be a comprehensive final examination. In addition to the material covered in the class lectures, the exams may include questions from your work in the laboratory portion of the class. Make-up examinations will not be given. Students who miss a midterm exam will receive a grade of zero for that exam. Exceptions to this rule will be made only on a carefully considered basis, and only if the student contacts me before the exam. In such cases, your score on the other class exams will count proportionally more in computing your final score.

All examinations will be closed-book, closed-notes. However, you are permitted to bring sheets (8.5 x 11 inch) written on one side only, of your own handwritten equations to each exam. One sheet will be permitted for the first exam, two sheets for the second exam, and three sheets will be allowed for the final exam. This way, the new sheet you prepare for each exam will be used again for later exams. You may write only equations (no notes, no graphs, no sketches) on one side of these sheets. Design charts and similar materials will be provided when needed. The organizational effort required to create your equation sheets is an effective means of reviewing the course content before an exam. You need to use a calculator to the exam (the use of phones during the exam is forbidden and they will not be allowed for use as calculators). In addition, you may need to use a straight edge, compass, and protractor during the exams.

The final examination will cover all of the material from the semester. The final exam will be held from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Thursday, 13 May 2021.

Homework Assignments Homework problems will be assigned every week and will be due at the beginning of class on the date specified. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, homework assignments will be due on Fridays (whether classes are held or not that day). The assignments, as well as other class handouts, will be posted in Canvas. To encourage you to stay current with the class lectures, late assignments 5 Course Descriptor CE 357 – Geotechnical Engineering Page 6 will not be accepted for grading. Assignments will be returned in Canvas. Homework solutions will also be posted on Canvas.

As you will quickly learn after college, most practicing engineers spend more time and effort communicating their ideas, analyses, and results than they do performing technical calculations. To encourage the development of these vital professional skills, some of your assignments will require a written response. Neatly draw all sketches and data plots using a straight edge, French curve, compass, etc., and show all relevant labels. As much as possible, your assignments should reflect real-world engineering practice where your submission to a client involves much more than calculations. Above all, present your results clearly and concisely so that someone else, who may be less knowledgeable than you are, can understand and apply your results correctly.

Failure to submit legible, neat, professional-looking assignments will adversely affect your grade. Although the assignments may not count in your final grade in proportion to the effort required, much of what you learn in this course will come from doing the assignments. Use the assignments as an opportunity to understand more completely the material presented in class and to develop your professional engineering skills.

Laboratory Assignments The Lab meetings will occur at the regularly scheduled times but will be held virtually throughout the semester. Even though these labs are to be held virtual, everyone is expected to attend the session they are registered for. Exemptions will have to be requested ahead of time and will be approved on a case by case. Each student in this class must register for a laboratory section as listed in the University Course Schedule for this semester. The laboratory is a crucial component of this course. Please consult with the laboratory instructor ahead of time if you must miss a scheduled laboratory meeting. A tentative schedule of the laboratory exercises is attached. Your laboratory instructor will discuss grading and other matters concerning this part of the course.

Grading Your final letter grade will be determined by your performance relative to others in the class. Divisions between grade levels, as well as a likely "class curve", are not pre-determined. In borderline cases your participation and attendance in class will also be considered. Your final score for this course will be computed using the following weights:

Quizzes (in Pre-recorded lectures) 10 % Homework Assignments 12 % Laboratory Assignments 12 % Midterm Exam # 1 15 % Midterm Exam # 2 15 % Class Participation 4 % Final Examination 30 % Total 100 %

The +/- grading system will be used in determining the final grade.

Academic Integrity Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since such 6 Course Descriptor CE 357 – Geotechnical Engineering Page 7 dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced. For information on academic dishonesty, UT Honor Code (or statement of ethics), and an explanation of what constitutes plagiarism you can refer to the University General Information Catalog, http://catalog.utexas.edu/general-information/, and the Deans of students website at: http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/ . Remember, as an engineer, you are held to a high standard of ethical conduct.

All written work submitted for this class must be entirely your own. This requirement will be strictly enforced for examinations. In doing class assignments, however, you are encouraged to consult with your fellow classmates regarding the most appropriate solution to a given problem. Still, each student must prepare his or her own, individual submission for each assignment. For example, you are permitted to work together in deciding the best approach to a problem, but everyone must work through the entire problem on his or her own. Identical copies of computations or data plots are not acceptable. Working together on assignments should foster your understanding of the course material; avoid working with other students unless all parties gain from the experience. For additional information, please refer to http://catalog.utexas.edu/general- information/appendices/appendix-c/student-discipline-and-conduct/

Copying and Sharing of Course Materials is Strictly Prohibited Copying and sharing any quizzes or exams with anyone, including classmates, is strictly prohibited. In addition, no materials used in this class may be shared online or with anyone outside of the class unless you have my explicit, written permission. This includes, but is not limited to, lecture hand-outs, videos, assessments (papers, projects, homework assignments), in-class materials, review sheets, and problem sets. Unauthorized sharing of materials promotes cheating. It is a violation of the University’s Student Honor Code and an act of academic dishonesty. I am well aware of the sites used for sharing materials, and any materials found online that are associated with you, or any suspected unauthorized sharing of materials, will be reported to Student Conduct and Academic Integrity in the Office of the Dean of Students. These reports can result in sanctions, including failure in the course.

Wearing Masks: Wearing a recommended protective face mask at all times when inside university buildings will be mandatory except when alone in a private office, eating in a campus dining facility or when students are in their own residence hall rooms. UT will encourage compliance by increasing awareness and fostering a spirit of cooperation. Students who refuse to follow directives to wear a mask will be referred to Student Conduct and Academic Integrity in the Office of the Dean of Students for disciplinary action. More information on how you can help keep our campus healthy this Fall can be found here: “Protect Texas Together.”

Class Recordings: Class recordings are reserved only for students in this class for educational purposes and are protected under FERPA. The recordings should not be shared outside the class in any form. Violation of this restriction by a student could lead to Student Misconduct proceedings.

Course and Instructor Evaluation An evaluation of the course and instructor will be conducted at the end of the semester using the approved UT Course/Instructor evaluation forms.

7 Course Descriptor CE 357 – Geotechnical Engineering Page 8 Attendance and Class Participation Students are expected to attend all synchronous meetings. Since the textbook will provide only supplementary information, the lectures are clearly the main source of information to be covered in the homework assignments and exams.

Despite the online nature of course components and other difficulties that may have resulted because of the COVID-19 pandemic, class participation is strongly encouraged. Do not hesitate to raise questions, ask for clarification, or suggest your own ideas during class. If some lecture topic is confusing and unclear, please ask for clarification. You are strongly encouraged to see me during office hours for help with specific problems.

Undergraduate student Drop policy: From the 1st through the 12th class day (4th class day in the summer sessions), an undergraduate student can drop a course via the web and receive a refund, if eligible. From the 13th (5th class day in the summer sessions) through the university’s academic drop deadline, a student may Q drop a course with approval from the Dean, and departmental advisor.

Accommodations for Religious Holidays: A student who misses classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day should inform the instructor as far in advance of the absence as possible, so that arrangements can be made to complete an assignment within a reasonable time after the absence.

Students with Disabilities: The University of Texas at Austin provides, upon request, appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities, 512- 471-6259 (Videophone: 512-410-6644) or http://diversity.utexas.edu/disability/.

COVID Caveats: To help keep everyone at UT and in our community safe, it is critical that students report COVID-19 symptoms and testing, regardless of test results, to University Health Services, and faculty and staff report to the HealthPoint Occupational Health Program (OHP) as soon as possible. Please see this link to understand what needs to be reported. In addition, to help understand what to do if a fellow student in the class (or the instructor or TA) tests positive for COVID, see this University Health Services link.

Emergency Preparedness Plan: Emergency Preparedness means being ready. It takes an effort by all of us to create and sustain an effective emergency preparedness system. You are your own best first responder. Please use https://preparedness.utexas.edu/welcome-emergency-preparedness as a resource to better understand emergency preparedness at the university, and how you can become part of and contribute to the preparedness community. To monitor emergency communications for specific instructions, go to utexas.edu/emergency. To report an issue (none emergency) call 512-471- 4441. In case of emergency, call 911.

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