Syllabus 2009/2010 VGT021

Syllabus academic year 2009/2010
(Created 2009-08-11.)

FOUNDATION ENGINEERING

VGT021

Higher education credits: 10,5. Grading scale: TH. Level: G2 (First level). Language of instruction: The course will be given in Swedish. Optional for: V4at, V4hb. Course coordinator: Professor Ola Dahlblom, Ola.Dahlblom@byggmek.lth.se, Byggnadsmekanik. Prerequisites: VVB055 Civil Engineering. Recommended prerequisits: VBM012 Building Materials and VSM141 Structural Mechanics. The course might be cancelled if the numer of applicants is less than 15. The number of participants is limited to 30 Assessment: Written examination and hand-in assignment. Parts: 2. Home page: http://www.byggmek.lth.se.

Aim
The aim of the course is to give knowledge in foundation engineering and to give ability to, on the basis of results from geotechnical investigations, apply the knowledge on geotechnical engineering tasks occurring in practice.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

be able to describe the properties of soil on the basis of data from geotechnical investigations
be able to describe different methods for foundation, support structures, and soil reinforcement
be able to describe how statistical methods and risk analysis can be applied on geotechnical problems.

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

be able to establish and read different types of geotechnical documents.
be able to compute settlement and design foundation and other geotechnical installations on the basis of results from geotechnical investigations.

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

be able to assess the reasonableness of available results from geotechnical investigations and to assess the applicability of the parameter values.
be able to assess weather a geotechnical solution is realistic.

Contents
In the first part of the course lectures and exercises are integrated. The following subjects are treated: computation of settlement, ground reinforcement methods, shallow and pile foundations, statistical methods, design of supporting structures and risk analysis. In addition computer exercises using software for soil mechanics problems are included. In the latter part of the course an extensive exercise is performed, where geotechnical design is performed on the basis of results from a geotechnical investigation.

Literature
Compendium and collection of examples in Foundation Engineering (in Swedish), a selection of scientific papers, extracts from theses and handbooks.

Parts

Code: 0105. Name: Written Examination.
Higher education credits: 6. Grading scale: TH. Assessment: Written examination before Christmas. Contents: Questions/tasks regarding theoretical and applied matters treated in the course until Christmas.

Code: 0205. Name: Design and Advanced Assignments.
Higher education credits: 4,5. Grading scale: TH. Assessment: Written and oral presentation of design assignment. Contents: Assignments according to the course description and the course programme.