Discover the structure of Earth in a simple and easy-to-understand way. This comprehensive guide explains the Earth’s crust, mantle, core, seismic waves, major discontinuities, and their importance in civil engineering with clear illustrations and practical insights.
FUNCTION OF A PILE FOUNDATION The primary function of a pile foundation is to transfer load to a deeper soil or rock strata. There can be various reason that can force designers to transfer loads to deeper soil or rock strata. For example The soil at shallow depth is weak, i.e., not able to withstand … Read more
In last few years, lot of tunneling works are being executed in all over the world. One of the toughest challenge engineers face during design and construction phase is to deal with geology of that area.
What Is The Effect of Tree Roots on Building? Fast growing trees close to buildings can cause unequal settlement when active tree roots dry out the soil causing differential soil shrinkage. Shrinking clays affect the bearing capacity and lead to movement in the building, especially in shallow foundations. Tree roots can extend over a considerable … Read more
WEATHERING OF ROCK MASS ‘Weathering is the process of alteration and breakdown of rock and soil materials at and near the Earth’s surface by chemical decomposition and physical disintegration’ (Geological Society Engineering Group Working Party Report, 1995). Of particular note in this definition is that weathering is described as a process. It is not a … Read more
WEIGHT VOLUME RELATIONSHIP OF SOIL The physical properties of a soil give insight as to the identification of the soil and the determination of its characteristics and load response. These properties can be determined by performing a laboratory analysis on undisturbed soil samples obtained during the test boring process. The laboratory analysis should be performed … Read more
Design Procedures for a Building Foundation (Step by Step) Good design must not only be safe but must aim to save construction costs, time and materials. The following procedures should help to achieve this and an ‘educated’ client will recognize the importance of funding this work with a realistic fee. 1. Decide the Location of … Read more
PRACTICAL PROBLEMS TO KEEP IN MIND BEFORE FOUNDATION DESIGN There are, in foundation design, a number of practical construction problems and costs to be considered. The chief ones are: The foundations should be kept as shallow as possible, commensurate with climatic effects on, and strength of, the surface soil; particularly in waterlogged ground. Excavation in … Read more
Earth Excavation Checklist The following checklist should be used as a guide for better quality control over earth excavation. (1) Prior to the start of excavation operations, take photographs of the construction area, make sure that sufficient cross—sections are taken, and continue to take progress photographs during construction. (2) Review the log of borings to … Read more
Stress Distribution in Soil Displacements in soil occur from stresses applied by loading forces. The distribution of stress in soil should be known for realistic estimates of displacements caused by applied loads on the supporting soil. The following methods may be used to estimate the stress distribution of soil for an applied load Q at … Read more