Soil Mechanics Education: (What) to Teach or not to Teach - From Theory to Practice

In this 2019 webinar, offered by the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), Dr. Laurence D. Wesley focuses on soil mechanics undergraduate education. The presenter emphasizes the difference between soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering; the former is a theoretical discipline, the latter a profession, based on soil mechanics, but embracing geology, judgment and field experience.

The webinar is divided in 2 parts. Part 1 begins with recommendations regarding the order in which material should be taught. Issues of terminology are addressed as well as the choice of a total or effective stress analysis. Part 2 begins with detailed coverage on the compression and consolidation behavior of soils. Finally, a warning is given about the limits of soil mechanics theory, in particular for estimating safe heights of vertical cuts in clay or the estimation of bearing capacity of soft clay. The conclusion summarizes helpful recommendations for undergraduates to supplement the theoretical foundation of their subject with direct experience and observation in the field.

You can access the ISSMGE Webinar by clicking here.