Course detail

Earth structures

FAST-CF01Acad. year: 2021/2022

- Types of earth structures - cuttings, embankments, traffic bodies, dams, landfills.
- Geotechnical investigation for earth structures.
- Properties of natural, waste, lightweight geomaterials.
- Compaction and stabilization of soils.
- General principles of design of earth structures (ultimate and servisibility limit states).
- Improvement, reinforcement of soils (Preloading, Vaccum consolidation, Vertical drains, Deep dynamic compaction, Vibro compaction, Stone columns, Deep soil mixing, Geosynthetics).

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

4

Guarantor

doc. Ing. Lumír Miča, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Geotechnics (GTN)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

The student acquires the theoretical and practical knowledge of the target setting. The output from theoretical point view is designing of the selected earth structures (earth reinforcement soil, gabions etc.) or improvement of subsoil by stone columns, deep soil mixing or designing of PVD for consolidation. The practical output are main principles for construction these types of structures.

Prerequisites

Essentials of material behaviour (theory of Elasticity and Plasticity), classification of soils, Mechanical properties of soils, Effective stress.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Not applicable.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Not applicable.

Course curriculum

1. Introduction of Earth structures – types, basic features and geological investigation.
2. Material for Earth structures – soil
3. Material for Earth structures – rock material, recycled materials, light weight fills
4. Principles, aspects of area compaction and area stabilisation
5. General principles of designing earth structures – stability, settlements.
6. Ground improvement – Precompression, Vertical drains
7. Ground improvement – Deep Soil Mixing, Deep Dynamic Compaction
8. Ground improvement – Stone Columns
9. Geosynthetics - properties; separation, filtration, drainage and erosion function
10. Geosynthetics - reinforcement function
11. Gabions, Nails
12. Technology of Earth structures(embankment, cut-off)
13. Monitoring of Earth structures

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

Aim of this subject is to introduce theoretical and technological issues of earth structures with special emphasis on traffic structures. Theoretical part of the subject introduces basic theoretical principles, design procedures of earth structures (stability, deformation, ground improvement) and their analysis.
Technological part is dedicated to the issues connected with execution of the earth structures. It discusses construction requirements, ground improvement techniques and others.
Students will continuously verify gained knowledge on Seminars by manual calculations as well as by calculations supported by specialized software.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Extent and forms are specified by guarantor’s regulation updated for every academic year.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

R. D. Barksdale and R. C. Bachus: Design and Construction of Stone Columns, Volume 1. U.S. Department of Transportation, FHWA-RD-83-026, 1983. [http://isddc.dot.gov/OLPFiles/FHWA/010528.pdf] (EN)
Robert G. Lukas: Geotechnical Engineering Circular No. 1 - Dynamic Compaction. US Department of transportation. FHWA-SA-95-037, 1995. [http://isddc.dot.gov/OLPFiles/FHWA/009754.pdf] (EN)
Miča, Lumír: Zemní konstrukce (se zaměřením na dopravní stavby). Vysoké učení technické v Brně, 2004. (CS)

Recommended reading

STRIEGLER,W.,WERNER,D.: Erdstoff verdichtung. Verlag für Bauwesen, Berlin, 1976. (DE)
Schaefer, V.R.: Ground Improvement, Ground Reinforcement, Ground Treatment Developments 1987-1997. American Society of Civil Engineers, 1997. 0-7844--0260-4. (EN)
VANÍČEK,I.: Zemní konstrukce dopravních staveb, Stavební roč. ČSSI. ČKAIT, Praha, 1999. (CS)

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. Lumír Miča, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1. Introduction of Earth structures – types, basic features and geological investigation. 2. Material for Earth structures – soil 3. Material for Earth structures – rock material, recycled materials, light weight fills 4. Principles, aspects of area compaction and area stabilisation 5. General principles of designing earth structures – stability, settlements. 6. Ground improvement – Precompression, Vertical drains 7. Ground improvement – Deep Soil Mixing, Deep Dynamic Compaction 8. Ground improvement – Stone Columns 9. Geosynthetics - properties; separation, filtration, drainage and erosion function 10. Geosynthetics - reinforcement function 11. Gabions, Nails 12. Technology of Earth structures(embankment, cut-off) 13. Monitoring of Earth structures

Exercise

13 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. Lumír Miča, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1. Determination properties of geomaterials. 2. Design of embankment (settlement and stability). 3. Design of embankment with using software. 4. Design of prefabricate vertical drains. 5. Design of mechanically stabilized earth wall. 6. Oral presentation of project.