Engineering 340 - GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

What is quicksand and can you really drown in it? Why is Venice sinking? In this class students will be introduced to the engineering behavior of soil within the context of a variety of real-world applications that include constructing dams, roads and buildings; protecting structures from earthquake and settlement damage; and preventing groundwater contamination. Topics to be covered include soil classification, permeability and seepage, volume changes, effective stress, strength and compaction. We will use a variety of approaches to learning including discussion, hands-on activities, labs, projects, field trips and in-depth explorations of topics chosen by the students. Prerequisite: EGR 270 or GEO 241 or permission of the instructor.