King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

 

CE: 550-01  (Nature & Behavior of Soils)

 

First Semester 2002-2003 (021)

 

Instructor:  Dr. Naser A. Al-Shayea

 

Office:  16-134,  % 2480

Office Hours:  As posted on my office

 

Course Description:

 

            CE 550            Nature and Behavior of Soils                                                   3-0-3

 

Soil formation and composition; soil mineralogy; sedimentary processes; soil-water-electrolyte system; soil fabric; relationship between soil composition and mechanical behavior; time-deformation processes; compressibility and volume change in clay soils; conduction phenomena.

 

            Prerequisite:  CE 353

 

Textbook:  Fundamentals of Soil Behavior, by Mitchell, J.K. (1993), 2nd ed.

 

Grade Distribution:

                        Assignments                                                     10%

                        Term Paper or Computer Project                      10%

                        Participation in Class Discussion                        10%

                        Two Major Exams, 2 @ 20                              40%

                        Final Exam                                                       30%

                                                                                                _____

                          Total                                                              100%

 

Notes:     1)      Discussion format will be used in this course.  Therefore students are suppose to read the homework assigned, prior to coming to each class, and be ready to participate in discussion.

               2)      Topics for the Term Paper and the Computer Project have to be chosen by the student after consulting the instructor.  Proposals for these topics (one page) have to be submitted not later than beginning of October.  Progress reports (two page) have to be submitted not later than mid of November.  Final reports are due on the time of the presentation, by the end of the semester.

               3)      Homework problems will be assigned along the course of the semester, and are due one week after the class in which they were assigned.

               4)      Additional references and handouts will be given for some topics.

               5)      Final Exam is comprehensive.

 

COURSE SYLLABUS

 

 

Date

Subject

References

Remarks

Sept. 14

Introduction

Ch. 1

 

         16

Soil Formation

Ch. 4

Geology Exh. visit

         21

  =         =

 =

 

         23

Soil Composition

Ch. 5

 

         28

  =         =

 =

RI visit

         30

Crystallography

Ch. 2

 

Oct.   5

Soil Mineralogy

Ch. 3

 

         7

  =         =

 =

 

        12

Soil-Water System

Ch. 6

Proposals

        14

  =        =        =

 =

 

        19

Clay-Water Electrolyte System

Ch. 7

 

        21

  =         =       =                =

 =

 

        26

First Major Exam

Ch. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

 

        28

Soil Fabric

Ch. 8

 

Nov. 2

Soil Structure

Ch. 11

 

         4

  =       =

 =

 

         9

Soil Stresses

Ch. 9

 

        11

Engineering Properties of Soils

Ch. 10

 

        16

Volume-Change Behavior

Ch. 13

 

        18

Volume-Change Behavior

Ch. 13

 

Dec. 14

  =              =           =

 =

 

        16

  =              =           =

 =

Progress Reports

        21  

Second Major Exam

Ch. 8, 9, 10, 11, 13

 

        23

Strength & Deformation Behavior

Ch. 14

 

        28

  =                     =                =

 =

 

        30

   =                    =                =

 =

 

Jan.  4

Conduction Phenomena

Ch. 12

 

        6

   =                    =                =

 =

 

       11

   =                    =                =

 =

 

       13

Projects/Papers Presentation

 

Final Reports