THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2014/2015
- ARCHIVE as at 1 September 2014

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Engineering : Civil

Undergraduate Course: Computational Geomechanics 5 (CIVE11036)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Engineering CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Course typeStandard AvailabilityAvailable to all students
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Year 5 Undergraduate) Credits10
Home subject areaCivil Other subject areaNone
Course website None Taught in Gaelic?No
Course descriptionThis course provides ways to understand and describe mechanical behaviour of geomaterials from a computational modelling point of view. Plasticity theory and models as well as their integration algorithms will be presented for geomaterial constitutive behaviour. Discrete modelling will also be introduced as a complimentary approach to continuum theory. It will show how geotechnical engineering problems, such as consolidation, bearing capacity and slop stability, are modelled and solved using numerical approaches.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed Geotechnical Engineering 3 (CIVE09016)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus?Yes
Course Delivery Information
Delivery period: 2014/15 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1) Learn enabled:  Yes Quota:  None
Web Timetable Web Timetable
Course Start Date 12/01/2015
Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 22, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 11, Summative Assessment Hours 1.5, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 64 )
Additional Notes
Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) Written Exam 70 %, Coursework 30 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)Computational Geomechanics 52:00
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
The achievement of the learning objectives in this course will be measured through the students' ability to
- distinguish between different types of constitutive models and identify the appropriate model according to the soil types and loading conditions
- select the correct integration algorithm for a specific constitutive model
- understand basic concepts and models for discrete modelling
- understand numerical procedures and interpret the results in the geotechnical engineering context
- conduct computer simulations to solve geotechnical engineering problems using finite and discrete element methods
Assessment Information
The assessment will be made on the basis of:
Projects 30%
Degree examination 70%
Special Arrangements
None
Additional Information
Academic description Not entered
Syllabus Lecture Topics:
1. Introduction
- course content and schedule
- why is a numerical approach needed in the geotechnical engineering context

2. Discrete modelling
- discrete versus continuum modelling
- introduction to discrete element method (DEM)
- DEM solution procedure, contact model and detect algorithms

3. One-dimensional (1D) plasticity
- plasticity theory basics
- 1D frictional models
- the initial boundary-value problem (IBVP)
- integration algorithm
- finite-element solution of the elastoplastic IBVP

4. Classical plasticity and soil behaviour
- general framework of classical plasticity
- elastic models; and plastic models: Tresca, Huber-von Mises, Mohr-Coulomb,
Drucker-Prager, Lade-Duncan, Cam clay
- integration algorithms
- Soil behaviour and its relation to the constitutive models

5. Numerical solution of geotechnical engineering problems
- general procedure
- examples: 1D consolidation, triaxial test, embankment, foundation
Transferable skills Computational skills.
Reading list (1) C. O'Sullivan. Particulate Discrete Element Modelling : a Geomechanics Perspective. Spon Press, 2011. (Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 12)
(2) C.S. Desai and H.J. Siriwardane. Constitutive Laws for Engineering Materials. Prentice-Hall, 1984. (Chapters 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 and 11)
(3) J.C. Simo and T.J.R. Hughes. Computational Inelasticity. Springer, 1998. (Chapter 1)
(4) S. Helwany. Applied Soil Mechanics with ABAQUS Applications. John Wiley & Sons, 2007. (Chapter 2)

Study Abroad Not entered
Study Pattern Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserDr Jin Sun
Tel: (0131 6)51 9028
Email: J.Sun@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr Craig Hovell
Tel: (0131 6)51 7080
Email: c.hovell@ed.ac.uk
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