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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2016/2017

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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
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Year 5 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryThis 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.
Course description 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
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
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2016/17, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 22, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 11, Formative Assessment Hours 1, Summative Assessment Hours 5, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 59 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 70 %, Coursework 30 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) The assessment will be made on the basis of:
Projects 30%
Degree examination 70%
Feedback Formative feedback
interaction during computer labs
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)Computational Geomechanics 52:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Distinguish between different types of constitutive models and identify the appropriate model according to the soil types and loading conditions
  2. Use basic concepts and models for discrete modelling to calculate a dynamic discrete process
  3. Interpret the results of numerical procedures and in the geotechnical engineering context
  4. Conduct computer simulations to solve geotechnical engineering problems using finite and discrete element methods
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)

Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Computational skills
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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