THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2022/2023

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Engineering : Civil

Undergraduate Course: Foundation Engineering 4 (CIVE10004)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Engineering CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryFoundation Engineering 4 builds on content learnt during Geotechnical Engineering 3 to explore the design of foundation systems according to Eurocode 7 design rules. The course comprises three major learning components: an introduction to ground investigation; the theory and design of deep (piled) foundations (including the alpha method, lateral capacity and group capacity calculations); and the design of shallow foundations (building around the "triple-N" equation approach). Each component is supported through tutorial questions, which also incorporate case study calculations from recent ground investigation or foundation design examples. Note that the course no longer comprises a supporting coursework.
Course description Lectures: Titles & Contents

L1. Introduction to Ground Investigations
- Course structure, Ground investigation components: Desk Study, Field Reconnaissance. Example desk study.

L2. Geotechnical Investigations: Exploration
- Planning approaches for the GeoI, Soil sampling methods (trial pits, boreholes, samplers)

L3. Geotechnical Investigations: In Situ testing
- Determining ground properties from in situ test methods: SPT; CPT; shear vane; pressuremeter; rising/falling head

L4. Introduction to Pile Design
- Capacities of single piles and pile groups in homogeneous cohesive and non-cohesive soil

L5. Pile vertical settlement
- Settlement calculations for single piles and pile groups in homogeneous soils

L6. Pile design: Realistic soils and materials
- Capacity calculations for single piles and pile groups in stratified soils
- Settlement calculations for single piles and pile groups in stratified soils

L7. Pile design: Pile Lateral Capacity
- Theory of pile lateral capacity and lateral capacity design charts (Fleming)

L8. Geotechnical Design for Piles
- Introduction to Eurocode 7 and the ultimate and serviceability limit states
- Design of single piles and pile groups to Eurocode 7 (ULS and SLS)

L9. Spread foundations: Capacities
- Design of spread foundations to Eurocode 7 for vertical and horizontal drained and undrained capacity
- "Triple N" equation for drained vertical capacity

L10. Spread Foundations: Settlement
- Implicit calculations for spread foundation vertical settlement
- Empirical calculations for spread foundation vertical settlement (SPT, CPT and pressuremeter)

L11. Mock Exam (course revision)
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST 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 2022/23, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 22, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10, Summative Assessment Hours 2, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 64 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 100 %, Coursework 0 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Feedback Formative (mid-semester) and end-of-course.
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S1 (December)2:00
Resit Exam Diet (August)2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. plan and undertake a ground investigation;
  2. demonstrate an ability to design deep foundations;
  3. demonstrate an ability to design shallow foundations.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsGround Investigation,Foundation Design
Contacts
Course organiserDr Christopher Beckett
Tel: (0131 6)51 7119
Email: Christopher.Beckett@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr Ruben Gutierrez Martin
Tel: (0131 6)50 5690
Email: Ruben.Gutierrez@ed.ac.uk
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