Advanced Soil Mechanics

Undergraduate | 2026

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Mode
Mode
Your studies will be on-campus, and may include some online delivery
On campus
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Area/Catalogue
ENGC 4025
Course ID icon
Course ID
206495
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Campus
Adelaide City Campus
Level of study
Level of study
Undergraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course owner
Course owner
Adelaide University
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Course level
4
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Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
No
University-wide elective icon
University-wide elective course
No
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
No
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Note:
Course data is interim and subject to change

Course overview

The aim of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of key processes involved in advanced soil mechanics analysis and geotechnical design. Soil behaviours: Undrained, drained and partial drained soil behaviour under stress or strain control loading paths; Critical state of soil: introduction of critical state of soil, effect of saturation/unsaturation, drained/undrained on critical state. Introduction of critical state soil mechanics framework; State concept: State concept of soil and simplified constitutive modelling. State concept in liquefaction potential analysis. Empirical relation among soil states and design parameters; Design: analysis and design of piles and pile groups.

Course learning outcomes

  • Develop specialised knowledge and advanced professional understanding of short/long term (drained/undrained) behaviour of soil under stress or strain control loading.
  • Develop advanced and integrated understanding of the concept of critical state of soil mechanics.
  • Critically analyse and evaluate/generalize soil behaviour based on state concept.
  • Reflect on and critically analyse soil behaviour using simplified constitutive modelling.
  • Develop advanced and integrated understanding of behaviour of piles under different loading conditions
  • Reflect on theory and professional practices and design/analyse single pile and pile groups under common loading conditions.

Prerequisite(s)

N/A

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A