17 articles
AASHTO soil classification system
The AASHTO soil classification system, defined in standard AASHTO M 145, classifies highway soils into seven groups, A-1 through A-7, using particle size and plasticity.
Bishop's simplified method of slices
Bishop's simplified method of slices, also known as the Simplified Bishop Method, is a geotechnical limit equilibrium method for computing a slope's factor of safety against circular slip failure.
Coulomb earth pressure theory
Coulomb earth pressure theory, formulated by Charles-Augustin de Coulomb in 1773, calculates the lateral force soil exerts on a retaining wall using a sliding wedge analysis.
Critical state soil mechanics
Critical state soil mechanics, developed by Roscoe, Schofield, and Wroth at Cambridge in 1958, describes soil strength and deformation through stress state and void ratio.
Flow net
A flow net is a graphical solution for two-dimensional steady flow through porous media, used in geotechnical engineering to compute seepage, pore pressures, and exit gradients.
Geological strength index
The geological strength index (GSI) is a rock mass characterization system developed by Evert Hoek in 1994, estimating strength of jointed rock masses for tunnel, slope, and foundation design.
Infinite slope analysis
Infinite slope analysis is a limit equilibrium method in geotechnical engineering for assessing shallow translational landslides, treating the slope as infinitely long with a planar failure surface.
Janbu's method
Janbu's method is a limit-equilibrium procedure of slices for computing the factor of safety of soil or rock slopes, developed by Norwegian engineer Nils Janbu in the 1950s.
Liquefaction potential index
The liquefaction potential index (LPI) is a geotechnical index, proposed by Iwasaki et al. in 1978, that rates the severity of earthquake-induced soil liquefaction at a site.
Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion
The Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion is the most widely used shear strength model in geotechnical engineering and rock mechanics, describing when cohesive-frictional materials such as soil or rock fail, from Coulomb's 1776 envelope.
Morgenstern–Price method
The Morgenstern–Price method is a limit equilibrium method of slices for slope stability analysis, introduced in Géotechnique in 1965, that satisfies both force and moment equilibrium for slip surfaces of any shape.
Newmark's sliding block method
Newmark's sliding block method is a geotechnical procedure proposed by Nathan M. Newmark in 1965 for estimating the permanent displacement of slopes and embankments during earthquake shaking.
Soil mechanics
Soil mechanics is the branch of applied mechanics that predicts the performance of earth structures and foundations from soil properties, founded by Karl Terzaghi in 1925.
Spencer's method
Spencer's method, published by E. Spencer in Géotechnique in 1967, is a limit equilibrium method of slices for computing a slope's factor of safety against failure.
Terzaghi's bearing capacity theory
Terzaghi's bearing capacity theory is a semi-empirical method, published by Karl Terzaghi in 1943, for computing the ultimate bearing capacity of a shallow foundation from the soil's cohesion, friction angle, and unit weight.
Terzaghi's principle of effective stress
Terzaghi's principle of effective stress states that in saturated soil, compression and shear strength depend only on effective stress, total stress minus pore water pressure, introduced by Karl Terzaghi in 1923.
Unified Soil Classification System
The Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) is an engineering soil classification, standardized as ASTM D2487, that assigns soils two-letter group symbols based on particle size and plasticity.