School: Engineering

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering
  • Unit Code

    ENS6148
  • Year

    2024
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    2
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    A/Prof Sanjay SHUKLA

Description

This unit provides an introduction to the properties of soils, estimation of their behaviour under applied loads, and the design of foundation elements used for various types of construction. The unit includes laboratory testing of various soil types and also provides the basic knowledge required to design pavements, retaining walls, building foundations and excavations.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded ENS5242

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Identify the types of soils that can occur at construction sites.
  2. Examine the properties of soils that affect their ability to support themselves and any imposed loads.
  3. Calculate and verify simple foundation elements for varying soil conditions.
  4. Examine and propose appropriate excavation and retaining methods for soils.
  5. Evaluate new developments in geosynthetics and earth anchors.
  6. Investigate the latest technological developments in soil mechanics and foundation engineering.

Unit Content

  1. Site investigation; excavation techniques.
  2. Shallow foundations, load-bearing capacity theories, raft foundation.
  3. Consolidation and compressibility of soils.
  4. Basic description of soils, clay minerals, soil phases, and soil problems in civil engineering; index properties and soil classification.
  5. Lateral earth pressure, retaining structures.
  6. Geosynthetics and their applications.
  7. Shear strength of soils.
  8. Analysis and design of earth anchors.
  9. Effective stress principle, ground water fluctuations, soil capillarity; soil permeability, fluid flow through soils, granular filter design.
  10. Soil compaction, ground improvement techniques, stresses in soil mass.
  11. Slopes and embankments.
  12. Deep foundations, piles, drilled piers, well foundations.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 113 x 2 hour labNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 113 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 113 x 1 hour tutorialNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
ExerciseQuizzes and tutorial exercises20%
Laboratory Work ^Laboratory performance and reports20%
Examination ^End of semester examination60%

^ Mandatory to Pass


Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

ENS6148|2|1

School: Engineering

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering
  • Unit Code

    ENS6148
  • Year

    2024
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    2
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    A/Prof Sanjay SHUKLA

Description

This unit provides an introduction to the properties of soils, estimation of their behaviour under applied loads, and the design of foundation elements used for various types of construction. The unit includes laboratory testing of various soil types and also provides the basic knowledge required to design pavements, retaining walls, building foundations and excavations.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded ENS5242

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Identify the types of soils that can occur at construction sites.
  2. Examine the properties of soils that affect their ability to support themselves and any imposed loads.
  3. Calculate and verify simple foundation elements for varying soil conditions.
  4. Examine and propose appropriate excavation and retaining methods for soils.
  5. Evaluate new developments in geosynthetics and earth anchors.
  6. Investigate the latest technological developments in soil mechanics and foundation engineering.

Unit Content

  1. Site investigation; excavation techniques.
  2. Shallow foundations, load-bearing capacity theories, raft foundation.
  3. Consolidation and compressibility of soils.
  4. Basic description of soils, clay minerals, soil phases, and soil problems in civil engineering; index properties and soil classification.
  5. Lateral earth pressure, retaining structures.
  6. Geosynthetics and their applications.
  7. Shear strength of soils.
  8. Analysis and design of earth anchors.
  9. Effective stress principle, ground water fluctuations, soil capillarity; soil permeability, fluid flow through soils, granular filter design.
  10. Soil compaction, ground improvement techniques, stresses in soil mass.
  11. Slopes and embankments.
  12. Deep foundations, piles, drilled piers, well foundations.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 113 x 2 hour labNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 113 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 113 x 1 hour tutorialNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
ExerciseQuizzes and tutorial exercises20%
Laboratory Work ^Laboratory performance and reports20%
Examination ^End of semester examination60%

^ Mandatory to Pass


Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

ENS6148|2|2