Geotechnical engineering: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 02:41, 10 September 2023

Revision as of 10:25, 26 September 2023

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==History==

Humans have historically used soil as a monkey ah gorilla

Humans have historically used soil as a material for flood control, irrigation purposes, burial sites, building foundations, and construction materials for buildings. Dykes, [[dam]]s, and [[canal]]s dating back to at least 2000 BCE—found in parts of ancient [[Egypt]], ancient [[Mesopotamia]], the [[Fertile Crescent]], and the early settlements of [[Mohenjo-daro|Mohenjo Daro]] and Harappa in the [[Indus valley]]—provide evidence for early activities linked to [[irrigation]] and [[flood control]]. As cities expanded, structures were erected and supported by formalized foundations. The [[ancient Greeks]] notably constructed pad footings and strip-and-raft foundations. Until the 18th century, however, no theoretical basis for soil design had been developed, and the discipline was more of an art than a science, relying on experience.<ref name=das>{{cite book | last = Das | first = Braja | title = Principles of Geotechnical Engineering | publisher = Thomson Learning | year = 2006}}</ref>

Several foundation-related engineering problems, such as the [[Leaning Tower of Pisa]], prompted scientists to begin taking a more scientific-based approach to examining the subsurface. The earliest advances occurred in the development of [[lateral earth pressure|earth pressure]] theories for the construction of [[retaining walls]]. Henri Gautier, a French royal engineer, recognized the "natural slope" of different soils in 1717, an idea later known as the soil's [[angle of repose]]. Around the same time, a rudimentary soil classification system was also developed based on a material's unit weight, which is no longer considered a good indication of soil type.<ref name=das/><ref name=budhu>{{cite book | last = Budhu | first = Muni | title = Soil Mechanics and Foundations | publisher = John Wiley & Sons, Inc | year = 2007 | isbn = 978-0-471-43117-6}}</ref>