Teaching Laboratory

The facilities of the Teaching Soil Mechanics Laboratory are used exclusively by the undergraduate students to perform tests simulating the loading conditions in geotechnical applications. Laboratory class attendance is mandatory in university laboratory courses i.e Laboratory of Materials and Laboratory of Structures and Geotechnics.

The course of Experimental Soil Mechanics is offered to the students of the Geotechnical Department. The course covers laboratory methods commonly used to determine the soil parameters that govern its engineering behaviour. As part of the course the students have the opportunity of performing standard laboratory tests using the facilities housed within the Soil Mechanics Laboratory.

Laboratory soil testing comprises of: soil classification tests; measurement of elementary soil properties including density, void ratio, specific gravity; Atterberg limit tests; grain size analysis including sieve and sedimentation analysis; measurement of the permeability coefficient of soils; consolidation test; measurement of limiting earth pressures in a retaining wall model; Proctor test; direct shear test and triaxial test.

By the end of the course the students possess the skills and knowledge necessary to determine the soil parameters required for the analysis and design of soil structures such as retaining walls, slopes, earthdams and foundations.

The teaching laboratory is equipped with general laboratory equipment for the determination of soil properties and standard geotechnical laboratory testing apparatuses (e.g. triaxial, shear box, oedometer, permeameter, etc.).