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. The Soil Mechanics Laboratory participates in the following experimental core courses:
Materials Laboratory
1st Semester
Important industrial minerals such as kaolin and granular materials of the size of silt and sand can be visually observed by naked eye or with the aid of an optical microscope and can be felt by the hand. In this class the emphasis is on the particulate nature of soils and its effect on soil strength.The next topic covered by this laboratory class is soil density and deformation under one dimensional loading calculations.
Structures and Geotechnics Laboratory
3rd Semester
Two common geotechnical structures are being considered; first retaining wall structures supporting soil at different levels in front and behind the wall are examined and second the damaging effects of ground water flow on foundations of bridges and dams are highlighted through a number of case studies. A retaining wall and a ground water flow device are used for the laboratory simulations.
Experimental Soil Mechanics
7th Semester
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.