Applied Geology
Geological risks: hazard, vulnerability and exposure; classification of geological risks; impact and statistics, risk assessment and mitigation.
Geological-technical surveys and maps: geological exploration techniques, in situ surveys, surveys and sampling, geological-technical mapping, in situ survey planning. Preliminary characterization of rock and soil in situ and in the laboratory. Properties of rocks and soils for technical applications: behavior of different types of rock in construction; shales, sandstones and associated rocks; soluble rocks: limestones, dolomites and evaporites; plutonic igneous rocks and volcanic rocks; metamorphic rocks; rock structure, discontinuities and faults. Hydrogeology: hydraulic properties of soils, groundwater flow, groundwater, aquifers, and springs. Geological problems of engineering works: support structures, ground instability; surface and underground excavations, and support of rocks and land, natural and artificial slopes. Landslides: classification, types, mechanism, activity; site surveys; causes and factors of landslides; monitoring techniques; mitigation works and risk reduction measures. Innovative techniques: wireless sensor networks, infrared thermography, laser scanner, radar interferometry, remote sensing. Practical exercises in geotechnical laboratory, field trips, illustrative examples.
Geotechnique
0 - Introduction to the course: Peculiarities of geotechnics; Typical geotechnical problems
1 - Origin, constitution, and classification of soil: Soil formation; Soil structure; Relationship between phases and index properties; Grain size composition; Atterberg and consistency index limits; Classification systems
2 - Soil as porous media: Types of groundwater; Analysis of filtration motions in stationary conditions; Darcy's Law, One-dimensional Filtration; Permeability coefficient
3 - Soil stresses: Review on the analysis of continuous stresses and strains; Principle of Effective Tensions; State of stresses in geostatic conditions
Stress states induced by surface loads (Boussinesq and Steinbrenner solutions);
4 - Soil mechanics: Elastic model, plastic model, outline of complex rheological models; Drained and undrained conditions; Compressibility and tension history; Edometric test (diagrams and interpretations); One-dimensional consolidation theory (outline); Yielding criteria (Mohr-Coulomb, Tresca); Soil behavior with simple shear deformation; Direct and torsional shear tests (diagrams and interpretations); Triaxial tests CID, CIU, UU (diagrams and interpretations); Undrained resistance; Soil thrust (active and passive states)
5 - On-site investigations: Planning of investigations; Boreholes and sampling; Main on-site geotechnical tests
6 - Elements of Foundations and retaining structures: Shallow foundations: bearing capacity and settlement (outline); Pile Foundations: executive technologies; Main retaining structures and operating principles.