ENGV 395 Geotechnical Engineering

The LU engineering degree programs are designed to develop Christ-centered men and women with the values, knowledge, and skills essential to positively influence engineering-related industries in the current and evolving economy. The programs prepare graduates for the thoughtful integration of work and life and to view the engineering profession as a lifelong commitment to serving others. Within a few years of graduating, engineering graduates will be able to advance in an engineering career or graduate studies, be recognized as creative thinkers exhibiting an aptitude for continuous learning and display professional ethics and behavior consistent with foundational Christian principles.

Geotechnical Engineering is one of the pillars of Civil Engineering. Civil Engineers must be well versed in the intricacies of structural load transfer from the superstructure to the substructure (i.e., foundation), and then to the soil supporting the foundation. Civil Engineers also need to understand how loading and water flow phenomena affect the stability, strength, compressibility, and permeability of the soil.

Historically, all man-made structures (e.g., buildings, bridges, dams, highways, retaining walls, excavations, etc.) rested on earth and thus, needed a properly designed and constructed foundation to safely transfer the ultimate and service loads to the soil. Geotechnical Engineering (ENGV395) helps students to interpret the fundamental mechanisms governing soil’s behavior, as it is subjected to changes related to loading and flow conditions, and apply them in the analysis and design of geotechnical elements.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Video Discussion

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. There will be one 5-minute video presentation using Kaltura. The student will be required to present on the paper that they have researched and developed throughout the course. In addition, the student will be required to submit a written reply of at least 250 words to two peers’ presented videos.

Homework Assignments (12)

Homework consists of problem sets from the required textbook or assignment sheets made available via Cengage or Canvas. Homework problem sets reinforce the material covered during class lectures. Problem sets play an important role in preparing the student for his/her graded examinations.

Research Paper Assignments (3)

There will be one semester project. The project is designed to help the student practice his/her new information-learning skills. In doing so, the student will be reviewing applicable references, learning new knowledge, applying it to solving a complex engineering design problem, constructing a research paper that follows ASCE journal style, and disseminating his/her findings via a 5-minute presentation video.

Research Paper: Title and Content Summary Assignment: The title should not exceed 12 words. The content summary should be 250-300 words.

Research Paper: First Draft Assignment: This assignment will be at least 10-12 pages. 

Research Paper: Final Draft Manuscript Assignment: This assignment will be at least 10-12 pages.

Quizzes (4)

Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the assigned modules.

All quizzes are take-home, open-book, open-notes, closed-neighbor exams.

The student is strongly advised to work on the quizzes independently.

Suspiciously similar submissions will be penalized following the LU Academic Honor Code.

Each quiz contains 1 file upload question, has a 4-hour time limit, and allows one attempt.