2020 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate major in Civil Engineering
Stability Problems in Geotechnical Engineering
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Civil Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Akihiro Takahashi / Masaki Kitazume / Jiro Takemura
- Class Format
- Lecture (Zoom)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Mon (Zoom) / 1-2 Thu (Zoom)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- CVE.C402
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2020
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
The course focuses on fundamentals of analysis methods, including soil-water coupled finite element analysis and material point method, for stability problems in geotechnical engineering. The course also covers recent topics in underground construction and soil improvement.
This course facilitates students' understanding of soil-water coupled finite element analysis and recent advancement in geotechnical engineering.
Course description and aims
Students are expected to understand fundamentals of analysis methods, including soil-water coupled finite element analysis and material point method, for stability problems in geotechnical engineering. Students also gain knowledge of recent topics in underground construction and soil improvement.
Keywords
finite element method, soil-water coupled analysis, consolidation, stability analysis, excavation and tunnelling, ground improvement
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Mainly lectures. Regular assignments are given and their reviews are made in the next class.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction (AT) |
To understand stability problems in geotechnical engineering |
| Class 2 | Governing equations for soil-water coupled problems (AT) |
To understand derivation of soil-water coupled governing equations |
| Class 3 | Finite element modelling (Weak-form of governing equations) (AT) |
To understand weak form of the governing equations |
| Class 4 | Finite element modelling (Discitisation in space and time domains and specification of boundary conditions) (AT) |
To understand discitisation in space and time domains and specification of boundary conditions |
| Class 5 | Soil behaviour and modelling (Real soil behaviour / simple elasto-plastic models) (AT) |
To understand real soil behaviour and simple elasto-plastic models |
| Class 6 | Soil behaviour and modelling (Cam-clay model) (AT) |
To understand Cam-clay model |
| Class 7 | Consolidation analysis (Parameter determination) (AT) |
To understand parameter determination for consolidation problems |
| Class 8 | Consolidation analysis (Calculation examples) (AT) |
To understand consolidation analysis |
| Class 9 | Dynamic resonse analysis (AT) |
To understand dynamic response analysis |
| Class 10 | Stability analysis using finite element method (AT) |
To understand stability analysis using finite element method |
| Class 11 | Material point method (AT) |
To understand material point method |
| Class 12 | Soil improvements & reinforcement (MK) |
To understand recent soil improvement technology |
| Class 13 | Underground construction (Open-cut) (JT) |
To understand recent open-cut methods for excavation |
| Class 14 | Underground construction (Tunnelling) (JT) |
To understand recent tunnelling methods |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Handouts will be provided by the instructors.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
For finite element analysis in geotechnical engineering:
D.M. Potts & L. Zdravkovic (1999) Finite element analysis in geotechnical engineering - Theory, Thomas Telford
O.C. Zienkiewicz, A.H.C. Chan, M. Pastor, B.A. Schrefler & T. Shiomi (1999) Computional geomechanics - with special reference to earthquake engineering, John Wiley & Sons
Evaluation methods and criteria
Assignments (80%) and attendance (20%)
Related courses
- CVE.C201 ： Soil Mechanics I
- CVE.C202 ： Soil Mechanics II
- CVE.C310 ： Foundation Engineering
- CVE.C311 ： Geotechnical Engineering in Practice
- CVE.C401 ： Mechanics of Geomaterials
- CVE.C431 ： Physical Modeling in Geotechnics
- CVE.M401 ： Civil Engineering Analysis
Prerequisites
No prerequisites are necessary, but enrollment in the related courses is desirable.