The course deals with soil investigation and analysis and design of shallow footings, single pile and piled foundations and earth retaining structures. Main objectives of the course are intended to be the following: (a) to develop an understanding of fundamental concepts of the mechanics of soils and structures interacting with soils, rather than giving a formula-driven approach; (b) to build a conceptual framework of basic ideas, robust and adaptable enough to manage current and more complex problems a civil engineer is faced with; (c) to illustrate, through real cases, how the application of basic simple ideas can provide acceptable solutions to many classes of geotechnical problems.

To reach the above objectives it is presumed that, in addition to attend lectures in the classroom, students are motivated to do homework, in order to continuously check their capability to apply fundamental concepts and to deal with the analysis and design of foundations. In particular, students are expected to acquire concepts as well as current procedures to assess the ultimate-limit state and the serviceability limit state of shallow and deep foundations and earth retaining structures. As a fundamental prerequisite it is expected that students are able to plan a site investigation and to define a design soil profile with selected soil parameters.

It is presumed that students attending the course have already mastered courses on Soil Mechanics and Structural Mechanics.

1. In situ investigations - Planning site investigation - Boring methods and sampling techniques - Groundwater observations - In situ tests - Defining design soil profile and relevant soil parameters 2. Shallow foundations - Reliability analysis and design methods in geotechnical engineering - Bearing capacity of shallow foundations - Routine methods for settlement prediction - Soil-structure interaction 3. Design and analysis of pile foundations - Bearing capacity and settlement of a single pile - Bearing capacity and settlement of a pile group - Piled rafts - Laterally loaded piles - General analysis of pile groups 4. Earth retaining structures - Design and analysis of cantilever, single and multi- propped walls Homework: A. Planning a preliminary soil exploration program. Soil profiling and characterization based on in situ test data B. Design of foundation beams C. Design of piled foundations D. Design of a multi- propped wall

The contents will be delivered through lectures and class-work. Home-works are set up as well.

Lancellotta R. (1995). Geotechnical Engineering, Balkema, Rotterdam (NL). Lancellotta R. (2009). Geotechnical Engineering 2nd Edition, Taylor & Francis, Abingdon (UK) and New York (USA). Lancellotta R. and Calavera J. (1999). Fondazioni, McGraw-Hill, Milano (IT). Lancellotta R., Costanzo D. and Foti S. (2011). Progettazione Geotecnica secondo l’Eurocodice 7 (UNI EN 1997) e le Norme Tecniche per le Costruzioni (NTC 2008), Hoepli, Milano (IT).

Modalità di esame: Prova orale obbligatoria;

Exam: Compulsory oral exam;

... The exam includes a written test and an oral discussion about all the topics that are dealt with during the course lessons (lectures and exercise classes). The written test is aimed at evaluating the ability of the students to use theoretical notions to solve elementary problems concerning the current procedures to assess the ultimate-limit state and the serviceability limit state of shallow and deep foundations and earth retaining structures. The written test consists of calculation exercises, that have to be solved within 2 hours. During the written test, the students can consult the recommended textbooks and personal notes and can use a calculator. It is not allowed the use of smartphones, tablets and laptops. The admission to the oral discussion is obtained only by a written test score not lower than 16/30 (maximum score equal to 30/30). Homework is checked at the beginning of the oral exam. The discussion about homework is aimed at evaluating the ability to write an investigation report and to develop the design of foundation and earth retaining structures. Moreover, the oral exam is aimed at ascertaining the learning of the theoretical principles which govern the interaction between soils and structures. The oral examination score can increase the written test score of no more than 8/30.

Gli studenti e le studentesse con disabilità o con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento (DSA), oltre alla segnalazione tramite procedura informatizzata, sono invitati a comunicare anche direttamente al/la docente titolare dell'insegnamento, con un preavviso non inferiore ad una settimana dall'avvio della sessione d'esame, gli strumenti compensativi concordati con l'Unità Special Needs, al fine di permettere al/la docente la declinazione più idonea in riferimento alla specifica tipologia di esame.