The relation between a structure and its foundation is one of the keys of architecture construction.

In this subject we will study the different soil types and their mechanical behavior for its application to construction works. The subject also covers usual foundation design and construction processes, soil-foundation interaction, basic foundation and retaining structures calculation and the contents of a geotechnical engineering report.

General: Understand the problems of structural design, construction and engineering that are related to building projects, and also the techniques for solving these.

Advanced aptitude for: Apply technical and construction regulations; conserve building, foundations and civil works structures; conserve completed projects; value works.

Conceive, calculate, design and integrate solutions into buildings and urban complexes; foundation solutions (CS).

Advanced ability for: Conceive, calculate, design, integrate and execute the following in urban complexes: building structures (CS). Conserve structural work

Appropriate advanced knowledge about: The mechanics of solids, continuous media and soils, and also the plastic, elastic and resistance properties of heavy work materials; conventional construction systems and their pathology.

Lesson1: FOUNDATIONS. FUNDAMENTALS.

Lesson 2: SOIL AND ROCK

Lesson 3: TYPES OF SOILS

Lesson 4: SOIL’S HIDRAULIC FEATURES

Lesson 5: STRESSES IN A MASS OF SOIL

Lesson 6: SOIL’S MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

Lesson 7: RETAINING STRUCTURES. CONCEPTS

Lesson 8: RETAINING STRUCTURES. CALCULATION

Lesson 9: SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS. CONCEPTS

Lesson 10: SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS. CALCULATION

Lesson 11: DEEP FOUNDATIONS. CONCEPTS

Lesson 12: DEEP FOUNDATIONS. CALCULATION

Lesson 13: EXCAVATIONS AND SLOPES. CONCEPTS.

Lesson 14: EXCAVATIONS AND SLOPES. CALCULATION

Lesson 15: GEOTHECNICAL RESEARCH

The subject will be developed based on Active Methodologies from Project Based Learning. The student will design a Project during the semester and some contents will be explained organized in thematic modules.

The project will start the first day of the semester and will be divided in different phases:

1. INTRODUCING THE DRIVING QUESTION

2. DEFINING WHAT IS NEEDED

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

4. 1ST STAGE CALCULATION

5. RESULTS PRESENTATION

6. FOUNDATION DRAFT

7. DRAFT ASSESSMENT

8. CORRECTION IMPLEMENTATION

9. FINAL PROJECT

10. FINAL PROJECT ASSESSMENT

The theoretical content is divided in thematic modules grouped in even weeks from the 2nd to the 10th:

A. SOIL AND GEOTECHNICAL REPORT

B. SLOPE STABILITY

C. RETAINING SYSTEMS

D. SHALLOW FOUNDATIONS

E. DEEP FOUNDATIONS

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Multiple-Choice Test (%): 25
  • Oral defense (%): 5
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 20
  • Team projects (problem solving, project design)) (%): 30
  • Exhibition of works, readings ... (%): 5
  • Unified Workshop + Involvement and participation. (%): 15

The 100% of the program will have continuous assessment (following article 43 from the Normativa de gestión para las enseñanzas de grado y de primer y segundo ciclo para el curso 2014/15), by the sum of the marks obtained for all the deliverables that every student must provide during the semester. It is mandatory to pass the minimum knowledge test.



The mentioned article 43 says that any student that cannot take part in the continuous assessment can prove that reaches the knowledge and skills inherent to the subject by one only final test which must be designed to cover the 100% of the subject. In this case the student must justify why he is not able to follow the continuous assessment before the end of the first module.



The student can renounce to the assessment call by express communication 10 days before the start of the official exam period. This way the assessment call will not be taken into account for the student.

If the student does not pass through the ordinary continuous assessment call he can do it through the extraordinary call which will consist on improving the deficient projects or, as an alternative, doing a new exercise (according to the teacher’s assessment of the student’s career).

The e-learning platform egela will be used for teaching: https://egela.ehu.es/
This way the students will get the basic documents for the course as notes, presentations or other documents created for the subject. It will also serve as a communication vehicle for solving questions and sharing information, managing groups, etc.

Basic bibliography

LIU, Cheng. EVETT, Jack B. SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS

Robert W. Day. FOUNDATION ENGINEERING HANDBOOK.McGraw Hill Construction – ASCE PRESS.

Código Técnico de la Edificación. Documento Básico - Seguridad Estructural . CIMIENTOS

K. TERZAGHI, R.B. PECK. MECANICA DEL SUELO EN LA INGENIERIA PRÁCTICA. Ed. EL ATENEO, S.A.

T. WILLIAM LAMBE, ROBERT U. WHITMAN. MECANICA DE SUELOS. Ed. LIMUSA-WILEY, S.A.

In-depth bibliography

JIMENEZ SALAS, J.L ALPAÑES, A.A. SERRANO. GEOTECNIA Y CIMENTOS. TOMOS I, II Y III. Ed. RUEDA
J. B. PEREZ VALCARCEL. EXCAVACIONES URBANAS Y ESTRUCTURAS DE CONTENCIÓN. Ed. CAT. COAG.
MUZÁS LABAD, FERNANDO. MECANICA DEL SUELO Y CIMENTACIONES
LIU, Cheng. EVETT, Jack B. SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
CALAVERA, José. MUROS DE CONTENCION Y MUROS DE SOTANO. Intemac.
CALAVERA, José. CALCULO DE ESTRUCTURAS DE CIMENTACION. Intemac
B.H.C. SUTTON. MECANICA DEL SUELO. Problemas Resueltos.
IZQUIERDO, F.A. M.A. CARRIÓN. PROBLEMAS DE GEOTECNIA Y CIMIENTOS
GUIA DE CIMENTACIONES EN OBRAS DE CARRETERA. Ministerio de Fomento
GUÍA PARA EL PROYECTO Y LA EJECUCIÓN DE MUROS DE ESCOLLERA EN OBRAS DE CARRETERA.
Ministerio de Fomento