GEOTECHENGG LAST QUIZ - TERMS
Synthetic materials used in civil engineering applications to improve soil stability and performance, such as geotextiles, geomembranes, geogrids, etc. (Shackelford, 2013)
Geosynthetic
Permeable fabrics used in soil filtration, separation, or reinforcement, often in road construction and erosion control.
Geotextile
Impermeable membranes used primarily for water containment or barrier systems in civil engineering projects.
Geomembrane
Grid-like materials used to reinforce soils and similar materials for load-bearing structures
Geogrid
Lightweight, block-shaped geosynthetics used for filling voids and stabilizing soils in embankments and other structures
Geofoam
A combination of two or more geosynthetic materials to achieve specific engineering goals such as drainage or reinforcement
Geocomposite
Used for drainage, geonets consist of net-like materials that facilitate the movement of fluids in civil engineering applications.
Geonet
Perforated pipes made of plastic or other materials used for drainage and water management
Geopipe
Layers of bentonite clay sandwiched between geotextiles or geomembranes, used to control seepage in landfills and reservoirs
Geosynthetic Clay Liner
Three-dimensional honeycomb-like structures filled with soil or aggregate to improve load distribution
Geocell
The stress at a specific point below the ground surface produced by the weight of the overlying soil and water.
Total Stress
The stress carried by the solid particles in a soil mass, important for analyzing shear strength, bearing capacity, and settlement.
Effective Stress
The pressure exerted by water within the void spaces of a soil, contributing to the total stress but not affecting shear strength.
Pore Water Pressure
Stresses resulting from the weight of the overlying soil mass, naturally present in the ground
Geostatic Stress
Stresses caused by external loads such as structures, vehicles, or storage tanks, often introduced by human activity.
Induced Stress
A type of geostatic stress, acting in the vertical direction (z-axis), equal to the product of the soil unit weight and depth
Vertical Stress
Stresses acting in the horizontal directions (x and y axes), which may result from geostatic or induced vertical stresses
Horizontal Stress
Stress acting parallel to the surface of the soil mass, often zero under geostatic conditions for flat ground, but significant in sloped terrain.
Shear Stress
The maximum or minimum normal stress acting on a particular plane within a material.
Principal Stress
The greatest normal stress acting on any plane
Major Principal Stress
The smallest normal stress acting on any plane
Minor Principal Stress
A graphical representation used to describe the state of stress at a point in a material
Mohr's Circle
Stresses that develop in inclined ground surfaces due to gravity acting on the soil
Geostatic Shear Stress
The hydraulic gradient at which soil experiences zero effective stress, leading to a quicksand or boiling condition.
Critical Hydraulic Gradient
Layer(s) of soil or rock with consistent properties, often discussed in terms of soil behavior under load
Stratum/Strata
The slow movement of water through soil or rock, often governed by pore water pressure and permeability.
Seepage
A material with the same properties in all directions (uniform in x, y, and z axes)
Isotropic Material
A material with consistent properties throughout its entire volume or structure
Homogeneous Material
The manner in which stress is spread throughout a soil mass under load, often influenced by depth and soil properties
Stress Distribution
A theoretical model of stress distribution where soil behaves elastically under load
Elastic Stress Distribution
A model of stress distribution when soil yields and deforms permanently under stress.
Plastic Stress Distribution
The maximum stress a soil can support before failure occurs, typically a function of effective stress
Bearing Capacity
The trajectory followed by the state of stress in a soil sample as it undergoes loading and unloading
Stress Path
The process by which stress is transferred from a structure (e.g., a building foundation) into the underlying soil
Load Transfer
The maximum past vertical effective stress a soil has experienced, often used to assess soil compression behavior
Preconsolidation Stress
The stress exerted on a soil mass by the weight of the overlying material.
Overburden Stress
Stresses that remain in the soil after the removal of external loads.
Residual Stress
The stress applied to densify a soil mass, increasing its density and shear strength
Compaction Stress
Stress that causes soil volume reduction due to the expulsion of pore water over time
Consolidation Stress
A state where no water is allowed to drain from the soil, and the pore water pressure affects the total stress.
Undrained Stress Condition
A state where water is free to escape from the soil, leaving only the effective stress acting on the soil particles
Drained Stress Condition
The stresses applied to a soil sample during a triaxial test to assess its strength and deformation properties
Triaxial Test Stress
A phenomenon where saturated soil loses strength and stiffness due to rapid loading, often caused by earthquakes, resulting in a fluid-like state.
Liquefaction
A measure of the range of moisture content over which a soil behaves plastically
Plasticity Index
The ratio of the volume of voids to the volume of solids in a soil mass, affecting stress and permeability
Void Ratio
A measure of the rate at which a soil consolidates under load
Coefficient of Consolidation
The maximum shear stress a soil can resist before failure occurs.
Shear Strength
The part of soil shear strength that is independent of normal stress, particularly important in fine-grained soils.
Cohesion
A measure of the soil's ability to resist sliding along internal planes of weakness, based on normal and shear stress.
Angle of Internal Friction
The vertical displacement of soil as a result of stress, typically from a structure or load
Settlement
Settlement that occurs quickly after a load is applied, often due to elastic deformation
Immediate Settlement
Settlement that occurs over time due to consolidation or creep in the soil.
Long-Term Settlement
The accumulation of stress in a localized area due to irregularities in material properties or geometry
Stress Concentration
A phenomenon where stress is transferred away from a yielding zone to adjacent areas, often occurring in tunnels or embankments.
Arching Effect
A phenomenon where soil volume increases when sheared, typically seen in dense granular soils
Stress Dilation
A property that describes the ratio of lateral strain to axial strain in a material subjected to stress.
Poisson’s Ratio
The ratio of stress to strain in elastic deformation, indicating a material's stiffness under load.
Modulus of Elasticity
The stress at which a soil begins to deform plastically, leading to permanent deformation.
Yield Stress
A ratio used to determine how much stronger a structure or material is compared to the applied stress, ensuring stability against failure.
Factor of Safety