SOLUTIONS MANUAL FOR
HANDY AND SPANGLER
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Fifth Edition
Prepared by R. L. Handy and A. J. Lutenegger
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
,Chapter 1.
1.1. (a). Mechanics: “That part of physical science that deals with the action of forces on
masses.”
(b). Soil mechanics: The branch of mechanics that deals with the action of forces on
soils.
(c). Geotechnical engineering: The application of the principles of soil and rock
mechanics in engineering.
1.2. Foundations, slopes, embankments, dams, retaining walls, highway pavements, levees,
culverts, etc.
1.3. Check online, Wikipedia.
1.4. Coulomb: Theory of friction; soil pressures on retaining walls.
Rankine: Theory horizontal soil pressures.
Boussinesq: Theory of stress distribution.
Mohr: Devised graphical representation of stresses.
Atterberg: Defined soil consistency limits.
Marston: Theory of soil loads on conduits.
Terzaghi: "Father" of modern soil mechanics.
Proctor: principles of soil compaction.
Etc.
1.5. Terazaghi. Consolidation and bearing capacity theories.
1.6. (a). Soils are variable and must be identified and their properties evaluated for
engineering uses.
(b) Soil properties vary depending on environmental factors including moisture,
temperature, lateral stress and disturbance.
1.7. (a) Engineering geologist.
(b), (c). Geotechnical engineer.
, (d) Engineering geologist.
(e) Both.
1.8. Bypassing silt-laden water during flood; utilizing density currents, settling basins…new
ideas are needed.
1.9. Straightening increases the gradient and initiates aggressive meandering that if not
restrained could take the bridge out.
Chapter 2.
2.1. Volcanic boundary of the Pacific Plates.
2.2. Island arc, shield volcano, fissure flows (plateau basalts)
2.3. Check Google.
2.4. earthquake.usgs.gov/
2.5. 4.5 billion cm is more than the circumference of the earth.
2.6. Cores of mountain ranges and shield areas, which are exposed cores of old mountain ranges.
2.7. Exfoliation due to expansion of surface grains as a result of weathering is demonstrably far
more likely than stream rounding.
2.8. Quartz is harder than feldspar has no cleavage, and is more resistant to weathering.
2.9. Spraying with water, caution over valor.
2.10. In increasing order, contact with a lava flow, toxic gases associated with eruptions,
pyroclastic flows, tsunamis.
Chapter 3.
3.1. Obviously recognition.
3.2. (a) Remolded shale can deteriorate to clay in time.
(b) Geologically young shales often are expansive.
(c) Bedding planes can contribute to a slope failure.
3.3. (a) Sand.
(b) Clay.
(c) Sand.
(d) Clay.
, (e). Clay and chert.
3.4. Clay pockets, caverns and sinks.
3.5. Dig out and replace with compacted soil or bridge over, for example with a grouted plug
composed of cobbles supported on steel mesh.
3.6. (a) Pulverized rock or rock flour. Streams follow along the fault. Gouge can be
identified by careful inspection of cores from borings.
(b) Movement along a fault can disrupt structures and cause earthquakes.
(c) Disruption of a dam can have tragic consequences.
3.7. (a) The house may be over a mine tunnel. The roof fell in incrementally by stoping.
(b) Move the house. Grouting can be attempted but there is no assurance of success.
3.8. Show how a sink connects to caverns that are aquifers for wells, and show a dead hog in
the sink.
3.9. Some possibilities: Use a plastic barrier around and under the foundation. Continuously
pump fresh air into sand under concrete floors that are in contact with the soil.
3.10. Water or carbon dioxide may be injected, but mine fires are hot, so after being
extinguished they eventually re-ignite. Dry ice may be used but is expensive. Mines
commonly are pumped full of fly ash grout, but it is difficult to fill the stoped crown
areas.
3.11. A rising groundwater table exerts a buoyant force that helps to support the mass over the
mine. This normally does not occur with caverns because as nearby valleys deepen by
erosion the groundwater table is lowered.
3.12. On and immediately under the ridges.
3.13. As a roof caves in it occupies a larger volume such that if the mine is deep enough the void
and be filled, which will prevent caving from reaching the ground surface.
3.14. By reducing or removing the buoyant force it may cause a cave-in.
3.15. Longwall is a continuous mining method that leaves no pillars. Invented in England.
3.16. (a) Schist is metamorphosed shale that has been changed by heat from the granite
intrusion.
(b) The parallel layers were laid down sequentially. The limestone contact is an
unconformity indicating deposition was interrupted by a period of uplift and erosion.
HANDY AND SPANGLER
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Fifth Edition
Prepared by R. L. Handy and A. J. Lutenegger
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
,Chapter 1.
1.1. (a). Mechanics: “That part of physical science that deals with the action of forces on
masses.”
(b). Soil mechanics: The branch of mechanics that deals with the action of forces on
soils.
(c). Geotechnical engineering: The application of the principles of soil and rock
mechanics in engineering.
1.2. Foundations, slopes, embankments, dams, retaining walls, highway pavements, levees,
culverts, etc.
1.3. Check online, Wikipedia.
1.4. Coulomb: Theory of friction; soil pressures on retaining walls.
Rankine: Theory horizontal soil pressures.
Boussinesq: Theory of stress distribution.
Mohr: Devised graphical representation of stresses.
Atterberg: Defined soil consistency limits.
Marston: Theory of soil loads on conduits.
Terzaghi: "Father" of modern soil mechanics.
Proctor: principles of soil compaction.
Etc.
1.5. Terazaghi. Consolidation and bearing capacity theories.
1.6. (a). Soils are variable and must be identified and their properties evaluated for
engineering uses.
(b) Soil properties vary depending on environmental factors including moisture,
temperature, lateral stress and disturbance.
1.7. (a) Engineering geologist.
(b), (c). Geotechnical engineer.
, (d) Engineering geologist.
(e) Both.
1.8. Bypassing silt-laden water during flood; utilizing density currents, settling basins…new
ideas are needed.
1.9. Straightening increases the gradient and initiates aggressive meandering that if not
restrained could take the bridge out.
Chapter 2.
2.1. Volcanic boundary of the Pacific Plates.
2.2. Island arc, shield volcano, fissure flows (plateau basalts)
2.3. Check Google.
2.4. earthquake.usgs.gov/
2.5. 4.5 billion cm is more than the circumference of the earth.
2.6. Cores of mountain ranges and shield areas, which are exposed cores of old mountain ranges.
2.7. Exfoliation due to expansion of surface grains as a result of weathering is demonstrably far
more likely than stream rounding.
2.8. Quartz is harder than feldspar has no cleavage, and is more resistant to weathering.
2.9. Spraying with water, caution over valor.
2.10. In increasing order, contact with a lava flow, toxic gases associated with eruptions,
pyroclastic flows, tsunamis.
Chapter 3.
3.1. Obviously recognition.
3.2. (a) Remolded shale can deteriorate to clay in time.
(b) Geologically young shales often are expansive.
(c) Bedding planes can contribute to a slope failure.
3.3. (a) Sand.
(b) Clay.
(c) Sand.
(d) Clay.
, (e). Clay and chert.
3.4. Clay pockets, caverns and sinks.
3.5. Dig out and replace with compacted soil or bridge over, for example with a grouted plug
composed of cobbles supported on steel mesh.
3.6. (a) Pulverized rock or rock flour. Streams follow along the fault. Gouge can be
identified by careful inspection of cores from borings.
(b) Movement along a fault can disrupt structures and cause earthquakes.
(c) Disruption of a dam can have tragic consequences.
3.7. (a) The house may be over a mine tunnel. The roof fell in incrementally by stoping.
(b) Move the house. Grouting can be attempted but there is no assurance of success.
3.8. Show how a sink connects to caverns that are aquifers for wells, and show a dead hog in
the sink.
3.9. Some possibilities: Use a plastic barrier around and under the foundation. Continuously
pump fresh air into sand under concrete floors that are in contact with the soil.
3.10. Water or carbon dioxide may be injected, but mine fires are hot, so after being
extinguished they eventually re-ignite. Dry ice may be used but is expensive. Mines
commonly are pumped full of fly ash grout, but it is difficult to fill the stoped crown
areas.
3.11. A rising groundwater table exerts a buoyant force that helps to support the mass over the
mine. This normally does not occur with caverns because as nearby valleys deepen by
erosion the groundwater table is lowered.
3.12. On and immediately under the ridges.
3.13. As a roof caves in it occupies a larger volume such that if the mine is deep enough the void
and be filled, which will prevent caving from reaching the ground surface.
3.14. By reducing or removing the buoyant force it may cause a cave-in.
3.15. Longwall is a continuous mining method that leaves no pillars. Invented in England.
3.16. (a) Schist is metamorphosed shale that has been changed by heat from the granite
intrusion.
(b) The parallel layers were laid down sequentially. The limestone contact is an
unconformity indicating deposition was interrupted by a period of uplift and erosion.
