Free geotechnical engineering course
Soil Mechanics Fundamentals
Clear, carefully checked lessons for civil engineering students and early-career engineers. Understand the ground before you build on it, one question at a time.
How every lesson works
Built so you understand it, not just memorise it.
Each lesson stands on its own, so you can start with whatever you need today.
Plain-language fundamentals
Every idea is explained from the ground up, with original diagrams and the reasons behind each equation.
Worked examples, then your turn
Step-by-step solutions show the method. Practice questions have hidden answers so you can check yourself honestly.
An assessment to finish
Each lesson ends with an exam-style assessment. Use it for your own practice, or send it to me for marking and written feedback.
The lessons
Follow the ground from first site visit to final design.
The lessons follow the questions an engineer asks on a real project, in the order they come up.
What’s under the site?
Geology and ground investigation
- 1How do soils form? Engineering geology for civil engineersAvailable
- 2How do engineers find out what’s underground? Site investigation explainedComing soon
What soil is this?
Identifying, describing and classifying soil
- 3Gravel, sand, silt or clay? Particle size and grading curvesComing soon
- 4Why does clay behave like plastic? Atterberg limits made simpleComing soon
- 5How do engineers describe and classify soil?Coming soon
How much does it weigh?
Phase relationships, density and compaction
- 6The phase diagram: soil is solids, water and airComing soon
- 7What’s the difference between density and unit weight?Coming soon
- 8Bulk, dry, saturated or submerged: which density should you use?Coming soon
- 9How loose or dense is a sand? Relative densityComing soon
- 10Why do we compact soil? Proctor tests and field checksComing soon
Can we build on it?
Stresses in the ground
- 11Effective stress: the most important idea in soil mechanicsComing soon
- 12Why does the water table matter? Short-term vs long-term conditionsComing soon
- 13How does a load spread out beneath a foundation?Coming soon
Will water cause problems?
Permeability and seepage
- 14How fast does water flow through soil? PermeabilityComing soon
- 15Flow nets and seepage under dams and wallsComing soon
Will it settle or fail?
Settlement, shear strength and slopes
- 16How much will a building settle straight away? Elastic settlementComing soon
- 17Why do clay sites keep settling for years? ConsolidationComing soon
- 18What makes soil fail? Shear strength basicsComing soon
- 19Shear box and triaxial tests: what the lab tells usComing soon
- 20Will this slope stay up? Slope stabilityComing soon
Lessons are for learning only. On real projects, always follow current codes of practice and the advice of a qualified engineer.