Soils are composed of grains but they are generally treated as continua in the classical framework of geomechanics. Their macroscopic response under loading, such as their non-linearity, yielding and anisotropy, is controlled by their micro-structure, the characteristics of the grains and the disposition of contacts between them. There have been rapid advances in technology both to investigate the microscopic properties of soils, and to simulate their granular behaviour explicitly through Discrete Element Method (DEM). DEM was originally used to reproduce element tests, but it is now being advocated for boundary-value problems. Geomechanics and Geotechnics: From Micro to Macro includes 174 peer-reviewed papers presented at the International Symposium on Geomechanics and Geotechnics: From Micro to Macro (IS-Shanghai 2010, Shanghai, China, 10-12 October 2010). The symposium provided an opportunity for the exchange of ideas and information on experiments, numerical models and engineering applications related to the discrete nature of geomaterials. The main goal was to explore further advances in the use of micro-geomechanical approaches, and by doing so to improve the understanding of macro-geomechanical phenomena by offering experiments, constitutive relations, numerical analyses and engineering applications associated with the discrete nature of geomaterials. Geomechanics and Geotechnics: From Micro to Macro will be of interest to academics and engineers involved in Soil Mechanics, Geomechanics, Geotechnical Engineering, Geoengineering and Civil Engineering.

An excellent source of reference on the current practice of physical modelling in geotechnics and environmental engineering. Volume One concentrates on physical modelling facilities and experimental techniques, soil characterisation, slopes, dams, liquefaction, ground improvement and reinforcement, offshore foundations and anchors, and pipelines. V

Soils are composed of grains but they are generally treated as continua in the classical framework of geomechanics. Their macroscopic response under loading, such as their non-linearity, yielding and anisotropy, is controlled by their micro-structure, the characteristics of the grains and the disposition of contacts between them. There have been rapid advances in technology both to investigate the microscopic properties of soils, and to simulate their granular behaviour explicitly through Discrete Element Method (DEM). DEM was originally used to ...

Geomechanics from Micro to Macro contains 268 papers presented at the International Symposium on Geomechanics from Micro and Macro (IS-Cambridge, UK, 1-3 September 2014). The symposium created a forum for the dissemination of new advances in the micro-macro relations of geomaterial behaviour and its modelling. The papers on experimental investigati

Microscopic re-examination of geomaterials consisting of aggregates can shed light on macroscopic behaviour, including compressibility, anisotropy, yielding, creep, cyclic liquefaction and shear rupture. As a result of this process of examination, new methods of material characterization emerge, leading to a greater degree of accuracy in the specification of new constitutive models with physically-meaningful parameters. The impetus behind this development is an increasing awareness on sustainability, leading to the more efficient use of recycled materials for geotechnical applications. The characteristics of recycled materials, such as compressibility and self-hardening, may differ significantly from those of natural materials, and it is crucial that evaluation is made from a specifically particulate perspective.

At first glance, roads seem like the simplest possible geotechnical structures. However, analysis of these structures runs up against complexities related to the intense stresses experienced by road surfaces, their intense interaction with climate, and the complicated behavior of the materials used in road construction. Modern mechanistic approaches to road design provide the tools capable of developing new technical solutions. However, use of these approaches requires deep understanding of the behavior of constituent materials and their interaction with water and heat which has recently been acquired thanks to advances in geotechnical engineering. The author comprehensively describes and explains these advances and their use in road engineering in the two-volume set Geotechnics of Roads, compiling information that had hitherto only been available in numerous research papers. Geotechnics of Roads: Fundamentals presents stresses and strains in road structures, water and heat migration within and between layers of road materials, and the effects of water on the strength and stiffness of those materials. It includes a deep analysis of soil compaction, one of the most important issues in road construction. Compaction accounts for only a small proportion of a construction budget but its effects on the long-term performance of a road are decisive. In addition, the book describes methodologies for nondestructive road evaluation including analysis of continuous compaction control, a powerful technique for real-time quality control of road structures. Geotechnics of Roads: Advanced Analysis and Modeling develops 23 extended examples that cover most of the theoretical aspects presented in the book Geotechnics of Roads, Fundamentals. Moreover, for most examples, Volume 2 describes algorithms for solving complex problems and provides Matlab® scripts for their solution. Consequently, Volume 2 is a natural complement of the book Geotechnics of roads: Fundamentals. This unique set will be of value to civil, structural and geotechnical engineers worldwide.

In recent decades the development of unsaturated soil mechanics has been remarkable, resulting in momentous advances in fundamental knowledge, testing techniques, computational procedures, prediction methodologies and geotechnical practice. The advances have spanned the full spectrum of theory and practice. In addition, unsaturated materials exhibiting complex behaviour such as residual soils, swelling soils, compacted soils, collapsing soils, tropical soils and solid wastes have been integrated in a common understanding of shared behaviour features. It is also noteworthy that unsaturated soil mechanics has proved surprisingly fruitful in expanding to other neighbouring areas such as swelling rocks, rockfill mechanics, and freezing soils. As a consequence, geotechnical engineering involving unsaturated soils can be now approached from a more rational and systematic perspective leading towards an improved and more effective practice. Unsaturated Soils contains the papers presented at the 5th International Conference on Unsaturated Soil (Barcelona, Spain, 6-8 September 2010). They report significant advances in the areas of unsaturated soil behaviour, testing techniques, constitutive and numerical modelling and applications. The areas of application include soil-atmosphere interaction, foundations, slopes, embankments, pavements, geoenviromental problems and emerging topics. They are complemented by three keynote lectures and three general reports covering general issues of modelling, testing and applications. Unsaturated Soils is a comprehensive record of the state-of-the art in unsaturated soil mechanics and a sound basis for further progress in the future. The two volumes will serve as an essential reference for academics, researchers and practitioners interested in unsaturated soils.