The field of interest

Geotechnics

Geotechnical engineering is a core branch of civil engineering focused on the physical and mechanical behavior of soil and rock as structural support media. Its scope includes field and laboratory investigations such as borehole drilling, SPT, CPTu, DMT, geophysical surveys, etc., to obtain shear strength parameters, compressibility, permeability, and deformation characteristics. These data form the basis for soil–rock classification and for modeling ground response to structural loads and environmental changes.

Design applications in geotechnical engineering include shallow and deep foundations, settlement analysis, lateral earth pressure evaluation, and retaining systems such as sheet piles, secant piles, diaphragm walls, soldier piles, braced excavations, and others. Slope stability assessments use Limit Equilibrium Methods (Bishop, Janbu, Morgenstern–Price, etc.) and advanced numerical modeling (FEM) to predict deformation patterns and failure mechanisms. The field also covers ground improvement techniques—soil nailing, deep mixing, stone columns, preloading–wick drains, geosynthetics—and geohazard studies such as liquefaction, seismic amplification, and rainfall-induced slope failures, aligned with current standards and guidelines.

During construction and monitoring phases, geotechnical engineering involves soil–structure interaction analysis and instrumentation such as settlement plates, inclinometers, and piezometers. Common engineering software includes GeoStudio, PLAXIS 2D/3D, GEO5, MIDAS GTS NX, ZSOIL, ABAQUS, etc. The overall goal of geotechnical engineering is to deliver safe, stable, and economical solutions for infrastructures under diverse ground conditions while supporting sustainable development in geologically sensitive environments.