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Book Cover
E-book
Author Puzrin, A. M. (Alexander M.)

Title Geomechanics of failures / A.M. Puzrin, E.E. Alonso, N.M. Pinyol
Published Dordrecht ; London : Springer, 2009

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Description 1 online resource
Contents Settlements -- Interaction between Neighbouring Structures: Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, Mexico -- Unexpected Excessive Settlements: Kansai International Airport, Japan -- Leaning Instability: The Tower of Pisa, Italy -- Bearing Capacity -- Bearing Capacity Failure: Transcona Grain Elevator, Canada -- Caisson Failure Induced by Liquefaction: Barcelona Harbour, Spain -- Excavations -- Braced Excavation Collapse: Nicoll Highway, Singapore -- Tunnel Excavation Collapse: Borràs Square, Spain -- Tunnel Face Instability: Floresta Tunnels, Spain
Summary It is not an easy task to fascinate a student with a standard course on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. If, however, the same material is presented as a tool to explore a natural or a man-made "disaster", both the motivation and the ability to absorb this material increase dramatically. The case studies in this book could help to build an introductory Forensic Geotechnical Engineering course, covering such basic topics as settlements, bearing capacity and excavations. The failure cases considered in this book have something in common - they can be all reasonably well explained using so called "back-of-the-envelope" calculations, i.e., without sophisticated models requiring finite element analysis. These simple methods based on clear mechanical considerations are the endangered species of the computer dominated era, though sometimes they could prevent a disaster caused by a wrong application of computer models. In particular, the upper bound limit analysis has repeatedly proven itself as a powerful tool allowing for sufficiently accurate estimates of the failure loads and leaving a lot of room for creativity. No one is exempt from making mistakes, but repeating well known mistakes reveals a gap in education. One of the objectives of this book is to attempt bridging this gap, at least partially. More failure cases covering a larger area of geotechnical problems are included into the companion book "Geomechanics of Failures: Advanced Topics" by the same authors
Analysis engineering
civiele techniek
civil engineering
aardwetenschappen
earth sciences
toegepaste wiskunde
applied mathematics
Engineering (General)
Techniek (algemeen)
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references
Notes Print version record
Subject Structural failures -- Investigation -- Case studies
Structural analysis (Engineering) -- Mathematics
Soil mechanics -- Mathematics
Ingénierie.
Soil mechanics -- Mathematics
Structural analysis (Engineering) -- Mathematics
Structural failures -- Investigation
Genre/Form Case studies
Case studies.
Études de cas.
Form Electronic book
Author Alonso, Eduardo E., 1947-
Pinyol, N. M. (Núria M.)
ISBN 9789048135318
9048135311