An Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering

by Robert D. Holtz, William D. Kovacs, Thomas C. Sheahan

Publisher: Prentice Hall
ISBN: 0132496348

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Book Description

A descriptive, elementary introduction to geotechnical engineering - with applications to civil engineering practice. Focuses on the engineering classification, behavior, and properties of soils necessary for the design and construction of foundations and earth structures. Introduces vibratory and dynamic compaction, the method of fragments, the Schmertmann procedure for determining field compressibility, secondary compression, liquefaction, and an extensive use of the stress path method.

Book Reviews

• “The authors do a nice job in presenting significant discussion in theory and background information. I prefer this approach to the more mechanical cookbook approach in which equations and methods are emphasized over theory. If the students are committed and dedicated to reading the text, they will find a wealth of useful information that compliments classroom lectures, and homework problems.” - Robert Mokwa, MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
• “The text provides information that goes beyond a typical undergraduate soil mechanics course. In fact I tell my students that ‘this is a text that you can retain for future use and reference, whether you choose to go to graduate school or engineering practice.’ Plus, it’s written with a good sense of humor.” - Khaled Sobhan, FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
• “Writing is excellent, engaging, and helpful. It anticipates well the questions forming in the average student’s mind.” - Trevor Smith, PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

About the Author

Bob Holtz, PhD, PE, D.GE, has degrees from Minnesota and Northwestern, and he attended the Special Program in Soil Mechanics at Harvard under Professor A. Casagrande. Before coming to the UW in 1988, he was on the faculty at Purdue and Cal State-Sacramento. He has worked for the California Dept. of Water Resources, Swedish Geotechnical Institute, NRC-Canada, and as a consulting engineer in Chicago, Paris, and Milano. His research interests and publications are mostly on geosynthetics, soil improvement, foundations, and soil properties. He is author, co-author, or editor of 23 books and book chapters, as well as more than 270 technical papers, discussions, reviews, and major reports.

Professor Holtz is a Distinguished Member of ASCE, was President of the ASCE Geo-Institute 2000-1, and currently serves as the International Secretary for the Geo-Institute. He is a Member Emeritus of TRB Committee on Soil and Rock Properties, a Past President of North American Geosynthetics Society; and a member of several other professional and technical organizations. He has taught numerous short courses and given many presentations at seminars and conferences, both in the U.S. and abroad. In 2010 he was named the 46th Karl Terzaghi Lecturer, which has been presented at several US venues and in Brazil, China, and Canada. In 2008, he was named the Puget Sound Academic Engineer of the Year.

Throughout his academic career, Professor Holtz has had an active consulting practice, involving geosynthetics, foundations, soil reinforcing, soil improvement, properties and containment of nuclear wastes, slope stability and landslides, investigation of failures, and acting as an expert witness. His clients have included federal, state, and local public agencies, civil and geotechnical engineering consultants and contractors, attorneys, and manufacturers, both in North America and overseas.

William D. Kovacs, F. ASCE, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor and former Chairman of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering from 1984 to 1990, Dr. Kovacs has conducted sponsored research under the aegis of the National Science Foundation (NSF), the United States National Bureau of Standards (USNBS), the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), the Naval Facilities Command (NAVFAC), the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE). He is the author and co-author of over sixty-five publications. A registered professional engineer, a member of the Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Honor Society, and a recipient of predoctoral grants in 1967 and 1968, Dr. Kovacs’ geotechnical engineering research interests focus on: In Situ Testing; Foundation Engineering; Dynamic Soil Property Evaluation; and Earthquake Engineering

Dr. Kovacs received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, his M.S. from the University of California, Berkeley, the B.C.E. from Cornell University, and P.E. (CA 1965, IN 1974-2002, RI 1998).

Thomas C. Sheahan is a Professor and the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University. Dr. Sheahan received his Sc.D. in Civil Engineering from M.I.T., his M.S. in Civil Engineering from M.I.T., and his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Union College.Dr. Sheahan's areas of expertise include: Rate Effects in Soils; Offshore Geohazards; Sampling Disturbance Effects; and Laboratory Instrumentation. He is licensed as a professional engineer in California and Massachusetts. Among his most recent honors and awards are the Northeastern College of Engineering Dean’s Meritorious Service Award (2009), the ASTM Committee D-18, Special Service Award (2009), the ASTM Committee on Publications, Certificate of Appreciation (2008), and the Tau Beta Pi National Capers and Marion McDonald Mentoring Award (2007).

Customer Reviews

I hope the reviewer who rated the book one star doesn't consider himself a geotechnical engineer. To state that book is not good because it was not useful on the PE exam is laughable. This text presents essential concepts and methodolgies that are needed in the field of geotechnical engineering. The chapters on the shear strength of cohesionless and cohesive soils as well as stress paths is worth the money alone. The three most important things in geotechnical engineering are shear strength, shear strength, shear strength. A geotechnical engineer needs to have complete understanding of the shear strength soils. If all you want to accomplish is to pass the PE exam, then like the reviewer said, look elsewhere. If you to be a competent geotechnical engineer, purchase this classic text.

This book is a little older, 1981 I believe, but my Geotechnical Engineering teacher still uses it and still believes it is the best textbook about the subject out there. The only section that is outdated is the section about classifying soils according to the USCS system (which has changed).

I have not read any others to compare, but I do know that it has been easy to read so far and the explanations are fairly clear. There are many diagrams and figures and illustrations to help explain the text also.

My version came paperback, which is good price-wise, but I wish now that I had one of the old hardback versions, since the paper cover is curling with use.

I was first introduced to this book as a grad student in the early 80s and I still use it to teach my graduate soil mechanics course today. It is as comprehensive as any soil mechanics text out there. Their treatment of shear strength is magnificent and worth the price of the book alone. There is a tremendous amount of information crammed into this book, but it remains very readable throughout.

Some of the other reviews miss the essential point that Holtz and Kovacs is a pure theoretical soil mechanics text, not an applied soils text. You won't get much use out of it on the PE exam, but I guarantee it will help you to better understand soil behavior.