Category Archives: Teaching Soil Mechanics

January 29, 2013
9:43 pm
by: Dan VB

Size – A Matter of Perspective

That’s one big BOULDER!  To find more pictures like this one, try a quick Internet search for images matching “large glacial erratic”.  You’ll pull up more amazing pictures of huge rocks resting in strange places.  Here are a couple more … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in CEE 3514, glacial erratics, specific surface area, Teaching Soil Mechanics

March 5, 2012
12:56 pm
by: Dan VB

Geotechnical Engineering – Assignment 1

Why is my course important?  We’re asked to explain this “to” our students or “for” our students in our syllabus.  Not that I can’t do this, but should I?  Is explaining the “importance” of our class just another example of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in assignments, Pedagogy, soil mechanics, syllabus, Teaching, Teaching Soil Mechanics

March 4, 2012
1:40 am
by: Dan VB

Student choices in assignments

Been musing about student choices within assignments, specifically in my field of geotechnical engineering.  How to do this? Consider an assignment calculating seepage below a dam or levee resting on layered soil, for example.  The designer must have values of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in assignments, seepage, soil mechanics, Teaching Soil Mechanics

February 6, 2012
10:00 pm
by: Dan VB

The power of a crumpled piece of paper

My office mate, who is teaching for the first time this semester asks, “How can I explain the concept of specific surface area (SSA) to my students and the difference between sands and clays?” For those uninitiated to soil mechanics, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in demonstrations, soil mechanics, Teaching, Teaching Soil Mechanics