The main goal of this introductory text is to demonstrate how basic
concepts in Soil Mechanics can be used as a "forensic" tool in the
investigation of geotechnical failures. This, in turn, provides a good
opportunity to show how to use available procedures in the formulation
of useful simple models. Geotechnical failure is understood here in a
broad sense as the failure of a structure to function properly due to a
geotechnical reason. Some of the geotechnical failures selected are well
known for their impact on the geotechnical community. Others are closer
to the author's experience. They have been organized into three main
topics: Settlement, Bearing Capacity and Excavations. They cover a
significant proportion of every day's activity of professional
geotechnical engineers. No attempt has been made to create a
comprehensive handbook of failures. Instead, the emphasis has been given
to creative applications of simple mechanical concepts and well known
principles and solutions of Soil Mechanics. The book shows how much can
be learned from relatively simple approaches. Despite this emphasis on
simplicity, the book provides a deep insight into the cases analyzed. A
non-negligible number of new analytical closed-form solutions have also
been found. Their derivation can be followed in detail. In all the cases
described an effort was made to provide a detailed and step by step
description of the hypothesis introduced and of the analysis performed.
