Geotechnical Engineering Facilities

Facilities provide means to examine the nature and validity of strength and compressibility theories and their application to stability and settlement analysis.

Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories

Introduction to the nature and origin of soils and rocks, engineering significance of geologic landforms and soil deposits, identification and engineering classification of soils, engineering behavior and properties of soils, permeability, compressibility, shearing resistance, soil compaction.

Bechtel Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory

(Rooms B268 & B286)

The Bechtel Laboratory has equipment for general soil classification test, and for the measurement of pressure volume relationships, stress-strain relationships, and strength characteristics of soils. Tests are performed using computer controlled loading and data acquisition systems. The laboratory is named after Dr. Steven Bechtel, Jr., President of Bechtel Corporation, whose generous donation has led to the creation of one of the finest geotechnical testing facilities in the world.