Overview

This unit of study aims to provide you with the knowledge and practical skills of geotechnical engineering design. This includes site characterisation, ground improvement, field instrumentation, geosynthetics, geotechnics of pavements, soil stabilisation, specialised laboratory testing, dredging and land reclamation.

Requisites

Prerequisites
CVE20004 Geomechanics

Rule

Postgraduate
Admission to cognate postgraduate degree

Undergraduate
CVE20004 Geomechanics
OR
Concurrent Pre-requisite
CVE40001 Geotechnical Engineering

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Determine site investigation and in-situ testing techniques (K1, K3, K4, K5, K6, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A3, A6)
  • Apply basic theory and design methodology for ground improvement works (K1, K3, K4, K5, K6, S1, S2, S3, S4)
  • Conduct back-analysis of field instrumentation (K1, K3, K4, K5, K6, S1, S2, S3, S4)
  • Execute design methodology for various geosynthetics (K1, K3, K4, K5, K6, S1, S2, S3, S4)
  • Formulate the methodology of dredging and land reclamation works (K1, K3, K4, K5, K6, S1, S2, S3, S4)
  • Apply pavement design and soil stabilisation techniques (K1, K3, K4, K5, K6, S1, S2, S3, S4)
  • Analyse advanced laboratory testing and numerical modelling methods (K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, K6, S1, S2, S3, S4, A2, A4, A5, A7)

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Lecture		2.00 12 weeks 24
On-campus
Class		1.00 12 weeks 12
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning		9.50 12 weeks 114
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Assignment 1Individual 20 - 40% 6,7 
Assignment 2Individual 20 - 40% 6,7 
Test 1Individual 20 - 40% 1,2,3,4 
Test 2Individual 20 - 40% 5,6,7 

Content

  • Site characterisation and in-situ testing
  • Ground improvement
  • Field instrumentation
  • Geosynthetics
  • Dredging and land reclamation
  • Geotechnics of pavements
  • Soil stabilisation
  • Specialised geotechnical testing
  • Sustainable geomaterials 
  • Railway geotechnics

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.