565.764.81 - Retaining Structures and Slope Stability

Course Structure

The course materials are divided into modules. The modules can be accessed by clicking Modules on the navigation menu in your course Canvas site. A module will have several sections including the overview, content, readings, discussions, and assignments. Students are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before starting. Most modules run for a period of seven (7) days. Students should regularly check the Calendar and Announcements for assignment due dates.

All assignments are graded and released in the Gradebook on Canvas. The Announcements tool will be used for important bulletins, grade distributions, reminders, and assignment clarifications and, again, are sent to the email address that appears in the course roster.

Course Topics

See Course Outline

Course Goals

The purpose of this course is to teach students the fundamental theories and concepts needed to analyze retaining structures and slopes encountered in civil engineering projects. The course will focus on fundamental principles that can be employed in design rather than step-by-step design procedures. 

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

• Differentiate between types of slope failure and types of analyses necessary to evaluate slope instability problems.
• Apply basic slope stability theories to analyze slope stability problems and develop remediation recommendations.
• Evaluate basic slope stability problem using popular engineering software such as SLOPE/W.
• Apply lateral earth pressure theory to analyze various types of earth retaining structures.
• Apply basic Allowable Stress Design method and Load Resistance Factor Design method to design various retaining structures.
• Evaluate the applications, advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of various types of earth retaining structures.
• Apply probability and reliability theories to consider the uncertainties in the evaluation of slope stability and retaining structure problems.

Textbooks

The following textbooks will be used in this course, however the chapters you will be reading will be posted as EReserves, so there is no need to purchase a textbook.

• Abramson, Lee; Lee, Thomas; Sharma, Sunil; Boyce, Glenn (2001). Slope Stability and Stabilization Methods, (2nd Ed.) Wiley.
• Braja M. Das (2010). Principles of Foundation Engineering, (7th Ed.) Global Engineering: Christopher M. Shortt.

Other Materials & Online Resources

Additional References

• Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, 7th Edition, Das, CL Engineering, 2010
• Foundations and Earth Retaining Structures, Muniram Budhu, John Wiley & Sons 2008
• Soil Strength and Slope Stability, Duncan and Wright, John Wiley and Sons Inc., 2005
• FHWA-NHI–06-088, Soil and Foundations Reference Manual, Vol I & II, National Highway Institute, 2006
• FHWA-SA-96-038 Geotechnical Circular No.2 Earth Retaining System, FHWA, 1997
• FHWA-NHI-10-024 Design and Construction of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes, Volume I & II, FHWA, 2009
• EM 1110-2-2504 Design of Sheet Pile Walls, US Army Corps of Engineers, 1994
• ERDC/ITL TR-01-1, State of the Practice in the Design of Tall, Stiff, and Flexible Tieback Retaining Walls, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2001
• FHWA HI-98-032 Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) for Highway Bridge Substructures, Reference Manual and Participant Workbook, FHWA, 2001
• FHWA-NHI-05-094 LRFD for Highway Bridge Substructures and Earth Retaining Structures, Reference Manual, FHWA, Revised 2006

Required Software

You will need access to a student edition of Slope/W. The SLOPE/W Student Edition is included for free when you download GeoStudio from http://www.geo-slope.com. Demonstration and some instruction will be provided in the course.

Student Coursework Requirements

Each module will take approximately 7–10 hours per week to complete. Here is an approximate breakdown: reading the assigned sections of the text and viewing the annotated slide lectures, (approximately 3–4 hours per week); participating in online discussion questions (approximately .5 hours per week); completing homework problems (approximately 3–4 hours per week); and the weekly self-check quiz (approximately 1 hour/week).  In addition, you will be working on a project throughout the semester, adding to your weekly time commitment.

Coursework

1. Discussions (5% of final grade) - Discussions will be conducted in MS Teams. A teams site is established for the course. It is linked from the left menu. No prompts are provided for the weekly discussion areas. These are areas for general comments, questions, or conversation about the content for each week. Please be proactive in participating in this area. Interacting with your peers is an important component of learning.
2. Quizzes (10% of final grade) - The weekly quizzes task you to recall information from the lectures and readings.
3. Weekly Problem Sets (30% of final grade) - Each problem set is directly related to the content for that week and provide an opportunity for you to practice applying what you have learned in that module. Problem sets are to be completed individually.
4. Interviews with Instructor (20% of final grade) - Instructor will post questions in modules 3 and 11 for students to work on independently. This work does not need to be turned in. During weeks 4 and 5, and 13 and 14, respectively, instructor will schedule individual interviews with students to review and discuss the questions. Each interview is worth 10% of your final grade.
5. Course Project (35% of final grade) - In this project, you will complete a case study of a particular slope stability or retaining structure problem. Details for the course project are posted in module 2. It is a group project. You will asked to form teams. There are deliverables throughout the semester in modules 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 14. 

Grading Policy

EP uses a +/- grading system (see “Grading System”, Graduate Programs catalog, p. 10).

Course Policies

• Weekly Problem Sets - You are allowed to discuss concepts and ideas of solutions of weekly problem sets. However, the final submitted homework should be entirely your own work. Copying the work of another will receive a warning at the first incident. Any further incidents will result in receiving a zero on the assignment and the matter will be referred to the Associate Dean.
• Course Project - The project does not have to be original or research work. However, the writing of the paper should be your own work. If you are using some published material you need to provide a complete citation of your source(s). Student collaboration on the project is highly encouraged. Team members should fully collaborate to achieve a quality product. Different teams are allowed to discuss concepts of their projects with other teams. However, teams are not allowed to copy material from each other.

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.