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COURSE INFORMATION
Course Title: FOUNDATION ENGINEERING
Code Course Type Regular Semester Theory Practice Lab Credits ECTS
CE 382 B 6 2 2 0 3 5
Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) Dr. Anila Xhahysa axhahysa@epoka.edu.al
Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours: M.Sc. Bredli Plaku bplaku@epoka.edu.al , By appointment
Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours: NA
Language: English
Compulsory/Elective: Compulsory
Study program: (the study for which this course is offered) Bachelor in Civil Engineering (3 years)
Classroom and Meeting Time:
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours: NA
Code of Ethics: Code of Ethics of EPOKA University
Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline"
Attendance Requirement: 60% theoretical sessions and 75% practical sessions
Course Description: Introduction, Stress Distribution in Soils, Site Investigation, Settlement of Structures, Bearing Capacity of Soils, Design of Shallow Foundations, Retaining Structures - Excavations, Pile Foundations, Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering
Course Objectives: Equip students with the practical and theoretical knowledge required to analyse and design common foundation systems. Students will learn to evaluate soil bearing capacity, calculate foundation settlements under varying conditions, and design both shallow and deep foundations using traditional analytical methods alongside industry-standard software. Furthermore, the course covers the analysis and design of earth-retaining structures, such as sheet pile walls, ensuring students are well-prepared to apply modern geotechnical engineering practices to real-world structural and road foundation projects.
BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE
1 Soil Mechanics
2 Site Investigation
3 Bearing Capacity
4 Settlement
5 Shallow Foundations
6 Deep Foundations
7 Lateral Earth Pressure
8 Earth-Retaining Structures
9 Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering
10 Design Principles
COURSE OUTLINE
Week Topics
1 Introduction to Foundation Engineering: Geotechnical Properties. Overview of geotechnical engineering, reviewing fundamental soil properties, weight-volume relationships, and soil classification systems. Literature: Das and Sivakugan 2018. Ch. 1–2, pp. 2–62.
2 Stress Distribution in Soils: Vertical Stress Increase. Analytical methods for determining vertical stress increase caused by external point, line, and strip loads, including Westergaard's solution. Literature: Das and Sivakugan 2018. Ch. 8, pp. 303–333.
3 Site Investigation: Subsurface Exploration. Planning and execution of site investigation programmes, including borehole drilling, soil sampling, and standard in-situ testing methods. Literature: Das and Sivakugan 2018. Ch. 3, pp. 68–128.
4 Settlement of Structures: Elastic and Consolidation Settlement. Calculation of immediate elastic settlement and time-dependent primary consolidation settlement, along with evaluating tolerable limits. Literature: Das and Sivakugan 2018. Ch. 9, pp. 337–392.
5 Bearing Capacity of Soils: Ultimate Bearing Capacity. Introduction to Terzaghi's bearing capacity theory, the general bearing capacity equation, and modifications for eccentrically loaded foundations. Literature: Das and Sivakugan 2018. Ch. 6, pp. 207–254.
6 Bearing Capacity of Soils: Special Cases. Advanced bearing capacity evaluations for complex field conditions, including layered soils, foundations on slopes, and uplift capacity. Literature: Das and Sivakugan 2018. Ch. 7, pp. 259–298.
7 Statics of Shallow, Rigid Foundations: Combined and Mat Foundations. Structural proportioning of shallow foundations, focusing on combined footings and determining the bearing capacity of mat foundations. Literature: Das and Sivakugan 2018. Ch. 10.1–10.4, pp. 397–403.
8 Statics of Shallow, Rigid Foundations: Mat Settlement and LRFD. Calculation of differential settlement in mats, implementation of compensated foundations, and an introduction to Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD). Literature: Das and Sivakugan 2018. Ch. 10.5–11.6, pp. 406–436.
9 Midterm Examination: Weeks 1 to 8. Comprehensive assessment covering all theories, analytical methods, and calculation exercises discussed thus far.
10 Earth-Retaining Structures: Lateral Earth Pressure. Fundamentals of lateral earth pressure at rest, alongside Rankine's and Coulomb's active and passive earth pressure theories. Literature: Das and Sivakugan 2018. Ch. 16, pp. 639–691.
11 Earth-Retaining Structures: Retaining Walls. Proportioning and stability analysis of gravity and cantilever retaining walls, mandating checks for overturning, sliding, and bearing capacity failure. Literature: Das and Sivakugan 2018. Ch. 17.1–17.10, pp. 695–720.
12 Earth-Retaining Structures: Sheet-Pile Walls and Braced Cuts. Design principles for cantilever and anchored sheet-pile walls, alongside pressure envelopes and stability analysis for braced cuts. Literature: Das and Sivakugan 2018. Ch. 18–19, pp. 753–845.
13 Piled Foundations: Capacity and Settlement. Deep foundation mechanisms, estimating point bearing and frictional resistance for single piles, and evaluating group pile settlement. Literature: Das and Sivakugan 2018. Ch. 12, pp. 439–539.
14 Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering: Seismic Design. Dynamic behaviour of soil structures, evaluating seismic bearing capacity, and calculating active and passive earth pressures under earthquake conditions. Literature: Das and Sivakugan 2018. Ch. 7.10, 16.5, 16.9, 16.17, 17.10, pp. 286, 653, 668, 688, 720.
Prerequisite(s): Soil Mechanics
Textbook(s): Das BM, Sivakugan N. Principles of foundation engineering. 9th ed. Cengage Learning; 2018. ISBN: 978-1337705035.
Additional Literature: Birand A, Ergun U, Erol O. CE 366 Foundation Engineering I: Lecture notes. Ankara: Middle East Technical University, Civil Engineering Department; 2011. • Knappett J, Craig RF. Craig's soil mechanics. 9th ed. CRC Press; 2019. • Coduto D, Kitch W, Yeung M. Foundation design: principles and practices. 3rd ed. Pearson; 2015.
Laboratory Work:
Computer Usage: Utilisation of spreadsheet software for foundation design calculations and an introduction to specialised geotechnical analysis programmes for earth-retaining systems.
Others: No
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
1 Students will be able to interpret site investigation data to identify and select the most suitable foundation type for various practical engineering scenarios.
2 Students will gain proficiency in evaluating soil bearing capacity and designing shallow foundations using both traditional analytical approaches and computer software.
3 Students will learn to analyse and design effective earth-retaining systems, including retaining walls and sheet piling, to address common engineering constraints.
4 Students will develop the ability to evaluate the dynamic behaviour of soils and apply fundamental principles of geotechnical earthquake engineering to foundation design.
5 Students will acquire the skills necessary to design deep foundations, integrating theoretical knowledge with practical applications.
COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES
(Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)
No Program Competencies Cont.
Bachelor in Civil Engineering (3 years) Program
1 an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering 3
2 an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs 4
3 an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams 2
4 an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems 4
5 an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility 2
6 an ability to communicate effectively 2
7 the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context 2
8 a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life long learning 2
9 a knowledge of contemporary issues 4
10 an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice 4
11 skills in project management and recognition of international standards and methodologies 2
COURSE EVALUATION METHOD
Method Quantity Percentage
Midterm Exam(s)
1
37.5
Project
1
25
Final Exam
1
37.5
Total Percent: 100%
ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)
Activities Quantity Duration(Hours) Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours) 16 4 64
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice) 16 2.625 42
Mid-terms 1 2 2
Assignments 1 15 15
Final examination 1 2 2
Other 0
Total Work Load:
125
Total Work Load/25(h):
5
ECTS Credit of the Course:
5
CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER

As your lecturer, my most practical advice is to engage consistently with our weekly calculation exercises; cramming simply does not work when synthesising so many different geotechnical concepts. Please keep in mind that real-world soil is inherently unpredictable. The analytical methods and software we use are vital tools, but they are no substitute for sound engineering judgement on an actual site. Finally, I expect strict adherence to the Code of Ethics. Your submitted work must be entirely your own. The safe structures you will eventually build rely entirely on your professional integrity, and that habit starts right here in our classroom.
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