Course
Experimental Research in Geotechnical Engineering
(Experimentelle Forschung in der Geotechnik)
Status: 14.06.2025
- News: The course was offered for the last time in summer semester 2025
- Responsible lecturer: Hans Stanford (Marius Milatz until 2023)
- Responsible lab expert: Göta Bürkner
- Language: German
- Module: Soil Mechanics and Soil Dynamics (M756), 2 of 6 SWS, 2 of 6 ECTS
- Participants: students of the Master's degree program “Civil Engineering”, 2nd term (summer term), mandatory module “Soil mechanics and soil dynamics” for students with specialization in Modelling and Simulation, Port Construction and Coastal Protection
- Requirements: Successful participation in the courses “Soil Mechanics” and “Soil Mechanics Internship” in the Bachelor's degree program in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Learning objectives: Differentiation of test concepts from a technical point of view (element tests, model tests, field tests). Differentiation of test concepts from an application point of view (standard testing in geotechnical engineering, special testing in research). Analysis of test data based on the Python programming language. Calibration of material model for soils based on real test data. Internalization of the chain test planning → test execution → data analysis → test evaluation.
- Registration via Stud.IP is required to participate in the course.
- Content with changing focal points:
- Standard laboratory testing: keynote lecture on experimental soil mechanics (Stanford). Project laboratory testing including index tests, oedometer tests, triaxial tests and other shear tests on Hamburger Sand (Bürkner, Warkentin). Project analysis of test data based on Python (Stanford). Project calibration of material models based on Python (Stanford).
- Special laboratory testing: investigation of adhesion between steel and clays (Schröder). Use of imaging methods in experimental soil mechanics (Keynote lecture, Stanford; project Computed Tomography, Toffoli). Use of single-board computers in experimental soil mechanics (keynote lecture, Stanford; project soil moisture sensor, Heinrich)
- Physical modelling: keynote lecture (Stanford); project planning of model tests (Stanford).
- Field testing: selected field experiments (formerly Milatz, Mayanja).
- Teaching material: lectures notes available in Stud.IP
- Software: programming language Python and Python libraries like NumPy, Scipy, SymPy and Matplotlib
- Proof of performance: mandatory examination preparation (lab report in the group); mandatory module exam “Soil mechanics and soil dynamics” (Duration: 45 Min; weighting according to ECTS points in the module)