What is Soil in Geotechnical Engineering.
The
word ‘soil’ is derived from the Latin word solium
which, according to Webster’s dictionary, means the upper layer of the earth
that may be dug or plowed; specifically, the loose surface material of earth in
which the plants grow. The above definition of soil is used in the field of
agronomy (The application of soil and plant sciences to land management and
crop production) where the main concern is in the use of soil for raising
crops.
In
geology, earth’s crust is assumed to consist of unconsolidated sediments,
called mantle or regolith, overlying rocks. The top soil contains a large
quantity of organic matter and is not suitable as a construction material or as
a foundation for structure. The top soil is removed from the earth’s surface
before the construction of structure.
The
term ‘soil’ in the soil engineering
is defined as an unconsolidated material,
composed of solid particles, produced
by the disintegration of rocks. The
void space between the particles may contains air, water or both. The solid
particles may contains organic matter. The soil particles can be separated by
such mechanical means as agitation in water.
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