Understanding expansive and collapsible soils is fundamental to a wide range of geotechnical projects, from residential and commercial construction to road infrastructure and hydraulic works. These soil types can cause significant problems due to their ability to expand when absorbing water or collapse under certain loading and moisture conditions. Therefore, it is essential to identify, evaluate, and design solutions that ensure the safety and functionality of structures. This course provides a comprehensive guide to the analysis of expansive and collapsible soils, covering identification techniques, risk assessment, and effective mitigation strategies.
The course is aimed at civil engineers, construction technicians, students of related careers and industry professionals who wish to update or expand their knowledge in this area of geotechnics and geology.
The graduate profile includes:
– Understanding basic concepts about expansive and collapsible soils, including the factors that influence their behavior, such as changes in moisture, mineralogical composition and loading conditions.
– Ability to identify and assess the risks associated with soil expansion or collapse in different contexts, such as housing, road infrastructure, or geotechnical engineering projects.
– Ability to apply analysis methods and evaluation techniques that allow preventing, mitigating or remedying the adverse effects of expansive and collapsible soils in engineering projects.
– Competence to use specialized tools and software in the analysis of these phenomena, as well as to interpret and communicate the results obtained in a clear and professional manner.
– Awareness of the importance of safety and ethical responsibility in the design and execution of projects involving expansive or collapsible soils.