This textbook is written for the undergraduate course in soil mechanics and foundations. The primarily aim of this textbook is to present the basic concepts and fundamental principles of soil mechanics and foundations in a simple pedagogy; however, it also provides a solid background knowledge to hopefully launch students in their lifelong learning of geotechnical engineering issues. The book consists of 15 chapters, and the sequence of topics and subtopics is sought to make as logical as possible. A large number of solved examples and essay topics appear throughout the book.

About the Author

Bujang Bin Kim Huat Bujang Bin Kim Huat is a Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of Universiti Putra Malaysia. Currently he serves as the Dean of UPM (Universiti Putra Malaysia) School of Graduate Studies. He obtained his M.Sc. in Soils Mechanics from Imperial College, London, in 1986 and Ph.D. from the University of Manchester, UK, in 1991. His special area of interest is in the field of geotechnical and geological engineering, and slope engineering. He has authored and co-authored 18 books, edited 10 conference proceedings, and published more than 100 journal and conference proceedings papers in the field of soil mechanics and foundation engineering. Arun Prasad Arun Prasad is Professor of Geotechnical Engineering in Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University) Varanasi, India. He graduated with a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering in 1986 from Utkal University, M.Sc. in Soil Mechanics & Foundation Engineering from Regional Engineering College, Rourkela, in 1989 and Ph.D. from Devi Ahilya University in 2000. He did his postdoctoral research forone year from Universiti Putra Malaysia during 2009–10 in the area of peat stabilization. He has also worked as Visiting Research Scientist for close to one year at Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, during 2014-15 in the area of unsaturated soil mechanics. His areas of research are in the stabilization of soft soils and industrial wastes. He has co-authored a book entitled Geotechnics of Organic Soils and Peat, and co-edited a book entitled Handbook of Tropical Residual Soils Engineering, both published by CRC Press (Taylor & Francis Group). He is actively involved in consultancy to various industries and has published nearly 60 papers in journals and conference proceedings. Afshin Asadi Afshin Asadi is currently a Research Fellow at Housing Research Centre, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia. He received his B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from Islamic Azad University, Najaf-Abad Branch in 1996. He worked for several years as a licensed civil engineer in the state of Isfahan, Iran. Dr Asadi completed his M.Sc. program in Civil Engineering-Environmental Engineering from Iran University of Science and Technology in 2001 where his research had been focused on effect of leachate from municipal solid waste on soil permeability. He worked for several years as deputy vice chancellor (education and students affairs) and lecturer at Sama Technical College, Islamic Azad University of Khorasgan, Iran. He was then conferred a Ph.D. degree in Geotechnical and Geological Engineering from University Putra Malaysia in 2010. His Ph.D. thesis was about electroosmotic behavior of organic soils and peat. Thereafter, he completed his postdoctoral studies at the University Putra Malaysia for research on effects of acid rain on slope stability and its mechanisms in 2011. Dr Asadi received a prestigious Australia Award Endeavour Fellowship to undertake research in the Department of Civil, Mining & Environmental Engineering at the University of Wollongong, where he completed his Endeavour Research Fellowship on cyclic behavior of unstable soils stabilized by lignosulfonate under supervision of Professor Buddhima Indraratna. He was also awarded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Invitation Fellowship (JSPS award) to participate in cooperative research work with host researcher, Professor Satoru Kawasaki, on electro-biogrouting stabilization of soft soils in the Department of Sustainable Resources Engineering and Geoenvironmental Engineering at the Hokkaido University in 2014. He is also Editorial Board member of Environmental Geotechnics, published by Institution of Civil Engineering (ICE) in UK. Dr Asadi is a co-author of book entitled Geotechnics of Organic Soils and Peat published by Taylor & Francis, and has published several scientific papers. Sina Kazemian Sina Kazemian is Assistant Professor at the Civil Engineering Department and Head of railway engineering faculty at Payame Noor University (PNUM), Iran. He has worked as a lecturer/researcher in university as well as in industry for more than 15 years. He has served as geotechnical consultant in various prestigious projects in Iran. He is also serving as Principal Geotechnical Engineer and advisor in Kavosh Pay Mashhad (KPM) Co. in Iran. His special area of interest is in the field of geotechnical and geological engineering, especially field and laboratory tests of soil, soil improvement, foundation engineering, and slope engineering. To date, he has published more than 110 papers in reputed journals and conference proceedings.