AbstractUnsaturated soils in a narrow definition refer to soils that are partially saturated with liquid water, or in a broader definition to porous materials that contain more than one fluid in their pores. They naturally occur in arid and semi-arid climates like Australias and are also common in constructed grounds like compacted fills. These soils can inflict significant damages to structures they support when subjected to environmental actions like wetting and drying. Principles in classical soil mechanics based on Karl Terzaghi (1883-1963) do not directly apply to unsaturated soils. Understanding their behaviour is therefore crucially important for designing building foundations, dams, highways, earth slopes, tunnels and waste containment facilities. The lecture will outline the fundamental principles that possibly govern the volume change, shear strength, water retention and general hydro-mechanical behaviour of unsaturated soils. It will discuss the most recent advances in these aspects. The lecture will finish with some examples of practical applications of unsaturated soil mechanics, including the deformation and stability analysis of a high-speed railway embankment and an airport pavement on deep fill foundation.

About Professor Daichao ShengProfessor Daichao Sheng received his BSc in Engineering Geology from Lanzhou University in China (1986), and his PhD in Geotechnical Engineering from Lule University in Sweden (1994). He is currently a Professor of Geomechanics at the University of Newcastle and a Distinguished Professor at Central South University in China (conjoint). His research interest spans unsaturated soils, computational geomechanics, cold region geotechnics, and environmental geotechnics.

MECHANICS OF UNSATURATED SOILS AND APPLICATIONSPresented by Professor Daichao Sheng, University of Newcastle.

CITY DATE TIME VENUE WEB

NEWCASTLE TUESDAY 27TH JUNE 2017 5:30pm for 6:00pm The University of Newcastle, Callaghan Campus, Room EF122 2015EHD17-B

PERTH TUESDAY 4TH JULY 2017 5:30pm for 6:00pm Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre (UWA), 64 Fairway, Crawley 2015EHD17-N

ADELAIDE WEDNESDAY 5TH JULY 2017 5:30pm for 6:00pm DPTI, Ground Floor, 77 Grenfell Street, Adelaide 2015EHD17-S

HOBART THURSDAY 6TH JULY 2017 5:30pm for 6:00pm University of Tasmania, Engineering Lecture Theatre, Sandy Bay 2015EHD17-M

MELBOURNE TUESDAY 11TH JULY 2017 5:30pm for 6:00pm Engineers Australia, Level 31, 600 Bourke Street, Melbourne 2015EHD17-H

SYDNEY WEDNESDAY 12TH JULY 2017 5:30pm for 6:00pm Dougherty Community Centre, 7 Victor Street, Chatswood 2015EHD17-A

BRISBANE THURSDAY 13TH JULY 5:30pm for 6:00pm Treasury Casino and Hotel, 130 William Street, Brisbane 2015EHD17-P

Please check the website for any changes closer to the date of the event.

www.australiangeomechanics.org

2015 E.H. DAVIS MEMORIAL LECTURE TOUR

http://australiangeomechanics.org/2015-e-h-davis-memorial-lecture-newcastle/http://australiangeomechanics.org/2015-e-h-davis-memorial-lecture-perth/http://australiangeomechanics.org/2015-e-h-davis-memorial-lecture-adeliade/http://australiangeomechanics.org/2015-e-h-davis-memorial-lecture-hobart/http://australiangeomechanics.org/2015-e-h-davis-memorial-lecture-melbourne/http://australiangeomechanics.org/2015-e-h-davis-memorial-lecture-sydney-2017/http://australiangeomechanics.org/2015-e-h-davis-memorial-lecture-brisbane/