Ammar Dhouib - Applied Geotechnics for Construction Projects, Volume 2: Fundamental Principles of Soil Mechanics and the Role of Water

To my mother, Fatima Ezohra.

To Lela-Marie, Michal-Hassen,

To Hajer, Thrse, Siwar, Catherine and Yannick.

To my brothers and sisters.

To all my friends

from Dieppe to Velaux,

from Tunis to Gabs.

This book is dedicated to the memory of my father Salem Dhouib, Hassen Ben El Hadj Salem Dhouib (my grandfather, the wise one), Hlne Dyerick-Urbanski (my second mother in France, the generous one), Pierre Bertin, the Oranais, my friend and brother always, and to Christiane Bertin-Guigues, friend and mother for eternity.

Series Editor

Gilles Pijaudier-Cabot

Ammar Dhouib

English edition first published 2022 in Great Britain and the United States by ISTE Ltd and John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

French edition published by Presses de lcole Nationale des Ponts et Chausses, Paris, France 1st edition Presses de lcole Nationale des Ponts et Chausses 2016 2nd edition (revised and updated) Presses de lcole Nationale des Ponts et Chausses 2021

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms and licenses issued by the CLA. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside these terms should be sent to the publishers at the undermentioned address:

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ISTE Ltd 2022
The rights of Ammar Dhouib to be identified as the author of this work have been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s), contributor(s) or editor(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of ISTE Group.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022941488

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-78630-776-7

Cover images: Photo 1 (background image): VINCI Construction Terrassement (VCT) earthworks site on a railway line. Photo by Pascal Le Doar (supplied by photographer for a fee). Photo 2 (top center): Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas vertical-lift bridge in Bordeaux, France. Photo by Richard Nourry (courtesy of photographer). Architect: Cabinet Lavigne (MM. Charles and Thomas Lavigne), Groupement entreprises (VINCI) Representing Jean-Franois Roubinet. Project owner: Communaut Urbaine de Bordeaux (CUB). Photo 3 (middle right): Institut Gustave Baguer, Asnires sur Seine, France. Photo by Augusto da Silva (courtesy of photographer). Entreprise: GTM BATIMENT VINCI Representing Jean-Yves Cojean, President. Photo 4 (bottom right): Pavilion of Michel and Camille Richaud, Velaux, France. Photo by the author. DR M. & Mme Richaud. Photo 5 (bottom center): Shielded trench with horizontal struts. Photo by the author. VINCI Construction France site (DR VCF). Photo 6 (bottom left): CMA Tower, Marseille, France. Photo by Govin Sorel (courtesy of photographer). Architect: Zaha Hadid.

This book is the work of a practicing engineer who has spent more than 30 years in the field of geotechnics applied to construction works. It is therefore already the result of a whole range of experiences, made up of numerous studies and works, as well as research, university chairs and publications in this discipline.

Ammar Dhouib, who received his doctorate in soil mechanics from the University of Lille in 1987, has since acquired extensive experience from design offices and companies specializing in geotechnics (Terrasol, Fondasol, Louis- Mnard, Solen and Keller Fondations Spciales). He is currently chief engineer and geotechnical expert at VINCI Construction France, assisting and consulting for subsidiaries of the VINCI Construction group.

In addition to all of the studies he has carried out for foundations or other geotechnical works, he is also known for having jointly published a book in 2004 with Jean-Pierre Magnan and Philippe Mestat, on the improvement of soils in situ and another book in 2005 with Francis Blondeau, on stone columns.

The present work by Ammar Dhouib has the advantage of being both comprehensive and detailed while remaining quite traditional in its presentation. It includes 12 chapters ranging from the definition of soils, their surveys and the determination of geotechnical parameters to the design of structures (foundations and retaining walls in particular, tunnels do not come under such scrutiny). It is worth noting that there is an important chapter devoted to the effects of water in soils, which we know can lead to damage and failure when not all aspects of a geotechnical structure have been properly studied. As for the chapter on soil improvement, it was only natural that it should be included, given both the authors knowledge in this field and the importance that this aspect now has in the foundations of construction works.

This book also presents very instructive elements for all those interested in geotechnics. These are the practical applications and examples given at the end of each chapter to illustrate and explain the principles, as well as the difficulty of geotechnical sizing. The author presents real cases that have been measured, which allow the sizing to be compared with reality.

This method is not new, it is the so-called observational method, generally reserved for complex or large structures, for which it is necessary to avoid any disruption. The author also shows cases of excessive deformations, or even the beginnings of failure in structures and gives the causes.

Ammar Dhouibs book therefore appears to us to be of interest to a wide range of geotechnical scientists, from students to qualified engineers, including building owners, project managers and court experts.

Philippe GUILLERMAIN Franois SCHLOSSER

1. Philippe suddenly passed away on May 7, 2016, without being able to attend the presentation ceremony of the first edition of the book on September 16, 2016, at the FNTP.

Geotechnics is at the heart of our projects is this just an idea or an irreversible truth of the moment? It is indeed the current reality because, nowadays, good soils are becoming rare, projects are more complex and regulations are more developed.

Good sites are rare. Between industrial wastelands and marshy grounds, the soil is often aquiferous, soft or compressible, and its significant deformations under the weight of the works often become, in this context, incompatible with the allowable displacements of the structure.

The projects are complex, ranging from towers of several dozen or even several hundred meters in height, sometimes located in the middle of sensitive existing structures, to deep excavations (70 m for the open excavation of the ODEON tower in Monaco), bridges in aquatic sites (Normandy Bridge in France, Charlaos Trikopis Bridge in Rion Antirion Greece) and tunnels in soft soils and sensitive urban environments (the tunnel under the city of Toulon is a perfect example).