Engineering of Problematic Soils Volume 1

Dealing with Risks Associated with Engineering Soils

Barry G. Clarke
Emerald
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Hardback
9781807912031
26 October 2026
£60.00
Available to order on 26 September 2026
eBook (PDF)
9781807912024
05 October 2026
£60.00
Available to order on 05 September 2026
eBook (ePub)
9781807912048
05 October 2026
£60.00
Available to order on 05 September 2026

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  • Description
  • Contents
  • About

Geotechnical engineering rarely deals with ideal soils. As the book states, “problematic soils do not conform to the ideal soil used in classical soil mechanics theories,” and their behaviour demands deeper geological understanding, advanced modelling, and rigorous investigation.

Engineering of Problematic Soils: Dealing with Risks Associated with Engineering Soils offers a clear, integrated guide to the formation, properties and engineering behaviour of soils across all environments—fluvial, glacial, tropical, organic, expansive, collapsible and anthropogenic. It explains how composition, fabric, structure and pore fluid chemistry shape soil response, and why many real soils violate classical assumptions.

Chapters examine the challenges posed by heterogeneity, metastability, partial saturation, time dependent behaviour and environmental change. Climate impacts, human activity and construction effects are shown to alter stresses, groundwater and soil properties, often triggering geotechnical hazards.

Emphasising that “the greatest risk is associated with the ground investigation and ground modelling,” the book sets out a strategic, risk based approach to characterising the ground and designing safe, resilient infrastructure in complex and changing conditions.

Chapter 1: Introduction

  • Chapter 2: Soil Formation
  • Chapter 3: Soil Deposition
  • Chapter 4: Environmental Factors
  • Chapter 5: Anthropogenic Factors
  • Chapter 6: Strategy
  • Appendix A

Barry G. Clarke is an Emeritus Professor of Civil Engineering Geotechnics at the University of Leeds and a Past President of the UK Institution of Civil Engineers.