Challenging Issues In Global Geotechnical Profession Caused By Soil Mechanics

Abstract

In his keynote address at GEO Eng 2000, Professor N. R. Morgenstern pointed out and discussed that the global geotechnical profession had three challenging issues: inadequate performance, inadequate compensation and inadequate recognition. The issues are examined, and a technical cause of the three issues is proposed. The technical cause is the inadequately expanded application of the theory of soil mechanics. The theory is developed under and for the state of soil in completely compressive and shear stress condition(i.e.,σ 1≥ σ 2≥ σ 3>0). However, the theory has been incorrectly applied and inadequately broadened to the general stress state of soil including σ 1≥ σ 2 >0≥σ 3and/orσ 1> 0≥σ 2≥ σ 3. Consequently, failures in engineered geotechnical works are not uncommon. Fees for geotechnical engineering can be low and inadequate. Geotechnical engineers have to put their time and effort in preventing soil failures. This cause can be used to technically resolve the three challenging issues.

Morgenstern教授,2000年在ISSMGE、ISRM和IAEG共同召開的'世紀巖土工程會議'上,提出了全球巖土工程存在三大共同挑戰性問題。它們是表現不合格、價值被低評;不合理報酬、回報被低算;不合情地位、才華被低用。他認為,產生問題原因在于,全球巖土行業缺少一個統一的學會來領導和競爭。筆者認為,根源在于,經典土力學理論的適用范圍被擴大化。經典土力學理論是壓剪土力學理論,僅適用于巖土體完全受到壓剪應力載荷工況。但是,它的創建者,卻將這個壓剪土力學理論擴大應用到了,不同于完全壓剪應力狀態的工況工程中。從而,這種擴大化使用是不符合自然規律的、造成了這三大共同挑戰性問題。這個理論根源的提出和認識,能夠解決這三大問題。