Soil Mechanics Research

In the fall of 1925, Charles Terzaghi, M. Am. Soc. C. E., joined the staff of Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the purpose of inaugurating advanced courses and establishing a program of extensive research in the field of Soil Mechanics. Under his direction a great amount of pioneer work was carried on, which served firmly to establish the importance of research in foundation engineering and allied subjects, and to define clearly the most promising lines of endeavor. It is the purpose of this paper to summarize briefly the salient elements of this work. The problems described fall into two main groups: (1) Soil Physics, comprising studies of the composition and grain distribution of soils, permeability, compressibility, consolidation, compressive strength, internal friction, and cohesion; and (2) Soil Engineering, including investigations on the bearing capacity and settlement of foundations, on hydraulic-fill dams, on the frost heaving of highway sub-grades, and on the lateral pressure of earth against retaining walls.