Origin and Functions of Soil Mechanics

Before applied mechanics came into existence, all major problems in civil engineering, such as the design of arches or domes, were solved intuitively or by trial and error, and the problems of foundation and earthwork engineering were no exception. Hence, every attempt to build a structure of unprecedented size or type involved serious hazards. This condition did not change until applied mechanics made it possible to predict the performance of structures of any kind solely on the basis of a knowledge of the mechanical properties of the materials involved. The branch of applied mechanics which serves this function in connection with earthwork engineering is now known as soil mechanics.