Now recently released in its third edition, Advanced Soil Mechanics by Braja M. Das has had some small additions to most of its chapters since the second edition. The book is aimed at MSc students and geotechnical practitioners looking for something more than a basic soils text. Once past the elastic theory development that is given in full near the beginning, the book engages well with practical problem-solving. It provides extensive worked examples, which are helpful for many of the solutions presented, involving reference to tables of coefficients and influence factor charts.
There is a thorough physico-chemical description of clay particles as well as soil-phase relationships and soil classification at the beginning. A variety of practical elastic problems and solution methods are then developed, after a thorough description of elastic equations for equilibrium and compatibility. The solutions refer largely to surface ground-loading problems. There is no description of elastic (Lame's equations) or, later on, perhaps elasto-plastic cavity expansion theory, which would have been useful for pile- or shaft-type problems.
One of the main strengths of the book, as with the previous editions, lies in the following few chapters, which address seepage and consolidation. These subjects are developed clearly and thoroughly, and include references to both theoretical and empirical permeability assessments for soils; consolidation solutions for gradually applied loads; secondary consolidation and creep; and a thorough section on sand-drains. The new edition also includes material on electro-osmosis in clay soils, and a visco-elastic consolidation model.
Shear strength, both drained and undrained, is then examined, and there are useful additions beyond the descriptions of yield criteria that include the effects of strain rate, temperature, creep and thixotropic strength development in soft clays. Residual strength and strength anisotropy in particular might be better addressed. Although the chapter is titled ‘Shear strength', there is no heading in the book for stiffness. So there is something of a gap in covering fully non-linear elastic stiffness, and how this might alter with strain and stress level, soil types, stress history and path, and changes in path direction, for example. The book ends with a practical chapter illustrating solutions on the settlement of shallow foundations under vertical load.
Advanced Soil Mechanics is not comprehensive on soil theory. For example, there is nothing given on either soil compaction or retaining wall analysis. Also, some of the observations made here are doubtless a consequence of the book having been originally written 25 years ago. In spite of this, the layout, figures and overall production are clear, and with the material still relevant, and at less than £50·00, it offers value compared with other advanced soils textbooks. It could certainly usefully occupy a space on the shelves of a practising engineer.
