This introductory geotechnical engineering text explores both the principles of soil mechanics and their application to engineering practice. It offers a rigorous, yet accessible and easy-to-read approach, as well as technical depth and an emphasis on understanding the physical basis for soil behavior. The second edition has been revised to include updated content and many new problems and exercises, as well as to reflect feedback from reviewers and the authors' own experiences. Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering; Engineering Geology; Site Exploration and Characterization; Soil Composition; Soil Classification; Excavation, Grading, and Compacted Fill; Groundwater - Fundamentals and One-Dimensional Flow; Groundwater - Multidimensional Flow and Applications; Stress; Compressibility and Settlement; Rate of Consolidation; Soil Strength; Stability of Earth Slopes; Foundations; Spread Footing Design; Earth Retaining Structures; Lateral Earth Pressures. For Civil Engineers