Lessons from a historical perspective: Part 1, other people’s thoughts

Part 1 contains old facts and thoughts, ranging from 250BC to about 50 years ago. Although unknown by some and forgotten by many, these contain matters of wisdom that warrant consideration by all who dabble in the field of geotechnology. These old things cover matters of engineering geology and then move on to the cornerstone of geotechnics; effective stress.

Part 2 contains design aids that are newish, but in reality are extensions of Skempton’s work of 40 years ago as presented in Part 1. They comprise charts for stabilization of landslides and open pit slopes by depressurization.