ABSTRACT
It is widely accepted that students in civil engineering courses should have exposure to the laboratory, and one of the requirements for accreditation is that students should be able to plan, design and interpret experimental data. In geotechnical engineering the importance of familiarity with materials and routine procedures is also often stressed. For most civil engineering students the need for familiarity with standard geotechnical tests is debatable, and the primary objectives of the soil mechanics laboratories for these students are improved conceptual understanding and helping to make soil mechanics “real”.
