ABSTRACT
Geotechnical engineers must design foundations, retaining walls and other soil constructions which are not only safe (in the sense that they will not collapse) but also serviceable, in the sense that they do not deform excessively under working conditions. The definition of ‘excessively’ will depend on the nature of the construction under consideration. In general, a need to limit soil movements will arise where there is a likelihood of damage to structures made of comparatively brittle materials, which may crack at tensile strains as small as 0.075%.
