Case Studies/Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering: Enhancing the Practice in an Interactive Learning Environment-Paper

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The paper describes the design and delivery of a case-based geotechnical and foundation engineering course for senior civil engineering students at an international university. Its purpose was to connect academic learning with regional engineering practice and develop students’ technical judgment, communication, teamwork, and decision-making skills.<br /><br />To create course materials, the instructor solicited reports from regional consulting firms, received nearly 100, and selected 14 case histories. These covered topics such as foundation design, slope stabilization, ground improvement, and load testing. The cases were reformatted to address site conditions, design, recommendations and alternatives, monitoring, and non-technical influences on decisions.<br /><br />Twenty-one students worked in seven groups, with each group responsible for presenting two cases. Weekly sessions combined student presentations, instructor-guided open discussion, and talks by practicing engineers. The instructor acted primarily as a facilitator, supporting students as they analyzed evidence, connected prior knowledge to new material, and developed recommendations.<br /><br />The approach encouraged active participation and a broader, more practical understanding of engineering problems. Students reported gains in knowledge of local soils and geology, links between theory and practice, engineering judgment, decision-making, and presentation skills. Collaboration also helped build confidence and interpersonal skills. The course nevertheless faced challenges: students’ limited English proficiency, reluctance to speak, little experience with independent learning, difficulty seeing problems holistically, and reliance on memorization.<br /><br />The author concludes that, despite these difficulties and the effort required to prepare the cases, an interactive, collaborative format can better develop critical thinking and problem-solving than traditional lectures. Successful implementation requires careful planning, instructor flexibility, and support for students adapting to active learning.

Keywords

geotechnical engineering

foundation engineering

case-based learning

civil engineering education

active learning

engineering judgment

problem-solving skills

student presentations

regional engineering practice

collaborative learning