Reviews (7)

A Fun, Readable, and Thorough Introduction to Soil Science
My "Science of Soils" class at Stanford University (Autumn '01) used "The Nature and Properties of Soils" as our main textbook. It is clearly written, easy to read, and has lots of helpful figures (including graphs, diagrams, drawings, and black-and-white and color photos). The chapters are well organized, so that you can find exactly what you need to know. The authors include hundreds of websites for those who want more information, and make the book more readable by starting off each chapter with a quote and a "big picture" statement.

"The Nature and Properties of Soils" has a good mix of theoretical and practical information. Wherever possible, the authors do sample calculations and describe applications for agriculture, ecology, and engineering. They thoroughly cover every major topic in soil science, as well as delving into some more specialized ones (for example, symptoms of micronutrient deficiencies in plants).

In conclusion, I've found this textbook to be both very information-rich and very readable, and highly recommend it. (The other day I caught my boyfriend, who's a materials engineer, reading it for fun... that's about the highest accolade any textbook can get!)

Excellent.. A classic introduction to soil science..
I had this text (by Buckman & Brady), for "Soil Science 200" back in 1965. This edition, now with Buckman and Weil still follows the basic design of the original work. I have come back to this book time and time again. My edition, though dated, is still a solid work. All major aspects of soil science and quite a bit of agronomy are presented extremely well. The writing is brisk but does not sacrifice content. This book will give you a solid foundation should you decide to pursue the subject further. There are numerous tables,charts, etc. An excellent resource.

Soils come Alive!
As a student, this book has picked my interest in soils and related studies. This most updated version has many informative and helpful graphs, charts, pictures, and links to websites. In my two years of college education, this has been my favorite assigned text. It has some real meat to it, but it is presented in such a way that the novice can understand. It is one of the books that I will hang onto as I am sure it will come in handy down the road.

An excellent 'get started' book and bookshelf reference book
We use Brady for teaching Intro to Soil Science - It is an excellent resource and one that I tell students they will be able to refer to with a soils question whatever their field of study.

A good book of general Soil Science
It's a good book for someone who has just started exploring Soil Science for it goes through all the aspects of soil from structure and hudraulics to fertility and pollution. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent Resource
I found Mr. McCarthy's book to be a valuable resource. From a geologist's perspective, it was of great help in bridging the gap between engineering geology and geotechnical engineering. It gave me greater insight into not only field technique, but also into geologic considerations that are of importance in foundation design. The text was both concise and clearly written.

From a Civil/Geological Engineering student's view...
* Poor index - no detail * Good detail in text on subjects covered * Has some errors in the chapter on flownets * Disjointed in discussion of compaction * Good for students with little to no soil mechanics background

An excellent engineering tool!
Civil engineers throughout the world can use this book as either a classroom text or reference handbook. It covers a variety of soil conditions including expansive soils and provides examples of both foundation designs,and retaining earth structures. ... Read more

Book Description

Braja M. Das' PRINCIPLES OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING provides civil engineering students and professionals with an overview of soil properties and mechanics, combined with a study of field practices and basic soil engineering procedures. Through four editions, this book has distinguished itself by its exceptionally clear theoretical explanations, realistic worked examples, thorough discussions of field testing methods, and extensive problem sets, making this book a leader in its field.Das's goal in revising this best-seller has been to reorganize and revise existing chapters while incorporating the most up-to-date information found in the current literature. Additionally, Das has added numerous case studies as well as new introductory material on the geological side of geotechnical engineering, including coverage of soil formation. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This is a great intro book on Soil Mechanics.
I just finished taking a intro Soil Mechanics class using this book. We completed all 16 chapters which is quite a feat for any engineering class.

I thought the book was very good at laying out the conceptual aspects of soil mechanics and it was very easy to read through, espcially for an engineering book. The book has lots of illustrations and pictures (B&W). The books chapter layout was a little bass ackwards (Ch 11-14). The book has a fair amount of sample problems, at least one for every concept. However Engineering students regarding solved problems are like crack addicts on the streets, you can never have enough of what you desire.

I would actually rate this book a 4.5/5.0......but I had to round up.

Much to be desired.
I first bought this book as a required text for a couple of my modules in school. This book is very effective when it comes to presenting the mathematical formula, examples and graphs. However, the discussions of tests and soil behaviour left much to be desired.

This book would be suitable for people who just started on soil mechanics. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is one of the best-known and most respected books in geotechnical engineering. In its third edition, it presents both theoretical and practical knowledge of soil mechanics in engineering. It features expanded coverage of vibration problems, mechanics of drainage, passive earth pressure, and consolidation. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Terzaghi says it all...
you've got to have this book if you are a geotechnical engineer. terzaghi gives examples from actual projects and presents them clearly. there are solutions to geotechnical problems encountered in the field.

Karl Terzaghi is loved
Many have commented on my review below -- most favorably. A few said, it was the second edition of the book they had admired most. Well! that was in 1967. Geotechnical engineering has exploded since then. Today it would be almost impossible for anyone to write a 5-star general purpose book on the subject.

I want to thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I am most grateful.

Book of the century
In India people say there is no building like Tajmahal. In civil engineering, I say there is no book like Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice. Karl Terzaghi, the father of soil mechanics, had a vision, a vision that he lived by, nurtured and preached. Very few have personified Terzaghi's vision better than co-authors, Peck and Mesri.

Permit me to say, no book in this century has had more influence on the rise of civil engineering than has Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice. Since its first publication in 1948, the book has guided a multitude around the world, spawned countless other books, and set a stage of research for a geotechnical generation gone by, there is, and yet to come.

The library of a geotechnical engineer cannot be said to be complete without a copy of this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Probabilistic reasoning, statistical methods, and measures of engineering judgment are combined to develop a quantified approach for analyzing and managing risks in civil engineering systems and the applied earth sciences. The resulting risk analysis approach described in this book reflects an emerging trend in geotechnical engineering, natural hazards mitigation, infrastructure protection, and other civil engineering fields to directly and quantitatively deal with uncertainty. Reliability and Statistics in Geotechnical Engineering offers a much needed state-of-the-art reference for risk analysis in geotechnical engineering and geology.

Integrating theory and practical applications, this book:

• Discusses the nature and philosophy of uncertainty in geological and geotechnical engineering.
• Addresses fundamentals and limits of probabilistic and statistical methods in the geological and geotechnical context.
• Develops statistical approaches to site characaterization decisions and for analyzing field and laboratory data.
• Explains traditional and emerging risk analysis methodologies and provides guidance for their use.
• Presents many applications of statistics, reliability, and risk techniques to practical problems.

Emphasizing both theoretical underpinnings and practical applications, this comprehensive text constitutes an invaluable reference for practising geotechnical engineers, geologists, university students, and civil engineers in general practice. ... Read more

Book Description

Effective and enduring site restoration involves professionals from many branches of science and engineering. Geologists, hydrologists, chemists, microbiologists and meteorologists all play a part in remediation efforts-as do civil, chemical, mechanical and environmental engineers.When the time comes for all-important design calculations, that's where conflicts between disciplines become apparent. Due to certain differences in educational training, the ability of environmental professionals to perform or review design calculations varies.Bridge the gap with Practical Design Calculations for Groundwater and Soil Remediation. Jeff Kuo's hands-on experience as a consultant and teacher of soil/groundwater remediation informs this collection of the most practical and relevant working information.Written in a user-friendly, "cookbook-style" format, readers can promptly access the necessary information. More than 200 equations, coupled with tables and figures, allow a clear understanding of purposes and procedures.To match the scope of Practical Design Calculations for Groundwater and Soil Remediation, you would have to comb through numerous publications. You may also be taking a chance on data that's already obsolete, due to rapid advancements in remediation technologies. One aspect doesn 't change: basic, straightforward design calculation. Practical Design Calculations for Groundwater and Soil Remediation helps everyone involved in a site restoration project follow the same set of guidelines-for effective results. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Practical Design Calculations for Groundwater and Soil
The concepts covered in this text are fairly well explained. Chapter 2 focuses on characterization and remedial investigation. This section can be useful for those who do UST investigations and soil removal. Here the author runs through the steps used to determine mass and volume of soil excavated from a tank pit and mass and concentration of excavated soil. There are also many useful subsections describing the procedure for determining mass and mole fractions of gasoline components, contamination in the vadose zone, etc.. The author also presents calculations for determining well volume for groundwater sampling. Chapter three covers plume migration in groundwater and soil and the author covers such topics as transmissivity, specific yield and storativity. These topics are not covered in great detail. Aquifer tests are covered and some simple examples are used demonstrating the Theis Method, Cooper-Jacob Straight Line method and Distance-Drawdown method. Not a lot of detail in these sections. Remaining chapters cover mass balance, vadose zone and soil remediation, groundwater remediation and VOC air treatment. Overall a good reference text with a great deal of applicable information.

A "must have" for environmental professionals!
Extremely concise reference that has taken the place of over twenty books on my shelf at work! I only worry I may wear out the spine before my second copy arrives!

Bible for Groundwater remediation
It's a great tool book you must have. Also an excellent textbook for graduate level cources in environmental engineering program. Probably also the only book you can choose as a groundwater analyst. ... Read more

Book Description

Long regarded as the leading book in the field, this volume provides a basic introduction to the biological, chemical, and physical properties affecting soil fertility and plant nutrition.It covers all aspects of nutrient management for profitable crop production, with particular attention to minimizing the environmental impact of soil and fertilizer management. The Sixth Edition has been substantially revised to reflect rapidly advancing knowledge and technologies in both plant nutrition and nutrient management. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

screening of salt tolerant and drought resistant plants
This research aimed to screening of salt and drought resistant plant in saudi arabia to evaluate the effect of water of differant salinities and drought (irrigation intervals)on plant growth and performance in a sandy soil ... Read more

Book Description

In recent years, viticulture has seen phenomenal growth, particularly in such countries as Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Argentina, Chile, and South Africa.The surge in production of quality wines in these countries has been built largely on the practice of good enology and investment in high technology in the winery, enabling vintners to produce consistently good, even fine wines.Yet relatively little attention has been paid to the influence of vineyard conditions on wines and their distinctiveness-an influence that is embodied in the French concept of terroir. An essential component of terroir is soil and the interaction between it, local climate, and grape variety on the quality of grapes and distinctiveness of their flavor. This book considers that component, providing basic information on soil properties and behavior in the context of site selection for new vineyards, and on the demands placed on soils for grape growth and production of wines.Soils of Viticulture will be of interest to professors and upper-level students in soils and agronomy as well as wine enthusiasts and professionals in the wine industry. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A must for anyone who grows winegrapes
.
If you are a grape grower of any consequence, you know that good wine depends on good grapes, that good grapes depend on good vines and that good vines depend on roots that are DEEP and STRONG. Thus, the medium in which roots grow is of crucial importance. Viticulturists can be misled by reading that vines grow in all sorts of soils all over the world. That is certainly true but that simple dictum does not mean that any soil will do, as "any" soil will certainly not do.

Robert White's book is VERY useful in helping understand what goes on below ground. If you just flip through it, it will strike you as too technical and thus daunting. However, if you will read each of the headings, (e.g., 5.1, 5.2) but not the sub-headings (e.g. 5.1.1, 5.1.2, 5.1.3) and then read his "Summary Points", you will be richly rewarded. If there points about which you want to know more or understand better, go back and delve into the sub-headings and be enlightened to your hearts content. I'm glad I own this book!

Fine Book for Fine Readers
A unique book, as fine as wine itself. No other book explains the detailed and vital nature and mechanisms of soils as they apply to grape production and wine-making. It tries to unravel the enigma of the 'terroir'. This will surely help the viticulturist and the winemaker to make the most of their land and we consumers will be the grateful beneficiaries. I think I could strongly recommend it to the specialist and interested reader.

Soils for Fine Wines
As a postgraduate student in the field of viticulture and wine i found this book covered the subject matter with great detail , clarity and scientific explanations. This book is a must have for your library collection and indeed for the aspiring viticulturist - it is a gold mine of information on the subject of soils. ... Read more

Book Description

Authoritative, state-of-the-art guidance to soil strength and slope-stability analysis

Through clear, concise language and practical examples, Soil Strength and Slope Stability describes state of the art methods for evaluating soil strength, and for analysis, design and stabilization of slopes in soil. The principles of limit equilibrium analysis, and appropriate use of computer programs are emphasized. Methods are described for checking the results of complex analyses, and for presenting results of slope stability analyses clearly. These are illustrated through many examples.

Written by two recognized experts in the field, Soil Strength and Slope Stability features:

• Case histories of landslides, embankment failures, excavation slope failures
• Principles that govern the shear strength of soils, including shear strength of municipal solid waste
• Methods for estimating and evaluating shear strengths based on back analysis of slope failures and stable slopes
• Explanations of the conditions that slopes must be designed to endure
• Detailed explanations of analysis methods for short-term and long-term stability, rapid drawdown, earthquake, and partial consolidation
• A wide range of analysis methods, methods for verifying results, and advice on presenting the results of slope stability analyses,including the importance of using multiple and/or independent methods
• Methods for repairing failed slopes and stabilizing marginally stable slopes

Visually informative with more than 250 illustrations, Soil Strength and Slope Stability is a complete and practical resource for geotechnical engineers, engineering geologists, civil engineers, geologists, environmental engineers, and students. ... Read more

Book Description

The revision of this best-selling text for a junior/senior course in Foundation Analysis and Design now includes an IBM computer disk containing 16 compiled programs together with the data sets used to produce the output sheets, as well as new material on sloping ground, pile and pile group analysis, and procedures for an improved anlysis of lateral piles. Bearing capacity analysis has been substantially revised for footings with horizontal as well as vertical loads. Footing design for overturning now incorporates the use of the same uniform linear pressure concept used in ascertaining the bearing capacity. Increased emphasis is placed on geotextiles for retaining walls and soil nailing. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A single volume encyclopedia of foundation engineering
This book is excellent. It covers all aspects of foundation analysis and design in a lucid manner. Contains a good number of worked out examples.

A fundamental reference
If you have only a few geotechnical engineering books, this should be one of them. As a practicing geotechnical engineer I use this book 2 to 3 times per week. It includes the theory and essential reference material.

Too Focused on the Analysis Software
I was very impressed with an earlier edition of Bowles' book as he had some very well-explained design examples (the best I had seen on design of sheet-pile walls). When I purchased this edition, I was dismayed to find that the text is very much centered around the software included with the book. In some cases the author provides sample computer output rather than illustrative design examples. This text left me regretting making the purchase, and hoping to find a used copy of one of the earlier editions.

A Bible on Foundation Design.
I have used this book since its 2nd edition and have always been impressed by this book. It is now fully metric thank God and expanded to cover just about all possible foundation and retaining wall problems. A must for all practicing engineers.

Classic on Foundation Design
I have used this text book since its 2nd edition and was always impressed by this book. Relevant for both students and the practicing engineer, it is an authority on foundation and retaining wall design. In my opinion all structural engineers should have a copy of this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Geosynthetic materials have entered the mainstream in the professional arena and are no longer considered new construction material. Professionals need to keep up with the nuances of how geosynthetics work.Emphasizes design by function; overviews all types of geosynthetics, with stand-alone units on particular materials. Uses S.I. units for all problems and examples. Expands coverage of containers and tubes in the geotextile chapter. Discusses walls and slope design, including seismic analysis, in the geogrid chapter. Treats wet landfills, agricultural waste, waste stability, and dam waterproofing in the geomembrane chapter. Discusses new products and related performances in the geosynthetic clay liner chapter. Discusses new products and related behavior, including fiber reinforcement and wall drainage, in the geocomposite chapter. Adds a completely new chapter on geofoam.A useful reference for transportation, geotechnical, environmental, and hydraulics professionals and engineers. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Geosynthetics - straight forward, crystal clear
Designing with Geosynthetics is the definitive text book for the geotechnical designer and specification writer, yet is simplistic enough for someone with no previous experience with Geosynthetics.The design byfunction approach is a common-sense straigh-forward concept that helps thereader understand the functionality of these plastic materials within asoil matrix. The text is also a boon to site owners and developers whousing traditional methods would not develop a site, but with geosyntheticsolutions, may develop the most difficult sites cost effectively.

Difficult to understand if you are not a ten year engineer
Currently I am using this text book for a college course on geosynthetics and I feel that it is not the level of material we should be using.This is partially our instructors fault for using this book as a reference but also you need to be a ten year engineer to understand the language.For example chapter 5 was assigned to us as reading along with 20 questions from the end of the chapter.The work load isn't the problem it is the fact that the book is not precise to what it is telling you.I know the answers are not going to come leaping out of the text book as the question reads but at least some order and explaination throughout the text could be used.My classmates and I feel the same way.Maybe I should direct my concerns to our instructor or maybe I am just blowing smoke because I want to understand something that isn't being explianed to me in a simple manner.I don't want to criticize your text but I find that it a little over-bearing to read when you are only learning the basic fundamentals of geosynthetics.Thank-you for your time. ... Read more

Book Description

Now, the essential components of Braja Das' market leading texts, PRINCIPLES OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING and PRINCIPLES OF FOUNDATION ENGINEERING, are combined in one book.The new book is divided into 13 chapters including the fundamental concepts of soil mechanics and foundation engineering.This excellent new text provides junior/senior level students and practitioners the essential background necessary to understand soil mechanics and foundation engineering. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A very basic, easy-to-read book...
A good book for those looking for a very basic, easy-to-read, book. It does have exercises after each chapter, which is good for students. However, many of them are very "repetitive"; the only difference between them are the numbers used in them. I should add that there aren't much challenging problems; most of them are easy.

The book doesn't go deep in some important topics. In some cases the theory seems to be just a "brief intro" to the topic, rather than a real discussion about it. Of course, this does not mean it's a bad book... but it should be taken into account (as the title says) that it deals with the very "fundamentals" of geotechnical engineering.

Great Geotechnical Book!
The chapters are written in practical sequence and contains many worked out examples, Illustrations and charts. For the student it has 100% of what you need, and for the practicing Geotechnical Engineer 90% of what you want. Hope the next edition contains computer disk!

Fundamentals of Geotechnical Engineering
It's excellent book for introduction to Geotechinical Engineering. Only problem I had with this book is that I was not familiar with SI units, but you will get use to it later as you solve some problems by yourelf. There is occassional typos errors with example problems and equation you may need to be careful. Other than that it is still the best book I've read in regards to Geotechincal subject. The book is generally easy to read and understand.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING!
This book explains to you all the basic principles of geotechnical engineering step-by-step. It also includes excellents examples and exercises to help you to understand better each theme, but you shouldn't have problems..because it's so simple to understand. ... Read more

Book Description

The first resource of its kind, this reference assembles current research in crop plant physiology, plant biotechnology, and plant breeding to genetically improve crop plants while supporting a productive agriculture ecosystem—providing the most innovative perspectives and molecular approaches in crop physiology for the formulation of superior crop cultivars that potentially increase yield in stress environments. ... Read more

Book Description

Written in a clear, direct style, this practical book introduces readers to the essentials of soil mechanics and foundations. Major emphasis is given to design and practical applications, which are supported by basic theory. KEY TOPICS Chapter topics cover formation of natural soil deposits, engineering properties of soils, soil exploration, soil compaction and stabilization, water in soil, stress distribution in soil, consolidation of soil and settlement of structures, shear strength of soil, shallow foundations, pile foundations, drilled shaft foundations, lateral earth pressure, retaining structures, and stability analysis of slopes.For civil engineers, civil engineering technologists, and geotechnical engineers. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

10 stars Stunning must read
Most Americans by now know of but how many know of Hezbollah and what it is and what it does? How many know who Mohammed Youssef Hammoud is?How many know how Special Forces, FBI, Dominos Pizza, cigarettes, Canada are connected?Al Qaeda and Usama Bin Ladenare well known, but they are not, if one reads this book, the ones we should be worried about.What do these cities Charlotte, Dearborn, New York City, Newark, Boston, Chicago, Louisville, Houston, Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland have in common and why should you be worried? Can we say 'terror cells'?

The authors are not some right wing or left wing nut people, but authors with reputable credentials and a sense of patriotism that is so refreshing. The way they talk about how so many in the FBI are willing to not only make lousy pay, but love this country enough that they are willing to die for it, speaks volumes.Also made me mad, because it seems that the higher ups in the FBI as well as the White House, don't seem to give much of a damn.

This book is a must read for anyone who doesn't want their head in the sand, and who wants mature, thought provoking reading material that will make them think and hopefully push for some real action.

And if you ever have the chance to hear the authors speak either in person on on C-SPAN you wont be disappointed.

Hezbollah 101
This is a highly informative little book on Hezbollah, the Lebanese terrorist organization with a global reach.The authors detail the history of religious conflict in Lebanon, the birth of Hezbollah out of the early 1980s Lebanon Civil War, and the role of the Iranian government in financing and facilitating Hezbollah's illicit deeds.They review well chronicled tales of Hezbollah terrorist attacks on US interests abroad - most famously, the 1983 Beirut Marine barracks bombing and the Kohbar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia in 1996 - and against Israel.They also tell us a great deal about Hezbollah's extensive operations in South America's lawless Tri-Border Region (the area bordering Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil) and its deadly attacks on the Israeli embassy (1992) and a Jewish community center (1994) in Buenos Aires.The experience in Argentina, the authors say, illustrates how Hezbollah operatives infiltrate a foreign country and establish support cells that can be activated with lethal effect whenever the leaders in Lebanon or their Iranian sponsors deem it in their interests.

In the U.S., the authors focus on Hezbollah support cells in Charlotte, NC and Dearborn, MI, although they identify at least 14 US cities where the terrorist organization is known to be active.The support cells engage in various criminal enterprises to raise funds for Hezbollah.In Charlotte, the illicit activity of choice was smuggling cigarettes into parts of Michigan in order to avoid heavy local sales taxes. This cost Michigan taxpayers some $3.7 million in lost tax revenue, much of which found its way to Hezbollah's coffers in Lebanon. In order to break up the nefarious ring, the authors show how the FBI, ATF and local law enforcement officials had to overcome ill-considered Federal laws strictly limiting cooperation between intelligence and criminal branches, and a timid, don't-rock-the-boat mentality that held sway prior to September 11th. The so-called "Chinese Wall" erected by Congress in 1978 and reinforced and heightened by Janet Reno's Deputy Jamie Gorelick (later a 9/11 Commission member) comes in for stinging criticism.

This book is especially timely now with the Cedar Revolution unfolding in Lebanon and Hezbollah vying for political legitimacy and international recognition.It will provide any reader with a better understanding of one of the world's most lethal terror networks.

An exciting and true tale of terrorists in North Carolina
What are Hezbollah terrorists doing in the United States?Why are they in Charlotte, Dearborn, New York City, Newark, Boston, Chicago, Louisville, Houston, Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland?And why are they engaged in criminal activities there?

This book explains some of the answers about who they are, how they get here, and what many of them do once they are here.And it explains, suspense and all, how a cell of terrorists in Charlotte was rounded up.

The moral of this tale is simple.We could have stopped the 9/11 terrorists a couple of times, had we simply allowed our intelligence people and crime investigators to cooperate.We will need to be prepared for more terror.And unless we do something to prevent it, one day there will be an even bigger disaster.

We are vulnerable to attacks on our food, water, power, and transportation."The biggest threat to our civil liberties is our continuing inability to deal with the threat [of terrorism] in a reasonable time."Obviously, if several hundred thousand Americans were to die in one or more terrorist attacks, both that and our response to it would reduce our liberties severely.

Here are the concluding recommendations, some of which may seem a little repetitive, of this rather exciting and thought-provoking book:

*Realize that a determined army of radical Islamists long ago declared war on America

*Realize that Hezbollah is in the front rank of this army

*Avoid making scapegoats of our law enforcement and intelligence agenicies as institutions

*Put handcuffs on the terrorists, not the law enforcement agencies

*Understand as a nation that the goals of those agents who hunt terrorists is not to harm the innocent but to catch and convict the guilty

*Do a better job of controlling our borders

*Come up with a consistent national form of secure identification

*Study the "trip wires" of organized terrorism so that we will know when they are being triggered

*Integrate our vulnerability to terror into our national thinking

*Honor those in law enforcement and counterterrorism who combat the terrorists

I'm not sure exactly what we ought to do.But I think this is a great time to decide, before some major attacks hurt us and also panic us into making quick decisions that we may later regret.


... Read more

Book Description

Environmental Soil Physics is a completely updated and modified edition of the Daniel Hillels previous, successful books, Introduction to Soil Physics and Fundamentals of Soil Physics. Hillel is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, one of the true leaders in the field of environmental sciences. The new version includes a chapter and problems on computational techniques, addresses current environmental concerns and trends.

* Updates and expands the scope of Hillel's prior works, Fundamentals of Soil Physics (1980)and Applications of Soil Physics (1980)
* Explores the wide range of interactions among the phases in the soil and the dynamic interconnections of the soil with the subterranean and atmospheric domains
* Draws attention to historical and contemporary issues concerning the human management of soil and water resources
* Directs readers toward solution of practical problems in terrestrial ecology, field-scale hydrology, agronomy, and civil engineering
* Incorporates contributions by leading scientists in the areas of spatial variability, soil remediation, and the inclusion of land-surface processes in global climate models ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a civil engineer /hydrologist
a great book for reference and detailed study . clear concepts and i believe a must buy for studying transport through soils ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great for any of your gardening friends!
This is a great Chrstimas present for any of you who have gardening friends. I loved it! It's also a great coffee table book. ... Read more

Book Description

Contemporary legislation respecting environmental protection and public health, at both national and international levels, are based on data that characterize chemical properties of environmental phenomena, especially those that reside in our food chain. Thus, environmental and food quality are now matters of major public concern and therefore a system of metrology in trace analysis has recently been developed at the international level.This new edition of a bestseller highlights the significance of anthropogenic factors in changing the trace element status in soils and plants. Written by Dr. Alina Kabata-Pendias, a world-renowned plant and soil scientist, Trace Elements in Soil and Plants, Third Edition incorporates recent data from about 400 respected sources. These data present the most recent research on topical issues such as the assessment of natural/background content of trace elements in soil; bioindication of chemical status of environmental compartments; soil remediation; and hyperaccumulation and hyperextraction of trace metals from the soil. Discussions of the health-related significance of trace elements in food are also included.This third edition presents an overview of the principal pathways from soils to plants. The author provides the background for a more profound understanding of ways by which chemical processes operate in both polluted and unpolluted conditions of the soil-plant system. The current review of recent soil-plant findings offered by Trace Elements in Soil and Plants, Third Edition renders the book an indispensable reference. ... Read more

Book Description

This text/CD package combines the fundamentals of geotechnical engineering with an interactive multimedia CD to enhance learning and retention. Readers will learn to understand the physical and mechanical properties of soils; determine parameters from soil testing to characterize soil properties, soil strength, and soil deformations; and to apply the principles of Soil Mechanics to analyze and design simple geotechnical systems. Critical state soil mechanics is included. The CD contains multimedia interactive animations of the essential concepts of soil mechanics and foundations, interactive visualization of mathematical models (e.g. consolidation, critical state models, etc.), virtual laboratories (students can conduct soil tests, interpret the results and apply the results to practical situations using 3-D simulated apparatus; these labs are independent of time and location, the students conduct all the procedures as if he/she were in a real laboratory, and can explore "what-if" situations), digital videos, a glossary, notation, quizzes, notepads, interactive problem solving, spreadsheet links and computer program utilities. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Very Sucessful Book
This book is a very sucessful presentation of soil mechanics and foundation engineering. It builds up the concepts step by step. There are many good features of this books, as partly covered by reviewers below. The inclusion of critical state soil mechanics is a A+ for this book. In the light of this tutorial model, the stress-strain-strength behaviors of cohesive and cohesionless soils under drained or undrained condition are no longer a mystery to the learners. With this book, you can feel what soils feel in the field....

very sucessful book
This book is a very sucessful presentation of soil mechanics and foundation engineering. It builds up the concepts step by
step. There are many good features of this books, as partly covered by reviewers below. The inclusion of critical state
soil mechanics is a A+ for this book. In the light of this
tutorial model, the stress-strain-strength behaviors of
cohesive and cohesionless soils under drained or undrained
condition are no longer a mystery to the learners. With this
book, you can feel what soils feel in the field....

Under-graduate Soil Mechanics
This soil mechanics book is one of the best put-together books I have come across. The CD included with the book makes it well worth the high cost. The video clips along with the animated demonstration media clips are extremely helpful in grasping the idea at hand. The follow-along labs. are very helpful. Design of flow nets is covered exceptionally well. Certainly one of my favorite textbooks.

Soil Mechanics and Foundations
This is an outstanding new textbook covering the field of soil mechanics and foundation engineering, which has for so long been populated with very mediocre titles. It is the first book to do a proper job of integrating the more recent advances in soil mechanics (most notably soil plasticity and critical state constitutive models) into a proper description of soil strength. The included software is also outstanding in its application to the teaching of soil mechanics.

I have found it to be very useful in my own teaching, and also in my own practice as a geotechnical engineer. Compared with so many of the other books that still fail to cover shear strength and stress-strain relationships properly, this one is nothing short of a breath of fresh air. It is not cheap (what worthwhile book is ?) but in my case the cost is secondary in importance to the material it contains.

Recommended highly for both practitioners and academics in civil engineering. ... Read more