Soil mechanics fundamentals muni budhu professor department of civil engineering and engineering mechanics university of arizona usa version. Size and shape of soil particlesthe size of the soil particles is determined by mechanical analysis that is the method of separation of particles into different size fractions by means of standard sieves the is sieve numbers are designated in millimetres and microns and the corresponding size of the openings apertures in millimetres. Soil mechanics fundamentals lays a solid foundation on key principles of soil mechanics for application in later engineering courses as well as in engineering practicey with this textbook students will learn how to conduct a site investigation acquire an understanding of the physical and mechanical properties of soils and methods of determining them and apply the knowledge gained to . Soil mechanics fundamentals lays a solid foundation on key principles of soil mechanics for application in later engineering courses as well as in engineering practice