'Intended as an introductory text in soil mechanics, the eighth edition of Das, PRINCIPLES OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING offers an overview of soil properties and mechanics together with coverage of field practices and basic engineering procedure. Background information needed to support study in later design-oriented courses or in professional practice is provided through a wealth of comprehensive discussions, detailed explanations, and more figures and worked out problems than any other text in the market. Includes a comprehensive discussion on weathering of rocks and the formation of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. Presents a detailed explanation for the variation of the maximum and minimum void ratios of granular soils due to grain size, shape, and non plastic fine contents. The Kozeny-Carman equation and modifications thereof to estimate hydraulic conductivity of granular soils is discussed in detail. More figures and worked out problems than any other text in the market. The most recent information and findings in the literature. Case histories have been added in appropriate chapters in order to familiarize the student with the unpredictable variability of soil in the field. Challenging critical thinking problems have been added to the end-of-chapter problem sections for increased understanding of the content. A 16-page color insert of photographs including rocks and rock-forming minerals has been added to this edition in order to fully capture the unique coloring that helps geotechnical engineers distinguish one mineral/rock from the other. Chapter introductions and summaries have been expanded in this edition in order to more clearly lay out the content, both before and after it's been read.