This core undergraduate textbook for civil engineers is the first to cover the fundamental changes in the ethos of geotechnical design advocated in the now published Eurocode 7. This code will be fully adopted across Europe by 2010 and its implementation will mean a radical shift to limit state design. Ian Smith makes understanding this new approach to geotechnical design less daunting to the student with clear explanatory text, detailed illustrations and several worked examples, covering a range of topics including slope stability, retaining walls and shallow and deep foundations. Downloadable spreadsheets help to illustrate how the new Eurocode is applied and the book's website also gives the worked solutions to self-test questions at the end of each chapter. Now in its 8th edition, this well-established textbook has been updated and re-designed with improved page layout and illustrations making it the essential user-friendly introduction to soil mechanics and geotechnical design to Eurocode 7. To see the author's webpage go to: http://sbe.napier.ac.uk/esm/