This book constitutes the definitive handbook to soil mechanics, covering in great detail such topics as: Properties of Soils, Hydraulic and Mechanical Properties of Soils, Drainage of Soils, Plastic Equilibrium in Soils, Earth Stability and Pressure of Slopes, Foundations, etc. A valuable compendium for those interested in soil mechanics, this antiquarian text contains a wealth of information still very much valuable to engineers today. Karl von Terzaghi (1883 - 1963) was a Czech geologist and Civil engineer, hailed as the "father of soil mechanics". This book has been elected for republication due to its educational value and is proudly republished here with an introductory biography of the author.