Book excerpt: The Geotechnical Engineering Handbook brings together essential information related to the evaluation of engineering properties of soils, design of foundations such as spread footings, mat foundations, piles, and drilled shafts, and fundamental principles of analyzing the stability of slopes and embankments, retaining walls, and other earth-retaining structures. The Handbook also covers soil dynamics and foundation vibration to analyze the behavior of foundations subjected to cyclic vertical, sliding and rocking excitations and topics addressed in some detail include: environmental geotechnology and foundations for railroad beds.