Book excerpt: More than ten years have passed since the first edition was published. During that period there have been a substantial number of changes in geotechnical engineering, especially in the applications of foundation engineering. As the world population increases, more land is needed and many soil deposits previously deemed unsuitable for residential housing or other construction projects are now being used. Such areas include problematic soil regions, mining subsidence areas, and sanitary landfills. To overcome the problems associated with these natural or man-made soil deposits, new and improved methods of analysis, design, and implementation are needed in foundation construction. As society develops and living standards rise, tall buildings, transportation facilities, and industrial complexes are increasingly being built. Because of the heavy design loads and the complicated environments, the traditional design concepts, construction materials, methods, and equipment also need improvement. Further, recent energy and material shortages have caused additional burdens on the engineering profession and brought about the need to seek alternative or cost-saving methods for foundation design and construction.