The Virtual Soil Mechanics Laboratory is well into its second year of funding. The website at address www.cooper.edu/vsoil is fully functional for the following experiments: water content, specific gravity, grain size distribution (mechanical sieve analysis and hydrometric analysis), consistency limits and moisture-density (compaction). The constant head, permeability, variable head permeability, and direct shear on cohesionless soils experiments are just being added to the website, with the consolidation, unconfined comprehension, and triaxial compressions experiments due to be added to the website by the end of the spring 1998 semester.

One half of the junior Civil Engineering class taking Soil Mechanics in spring 1998 is utilizing the virtual soil mechanics laboratory website. A survey conducted by Professor Guido and Gerardo del Cerro (The Cooper Union Gateway Evaluator) has indicated that the students using the website feel that it is an unequivocal success. In addition, their comments have been incorporated into upgrading the website to meet students' needs.

The layout of the website is also being upgraded, and more pleasing color schemes are being implemented. A survey conducted on the entire class indicates those using the website have a better understanding of the laboratory experiments.