Being Soil Mechanics a Geotechnical topic, shouldn't this forum appear within the Geotechnical Engineers Group as oppose to the Structural Engineers? Just a reflexion. Regards.
You are probably correct - but we have learned to live with it as we have with many things that structural types like to push us into (LRFD for example).
It is probably a throw back to the early days of the site (I was first on in 2003 or so and it was like this then). Most geotechs check the structural site too so are aware of this . . .