W2-GEOLOGY OF CIVIL ENGR.

• Different physical features of

earth (mountains, plateaus,
Geology
rivers, lakes, glaciers, and
- Geology is the science that studies the volcanoes) in terms of their
Earth’s physical structure and origin and development.
substances, the history of rocks, the • Changes that are occurring on
processes that acts on them and the the earth’s surface like marine,
most economic way to use the world’s transgression, marine
resources. regression, formation or
- It deals with the evolution and disappearance of rivers, springs,
modification of various surface features and lakes.
like rivers, mountains, and lakes along • Geological work of wind,
with their causes; and the materials glaciers, rivers, oceans, ground
making up the Earth. water, and their role in
constantly molding the earth’s
Geology in Civil Engineering surface features.
- The Civil Engineers aim at safety, • Natural phenomena like
stability, economy, and life of the landslides, earthquakes, and
structures that they construct. Civil weathering.
engineering construction like dams and
2. MINERALOGY
bridges will have their foundations on
geological formations of the earth’s - This deals with the study of minerals
surface. which are the basic units which different
- Therefore, their stability and safety rocks and ores made up of.
depend on the competent foundation of - Details of mode of formation,
the in-situ rocks of the sites concerned. composition, occurrence, types,
association, properties, and uses of
BRANCHES OF GEOLOGY mineral form the subject matter of
Main Branches mineralogy.
- Knowledge in this branch of geology is
1. Physical Geology necessary for a Civil Engineer because
2. Mineralogy the properties of rocks are to a large
3. Petrology extent contributed by the properties and
4. Structural Geology composition of their constituent
5. Historical Geology mineral.
6. Paleontology
7. Economic Geology 3. PETROLOGY

1. PHYSICAL GEOLOGY - Deals with the study or rocks. Petrology

deals with mode of formation, structure,
- This is also described as dynamic texture, composition, occurrence, and
geology, or geomorphology. types of rocks.
- Rocks based on their suitability can be
- As the name suggests, it deals with the used as foundations for dams, for
following: tunneling, and as materials of
 construction. Hence, this is the most
important branch of geology from the
Civil Engineering point of view.
4. STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY
- The details of mode of formation, cause,
types, classification, and importance of
these geological structures form the
subject matter of structural geology.
- From the Civil Engineering point of view,
it is as important as petrology because
these geological structures modify the
inherent physical characters of rocks
rendering them more suitable or
unsuitable for civil engineering
purposes.
5.HISTORICAL GEOLOGY
- Historical Geology is the study of
changes in Earth and its life forms over
time.
- This also called stratigraphy (strata = set
of sedimentary rocks, and graphy =
description). Because it deals with
details and description of sedimentary
rock sequences.
- From the Civil Engineering point of view
also it relevant that older rocks tend to
be more stable and more competent due
to more compaction and cementation.
- Further study of stratigraphy or
historical geology can be utilized in
predicting underlying strata which may
be very important in some specific civil
engineering constructions.
the matter to a person concerned for
necessary action.
- This situation where a Civil Engineer
encounters a fossil sometimes occurs in
engineering works like tunneling or road
cutting.
7.ECONOMIC GEOLOGY
- Is concerned with earth materials that
can be used for economic and industrial
purposes.
- Minerals like talc, graphite, mica,
asbestos, gypsum, magnesite, barytes,
diamonds, and gems are useful.
EARTH STRUCTURE AND ITS COMPOSITION
- The Earth’s is divided into four major
components: the crust, the mantle, the
outer and inner cores.
- Each layer can impact life on Earth’s
surface. Movement in the mantle caused
by variations in heat from the core,
cause the palates to shift resulting into
earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.
- These natural hazards then change our
landscape, and in some cases threaten
lives and properties.
THE CRUST

6.PALAEONTOLOGY

- Is the study of pre-historic life forms

embedded in sediments. These life
forms are also called “fossils”
- A Civil Engineer must know some of
these details so that he/she can identify
or recognize it as fossil. And can report
 - Is a cold, brittle, outer, shell made of
rock. The crust is very thin relative to the
radius of the earth.
- The thickness of the earth’s crust is
estimated to be around 5 to 70 km. It is
thin relative to earth’s radius of 6, 378
km.
- There are two different types of crust,
THE CORE
each with its own distinctive physical
and chemical properties.
- Oceanic Crust is composed of magma
that erupts on the seafloor to create
basalt lave flow or cools deeper to create
an intrusive igneous rocks called
Gabbro.
- Continental Crust is made up of igneous,
metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks.
- The average composition of the
continental crust is Granite.
THE MANTLE
CONTINENTAL DRIFT AND TECTONIC PLATES
The Continental Drift
- It is basically made up of solid rock and is
hot.
- These rocks are mostly silicate rocks rich
in magnesium and iron.
- The mantle’s thickness is estimated to
be about 2,900 km.
- Is very hot, and dense center of the
earth.
- There are no samples of rocks in the
earth’s core for direct measurement.
- Information about the Earth’s core
comes from the analysis of seismic
waves and the Earth’s Magnetic Field.
- Alfred Wegener believed that 200
million Years Ago, all of the continents
were joined together in one large
supercontinent he called “Pangaea”
which is Greek for “All the Earth”.
 - Over the course of million years Pangaea The Role of Atmosphere in Weathering
broke apart into the continents that we
- The atmosphere is directly or indirectly
know today, a process he called
responsible for the weathering
Continental Drift.
phenomenon. All rocks are invariably
- Other scientist in his time were skeptic
affected by weathering.
about his observation because he did
- Wind is capable of causing physical
not have a convincing explanation for
disintegration under favorable
the cause of the drifting.
conditions
- He suggested that the continents were
- Water vapor, these dynamic forces play
moving around due to Earth’s rotation
a major role in causing disintegration
turned to be wrong.
and decomposing of rock
- Alfred Wegener was Meteorologist not
a Geologist, so scientist was fully 3 Types of Weathering
skeptical on his ideas.
1. Physical Weathering
The Theory of Tectonic Plates - Is caused by effects of changing
temperature on rocks, causing the rocks
- The Theory of tectonic Plates builds on
to break apart.
Wegener’s Theory of Continental Drift.
- The process is sometimes assisted by
In this theory, it is the tectonic plates,
water.
rather than continents which are
moving.
- Tectonic Plates are pieces of the
lithosphere and crust, which float on the
asthenosphere.

EARTH PROCESS
WEATHERING OF ROCKS

2. Chemical Weathering
- Is caused by rainwater reacting with the
mineral grains in rocks to form new
minerals and soluble salts. These
reactions occur particularly when the
- Weathering is the breaking down or water is highly acidic.
dissolving of rocks and minerals on
Earth’s surface.
- The deteriorating effects of weather,
climate, or atmospheric agents may be
described as Weathering of Rocks.
 3. Biological Weathering
- Living Organisms contribute to the
weathering g process in many ways.
WORKS OF RIVERS, WIND, AND SEA AND
THEIR ENGINEERING IMPORTANCE
Geological Work of Rivers
- Rivers are capable of exerting greatly
modifying influence over the
topography of the region through which
they may flow.
- The geological work of river may be
divided into three well defined phases:
erosion, transport, and deposition.
By Erosion
- The disintegration and decomposition of
rocks and soil by natural agent through
mechanical and chemical process
accompanied by removal of the
disintegrated product far off places.
By Transport
- Every river receives enormous amount
of material during its flow. These
materials include rock and soil particles
that the river acquires by its own work of
erosion along the channel.
By Deposition
- The process of dropping down of its load
by any natural agent.
- There are factors why natural agent like
rivers are dropping its loads
• When it enters an area of
shallow water.
• When a volume of water
decreases.
Geological Work of Wind
- Wind is basically air in motion.
- Wind performs the work of erosion in
three methods: Deflations, Abrasion,
and Attrition.
Wind Deflation
- Is a work of wind when it picks up loose
particles from an area and leaves a
denuded surface covered with coarse
particles that are too large for the wind
to transport.
 - The most noticeable results of deflation
in some places are shallow depression
called blowouts.
Wind Abrasion
- Is the process of erosion that wears
away a solid object due to the impact of
particles carried by the wind.
Work of Sea
- The wind picks up particles and moves
them. When particles collide with a solid
object, the impact causes small pieces of
the object to break off.
Hydraulic Action
Wind Attrition
- The sand particles and other particles
are carried by the wind from different
places are carried away to considerable
distances.
- The wear and tear of load particles
suffered by them due to mutual impacts
during the transportation process is
called attrition.
- Marine water erodes the rocks at the
shore and elsewhere with which it
comes in contact.
- The work of erosion in seas is also
accomplished in three ways: Hydraulic
Action, Abrasion, and Corrosion.
- Is the process of erosion by sea involving
breaking, loosening, and plucking out of
loose, disjointed blocks or rocks from
their original places.
- This is done by the strong forces created
by the impact of seas waves and
currents.
By Marine Abrasion
- Is the wearing away of rocks means of
strong waves with sand particles hit the
rocks.
- Hydraulic Action contributes heavily to
marine abrasion.
By Marine Corrosion
- Is the solvent action of seawater which is
particularly strong in environment
where the shore is of vulnerable
chemical composition.
- Salts and acid in sea water can react with
rocks, slowly dissolving them away.
Ground Water
- Is the water that occurs below the
surface of the earth.
- Ground water occupies all part of the
void spaces in soils or geologic strata.
GROUNDWATER IMPORTANCE IN CIVIL
ENGINEERING
Importance of groundwater in Civil Engineering
1. As a geological agent, groundwater
contributes to the decomposition of
rocks. This makes the properties of rocks
deteriorate and renders them unsuitable
for construction purposes.
2. Ground water conditions prevailing in
some regions may seriously jeopardize
the stability or success of certain civil
engineering structures such as reservoirs
and dam. Thus again, ground water
study is important from the civil
engineering point of view.
3. In dealing with water supply for
constructional activities, irrigation,
industries, and domestic requirements,
a civil engineer may have to look
towards ground water as a source of
water supply.
ORIGIN AND OCCURRENCE OF EARTHQUAKE
Earthquake
- An earthquake is what happens, when
two blocks of the earth suddenly slip
past one another.
- Earthquakes can originate from sudden
motion along a fault, from a volcanic
eruption, bomb blasts, or anything else
that suddenly releases energy on or in
the Earth.
Occurrence of Earthquake
- Most earthquakes occur along the
tectonic plate boundaries, along cracks
in the lithosphere called faults, or along
the mid ocean ridges.
- The majority of the seismic energy
released in the world is from
earthquakes occurring along the plate
boundaries. Particularly around the
Pacific Ring of Fire where there is
intense tectonic activity that causes
tsunami on a regular basis.