Geotechnical

Engineering II
Introduction
What is Geotechnical
Engineering ?

Geology
Engineer
ing
Soil Mechanics
Principle
s
Rock Mechanics
What does the Geotechnical
Engineer do?
 Site Investigation
 Obtain information regarding an area on
which construction is to take place to
enable engineering design and
construction to be carried out
 Investigation of failures of structures
having a soil or rock interface
 Identification of hazardous areas

 Location and evaluation of construction

materials
What does the Geotechnical
Engineer do?
 Design of structures such as
 Fill and cut
 Earth dams

 Foundations

 Tunnels

 Roads, railways, runways

 Earth retaining structures

What does the Geotechnical
Engineer do?
 The aim of the geotechnical engineer is to
assist in the design of structures that are
connected in some way to the earth
 So that they are safe
 So that they are economical
 Very often, the geotechnical engineer has
to balance safety with economy
 How much information is needed?
 What is its cost?
 What is the reliability of the factor of safety,
and predictions of performance?
What do we learn in this
course?
 Principles of geology
 Geological time
 The structure of the earth and the
dynamic processes that shape it
 The origin and composition of rocks,
including a study of their components
(minerals)
 The action of surface processes on rocks

 Geological structures
What do we learn in this
course?
 South African stratigraphy
 A study of the rocks found in South
Africa, including their engineering
characteristics
 Geological maps
 How to interpret geological maps and
engineering geology maps, including
the preparation of cross-sections