Geology for Civil

Engineers
Course outline
• Introduction
• The Earth
• Time in Geology
• Dynamics of the Earth
• Minerals and Rocks
• Structural Geology
• Weathering and Erosion
• Groundwater
• Landslides and Other Processes
• Earthquakes and Volcanic Activity
• Geological Maps and Cross Sections
• Application of Geology to Engineering Practice
Supplementary references
• Blyth, F.G.H., de Freitas, M.H., 1984. A Geology for Engineers, Seventh Edition. Elsevier
Butterworth-Heinemann, Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford, 365 p.
• Hencher, S., 2012. Practical Engineering Geology. Applied Geotechnics Volume 4, Spon
Press, Oxon, 450 p.
• Mathewson, C.C., 1981. Engineering Geology. Charles E. Merril Publ. Co., London, 410
p.
• McLean, A.C., Gribble, C.D., 2005. Geology for Civil Engineers. Taylor & Francis e-
Library, 333 p.
• Kehew, A.E., 2006. Geology for Engineers and Environmental Scientists, 3rd ed. Pearson
Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 696 p.
• Plummer, C.C., McGeary, D., 1985. Physical Geology. W.C. Brown Publisher, Dubuque,
513 p.
• Price, D.G., 2009. Engineering Geology Principles and Practice. Springer-Verlag, Berlin,
Heidelberg, 450 p.
• Tarbuck, E.J., Lutgens, F.K., Tasa, D., 2014. Earth An Introduction to Physical Geology
Eleventh Editon. Pearson, 876 p.
Assessment
• Midterm (30%)
• Quiz(zes) (20%)
• Final (50%)
1. Introduction
1.1. What is Geology?
• Geology is the study or science of the Earth;
Geo: «the Earth»; logy: «science»
• Geology is concerned with:
- The Earth
- The rocks that make up the outer part of the Earth
- The processes shaping the Earth during geological times
- The modeling of the Earth’s surface in the past and the
present day
…
• An understanding geology involves the following
disciplines:
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Geophysics (physics of the Earth)
- Geochemistry (chemistry of the Earth)
- Geodesy (study of shape and dimensions of the Earth)
- Hydrology (science relates to the water of the Earth)
- Oceanography (studies relate to ocean or sea)
…
• Geology has developed a number of branches which may be
outlined as follows:
(I) Physical Geology
- Mineralogy (study and classification of minerals)
- Petrology (study of rocks; their physical and chemical properties,
and their modes of origin)
- Weathering and erosion (study of processes that alter exposed
rocks and shape landforms)
- Sedimentation (origin and deposition of modern sediments)
- Structural geology (study of geometry of rock masses, with
emphasis on crustal deformation)
- Economic geology
…
(II) Historical Geology
- Stratigraphy (systematic study of bedded rocks and
their relations in time)
- Paleontology (study of fossils)
(III) Geological Mapping (Graphic representation of
bedrock units defined by physical characteristics and
geologic age)
…
1.2. Geological Engineering
• Deal with general geological problems; engineering geology
which is also a branch of geology involves the application of
geology and other geosciences to solve geological problems
posed by civil engineers, petroleum engineers and mining
engineers;
• The branches of the geosciences most applicable to engineering
geology are:
- Rock and soil mechanics
- Geohydrology
- Geophysics (mostly exploration geophysics and earthquake
seismology)
…
• «Petroleum Engineers» economically design
systems to recover and extract petroleum products
from rocks
• «Mining Engineers» design and develop methods to
extract mineral resources from the crust
economically and safely
• «Civil Engineers» economically and safely build on
or in the crust (the crust is the outer layer of the
Earth)
…
• Since the engineer must deal with many different
kinds of rocks and soils as well as surface and
subsurface water under widely different climatic
and topographic conditions, it is essential that he or
she have an understanding of the basic properties
of these materials in order to anticipate their
engineering aspects wherever they may be
encountered
…
• Because the Earth is geologically complex, not only
in its interior but also on its surface, wide variability
in the kinds and properties of the rocks and soils of
engineering concern must be anticipated
• It is the aim of this course to develop basic
concepts that allow these differences to be
understood from the first principles and to
integrate the pertinent knowledge of geologic
materials, properties, processes, and techniques
with the needs and practices of civil engineering
Engineerig Geologist Both Civil Engineer

Classification and Physical Properties    

Soil testing
Rock description Soil description Strentgh characteristics

Rock Mechanics    

Descriptive rock mechanics Rock testing

Rock structure In-situ studies Stability analysis
Stress distribution

Slope Stability    

Slope stability interpretation Grading Slope stability analysis and testing

Mapping    

Geological mapping
Aerial photo interpretation Soil mapping Topographic mapping
Landforms Surveying
Subsurface configuration

Project Plannig    

Urban planning
Development of geologic parameters   Design
Geologic feasibility Material analysis
Economics

Surface Waters    

Volume of runoff Design of control works

  Stream description Coastal river engineering
Erosion potential Design of development
Source of material Hydrology
Engineering Geologist Both Civil Engineer

Grounwater    

Hydrology
Occurrence Engineering hydrology
Structural controls Drainage Mathematical treatment of well systems
Direction of movement Subsidence Development concepts
Underflow studies Field permeability Regulation of supply
Storage computation Specific yield Economic considerations
Characteristics of water bearing and non- Laboratory permeability
water bearing materials

Earthquakes    

Seismicity Seismicity
Location of faults Seismic consideration Response of soil and rock materials to
Evaluation of active and inactive faults Earthquake probability activity
Historic record of earthquakes Aseismic design of structures

Exploration    

Planning
  Supervision  
Observation

Design and Supervision    

Grouting
  Tunnel  
Conduit

Engineering Geophysics    

Soil and rock hardness

Mechanical properties   Engineering application
Depth determinations