Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 1.1 Site
model for a new
building,
the factors and
hazards that need
to be addressed by
the engineering
geologist.
rainfall
natural
landslide risk
flooding
previous land use?
foundation
options?
contamination?
superficial geology
can it carry load
potential settlement
liquefaction potential
earthquake hazard?
mining?
depth to bed rock
and bed rock
quality?
in situ stress?
active fault?
structure to be sited in a valley threatened by a nearby natural hillside.
The ground model, integrated with the civil engineering structure, can
be analysed numerically to ensure that the tolerance criteria for a
project are achieved. For most structures, the design criteria will be
that the structure does not fail and that any settlement or deformation
will be tolerable; for a dam, the design criteria might include acceptable
leakage from the impounded reservoir; for a nuclear waste reposi-
tory, it would be to prevent the escape of contaminated
fluids to the
biosphere for many thousands of years.
Many authors have attempted to de
ne engineering geology as a subject
separate to geology and to civil engineering (e.g. Morgenstern,
2000; Knill, 2002; Bock, 2006), but it is easier to de
ne what a
practising engineering geologist needs to know and this is set out in
Table 1.1.
Firstly, an engineering geologist needs to be fully familiar
with geology to the level of a traditional earth sciences degree. He
should be able to identify soil and rocks by visual examination and to
interpret the geological history and structure of a site. He also needs to
have knowledge of geomorphological processes, and be able to inter-
pret terrain features and hydrogeological conditions. He must be
familiar with ground investigation techniques so that a site can be
