Engineering geology - Practical Engineering Geology - page 4

characterised cost-effectively and thoroughly. Furthermore, he needs
to understand the way that soils and rocks behave mechanically under
load and in response to

fluid pressures, how they behave chemically,
and how to investigate their properties. To carry out his job properly,
an engineering geologist also needs to know the fundamentals of how
structures are designed, analysed and constructed, as introduced in
Chapter 2 and presented in more detail in Chapter 6. Much of this will
not be taught in an undergraduate degree and needs to be learnt
through MSc studies or through Continuing Professional
Development (CPD) including self study and from experience gained
on the job.
The better trained and experienced the engineering geologist, the
more he will be able to contribute to a project, as illustrated schema-
tically in Figure 1.2. At the top of the central arrow, interpreting the
geology at a site in terms of its geological history and distribution of
strata is a job best done by a trained geologist. At the bottom end of the
arrow, numerical analysis of the ground-structure interaction is
usually the province of a geotechnical engineer a trained civil engi-

neer who has specialised in the area of ground engineering. There are,

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Geological Model
Engineering Geologist

Main tasks in geotechnics nics

Geological End End

Input and
responsinility
of individual
depends upon
training and
competence

Input and
responsinility
of indiv id ua l
depe nds up on
traini ng a nd
competence

Desk Study
Site Reconnaissance
Ground Investigation
Ground Modelling
Rock Unit Characterisation
Analysis
Design of Structres

Engineering End End

Geotechnical
Team approach to
investigation and
understanding

Geotechnical
Team approach to

Geotechnical Engineer
Numerical Analysis

Figure 1.2 Roles of engineering geologists and geotechnical engineers.
The prime responsibilities of the engineering geologist are ' getting the geology

right ' (according to Fookes, 1997) and ' assessing the adequacy of

investigation and its reporting (according to Knill, 2002), but an experienced

engineering geologist with proper training can go much further, right through
to the full design of geotechnical structures. Similarly, some geotechnical
engineers become highly knowledgeable about geology and geological
processes through training, study and experience and could truly call
themselves engineering geologists. The photo shows David Starr and Benoit
Wentzinger of Golder Associates, Australia, working in a team to investigate
a major landslide west of Brisbane.

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