1.

1 Engineering Geology
Geology is the study of the earth and its system, while Engineering Geology is the application of
geological data for engineering purposes. Engineering geology studies provides for safe and
economic construction of buildings, roads and all civil engineering works.

1.2 Minerals
More than 2000 minerals on earth generate rocks. This rock constitutes the earth. It is found
naturally. It has chemical composition. It can be expressed by a specific crystal system. It is
mostly solid sometimes liquid and generally inorganic.

1.2.1 Importance of Minerals

1. Minerals and mines are part of the legacy that remains to us from the geological past.
These are the basic building blocks of the solid part of the earth and are very important
for construction.

2. Minerals and rocks are the main sources for the production of automobiles, computers
and many other things we use.

3. Minerals and rocks play important roles in many earth processes such as landslides,
coastal erosion and volcanic activities.

4. Studies on minerals and rocks provide important information on the earth history.

5. The properties of the minerals and rocks provide us with information in knowing how we
can best manage our earth resources.

1.2.2 Physical properties of minerals

a. Tenacity

b. Hardness

c. Fracture

d. Cleavage

e. Streak

f. Luster

g. Density

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2.1 Types of rocks
a. Magmatic rock

b. sedimentary rock.

c. Igneous rock

d. Metamorphic rock

2.2 Main minerals in magmatic rock

a. Quartz

b. Feldspar

2.3 Main Minerals in Sedimentary rocks

a. Magmatic rock fragments especially quartz and feldspar

b. Clay minerals

c. Calcite and dolomite

d. Siderite

e. Limonite

2.4 Main minerals in Sedimentary rock

a. Quartz

b. Feldspar

c. Serpentine

d. Calcite

e. Chlorite

3.1 Weathering
Weathering is the disintegration of rocks by agents of physical or chemical weathering

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3.1.1 Types of weathering
a. Physical

b. Chemical

3.1.2 Agents of physical weathering

a. Frost action: The freezing and thawing causes alternate expansion and contraction of
rocks eventually breaking them apart. It happens mostly during winter in mountainous
areas or Polar Regions.

b. Biological action: With plant growth, the root system will increase in volume and cause
cracks in the rocks thereby resulting to expansion.

3.1.3 Agent of chemical weathering

a. Oxidation: Oxygen combines with minerals to form oxides (Iron + water = rust).

b. Hydration: Minerals absorbs water and chemically, changes the composition of the
material.

c. Carbonation: When pollutants like carbon dioxide, nitrogen and surphuric oxides mix
with rain water creating acid rain, which can dissolve limestone and harm the living
environment. e.g. coal burning for electricity , fossil fuel consumption for cars e.t.c.

3.1.4 Factors affecting weathering

a. Climate e.g. cold and humid or hot and humid

b. Particle size and shape: As particle size decreases, the weathering rate increases.
Angular sediments have more surface areas, so weathering is at a faster rate while round
sediments have less surface areas and weathering rate decreases.

c. Mineral composition: Some rocks are resistant to weathering because of their

composition. More resistant hard rock has strong chemical composition while less
resistant soft rock have weak chemical compositions. Rock will weather at different rates
due to their chemical compositions.

4.1 Faults
A fault is a fracture across which two blocks have slipped. The displacement of adjacent block is
parallel to the fault plane. Faulting corresponds to the brittle failure of an un-deformed rock
formation or alternatively, involves fractional sliding on a pre-existing fault plane. Faulting
occurs when the maximum differential stress ( i.e. maximum stress minus minimum stress),

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exceeds the shear strength of an intact rock formation, or the frictional strength of a pre-existing
fault.

4.2 Types of Faults

There are three types of faults which include:

a. Normal faults: This is when the hanging wall moves down, dip relatively to the footwall.
Normal faults dominates in extensional tectonic regime (the maximum stress is vertical).

b. Reverse fault: This is when the hanging wall moves up, dip relatively to the footwall.
Reverse fault are common in constructional tectonics regime (the minimum stress is
vertical).

c. Strike-slip faults: The blocks move horizontally past one another. Strike-slip faults often
indicate a trans-current tectonic regime (the intermediate stress is vertical).