Negros Oriental State University

College of Engineering and Architecture

Main Campus II, Bajumpandan, Dumaguete City

ENS 244
Engineering
Geology

Prepared by:

Engr. John Ronald R. Fortuito

fortuitojohnronald@gmail.com
Why Geology ???
 Why Geology ???
Geology plays a very important role in the
field of civil engineering.

• It provides knowledge about materials

used for construction.
• Its knowledge is helpful for constructing
dams.
• Geotechnical Engineers needs knowledge
about this subject for excavation work
(digging work)
• Its knowledge is required for foundation
faults.
• For design of highways and roads.
 Why Geology ???
• In construction of tunnels.
• Soil tests are done before any project.
• Its knowledge is helpful for river control
and shipping work.
• Nature of soil materials can be find out.
INTRODUCTION

GEOLOGY

Geology is the science of the earth

GEO = Earth, LOGY = Study of Science

• It deals with the study of Origin, Age,

Interior Structure and History of Earth.
• Evolution and modification of various
surface features like rivers, mountains and
lakes.
• Material make ups the earth.
INTRODUCTION
PHYSICAL GEOLOGY
- this is also called as Dynamic Geology or
Geomorphology.
• Physical Geology deals with the different
physical feature of the earth such as
mountain, rivers, lakes, glaciers and
volcanoes.
• It also deals with different changes occurs
on earth surface like marine, formation or
disappearance of rivers, spring and lakes.
• Natural phenomena like land slides, earth
quake and weathering.
• Geological works of wind glaciers river
oceans ground water and their role in
constantly molding of earth surface.
PHYSICAL GEOLOGY
Civil Engineering Point of View

• Learning the physical feature of the earth

such as mountain, rivers, lakes, glaciers
and volcanoes allows Engineers to be
more confident regarding the location,
design, construction, operation and
maintenance of engineering structures for
certain purposes.
• These help Engineers to come up with
structures of defense against the
devastation attributed to either erosion or
weathering.
MINERALOGY
• This deals with the study of minerals.
• Mineralogy deals with the detailed mode
of formation, composition, occurrence,
types, association properties uses etc.
MINERALOGY
Civil Engineering Point of View

• The strength and durability of the materials

depends on chemical composition.
• The quartzite and marble resemble one
another in shine color and appearance
but quartzite by virtue of its mineral
composition is very hard tough, strong and
durable while the marble disintegrates
and decomposition in a short period
because of its mineral composition and
properties.
PETROLOGY
• Petro = Rock, Logos = Study
• Petrology deals with the study of Rocks
• The earth crust is also called as
Lithosphere, is made of different types of
rocks.
• Petrology deals with the formation,
structure, texture, composition,
occurrence, types etc.
PETROLOGY
Civil Engineering Point of View

• The composition and texture

characteristics of rocks primarily contribute
to their strength and durability.
• Rocks based on their suitability can be
used for foundation for Dams, Tunnels and
other Engineering Structures.
• Hence it is most important branch of
Geology from Civil Engineering point of
view.
STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY
• The rocks which forms the earths crust
undergoes various deformation,
dislocations and disturbances under the
influence of tectonic plates forces.
• The results is the occurrence of geological
structures like folds, faults, joints and
unconformities in the rocks.
STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY (FAULTS)
STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY (FOLDS)
STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY
Civil Engineering Point of View

• Geological structures modified the

inherent physical characteristics of rock
rendering them more suitable or
unsuitable for civil engineering purpose.
• Dam site sedimentary rocks with upstream
dip provided a desirable geological setup
while the same rock with down stream dip
make geological setup undesirable.
HISTORICAL GEOLOGY
• The earth surface was always suitable
condition for the deposition of sediments
at some place or other place. Therefore
there are sedimentary rocks on the earth
representing the entire period of the earth
history. proper investigation of this rocks
reveals the chronological sequence of
formation of rocks, evolution ,migration
and plants and animals life during different
period of the earth history.
• These kind of study of the earths history
through sedimentary rocks is called
historical geology.
HISTORICAL GEOLOGY
PALAEONTOLOGY
• If , under favorable condition, animals and
plants life gets embedded in sediments , it
will be preserved partly or completely
such remnants of ancient life preserved in
rocks by natural processes are known as
Fossils.
• Details of mode of formation of fossil their
types, occurrence etc. form the subject
matter of palaeontology. Its not much
important from civil engineering point of
view.
PALAEONTOLOGY
ECONOMIC GEOLOGY
• Minerals can be grouped into rock forming
mineral and economic minerals. some of
the economic minerals like talc, graphite,
mica, asbestos, gypsum, magnetite and
diamond are useful as row materials in
some industries.
• Some others like hematite, chromite,
galena and Pyrolusite are used for ore
extraction of various metals.
• The prosperity of a nation depends to a
large extent of rich reserves of economical
minerals deposit. Gulf countries are rich
because of their oil deposit; South Africa is
rich because of its gold and diamond
deposited.
ECONOMIC GEOLOGY
• It deals with the mode of formation,
occurrence, classification, association,
varieties and concentration, properties
and uses etc. Its is related to economic
importance, it is not related civil
engineering point of view.
ENGINEERING GEOLOGY
• This deals with the application of
geological knowledge in the field of civil
engineering for execution of safe, stable
and economic construction like dams,
bridges and tunnels.
ENGINEERING GEOLOGY
MINING GEOLOGY
• This deals with the application of
geological knowledge in the field of
mining.
• A mining engineer is interested in the
mode of extent of occurrence of ores,
their association, tenor, properties etc., It is
also necessary to know other physical
parameter like depth, direction (strike),
inclination (dip) thickness and ore bodies.
MINING GEOLOGY
GEO PHYSICS
• The study of physical properties like density
and magnetism of earth. It is sub divided
into Pure geophysics and Exploration
geophysics.
• Pure geophysics deals with general
aspects of earth as a whole and
Exploration geophysics deals with the
study of upper layer of the earths crust in
order to solve civil engineering problem
and locating oil, gas and ground water
explore and estimate the ore deposit.
GEO PHYSICS
GEO PHYSICS
GEO HYDROLOGY
• This may also called as Hydrogeology. It
deals with occurrence, movement and
nature i.e., (quality and quantity) of
ground water in an area.
• This branch is closely related to geology
because the very existence movement of
ground water are directly related to
porosity , permeability, structure, texture
and composition of ground water and
under ground rocks.
GEO HYDROLOGY
GEO CHEMISTRY
• This branch is relatively more recent and
deals with occurrence , distribution,
abundance, mobility, etc., of different
elements on the earth crust. It is not
important from the civil engineering point
of view.
Importance of Geology in Civil
Engineering
• Before constructing roads, bridges, tunnels,
tanks, reservoirs and buildings, selection of
site is important from the point of stability of
foundation.
• Geology provides a systematic knowledge
of construction materials and their
properties.
• The knowledge about the nature of the rocks
in tunneling and construction of roads.
• The foundation problems of dams, bridges
and buildings are directly related with
geology of the area where they are to be
built.
• Pre-geological survey of the area concerned
reduces the cost of planning work.
Importance of Geology in Civil
Engineering
• The knowledge of ground water is
necessary in connection with excavation
works, water supply, irrigation and many
other purposes.
• The knowledge of Erosion, Transportation
and Deposition (ETD) by surface water
helps in soil conservation, river control.
• Geological maps and sections help
considerably in planning many
engineering projects.
• If the geological features like faults, joints,
beds, folds are found, they have to be
suitably treated. Hence, the stability of the
rock structures is important.
Scope of Geology
Scope of Geology
• Geology provides necessary information
about the construction materials at the
site used in the construction of buildings,
dams, tunnels, tanks, reservoirs, highways
and bridges.
• Geological information is most important
in planning stage, design phase and
construction phase of an engineering
project.
• Geology is useful to know the method of
mining of rock and mineral deposits on
earth’s surface and subsurface.
• Geology is useful for supply, storage and
filling up of reservoirs with water.
• This is the only subject which gives the
information about the earth surface.
Scope of Engineering Geology
• Engineering geology may be defined as
the branch of applied science which deals
with the application of geology for a safe
and economic design and construction of
a civil engineering projects
The basic objective of engineering geology
are two fold:
• It enables a civil engineer to understand
engineering application of certain
conditions related to the area of
construction, which are essentially
geological in nature
• It enables a geologists to understand the
nature of geological information that is
absolutely essential for the safe design and
construction of a civil engineering project.
Scope of Engineering Geology
Scope of Engineering Geology
 Geology and Civil Engineering
• The scope of engineering geology is best
studied with reference to major activities of
the profession of civil engineer which are:
Construction, water resource development,
town and regional planning.
 Geology and Civil Engineering

Geology in Construction Jobs

• In all types of heavy construction jobs such

as buildings, towers, tanks, dams and
reservoir, highway bridges, traffic and
hydropower tunnels etc. full geological
information about the site of construction
(or Excavation) and about the natural
materials of construction is paramount
importance.
Geology and Civil Engineering
Geology and Civil Engineering
 Geology and Civil Engineering
• The aspect of geology has full relevance in
all the three aspects of each construction
i.e. planning, designing and execution.
Planning
- Following geological information is greatly
useful in planning an engineering project.
• Topographical maps. Such maps give
details of relief features and are essential
to understand relative merit and demerit of
all the possible sites.
• Hydrological Maps. These maps give broad
details about the distribution and
geometry of the surface water channels
and also the occurrence and depth
contour of groundwater.
• Geological Maps. Petrological characters
and structural disposition of rock types as
developed in the proposed area depicted
in geological maps.
Planning

Topographical Maps
Planning

Topographical Maps
Planning

Hydrological Maps
Planning

Hydrological Maps
 Geology and Civil Engineering
Design
- Some of the geological characters that
have a direct or indirect bearing upon
the design of a proposed project are:
• the existence of hard bed rocks and
their depth from and inclination.
• The mechanical properties along and
across the site of the proposed project;
• Presence, nature and distribution
pattern of planes of structural weakness
• The position of ground water table in
totality.
• Seismic character of the area as
deciphered from the seismic history
and prediction about future seismicity.
Geology and Civil Engineering
Geology and Civil Engineering

Basic Principle of
Pile Foundation

Seismic Magnitude
Scale
Geology and Civil Engineering

Load Distribution from Footing to Soil

Geology and Civil Engineering

Load Distribution from Footing to Soil

 Geology and Civil Engineering
Construction
• The engineer responsible for the quality
control of construction materials will
derive enormous benefit from his
geological background of the nature
material such as sand, gravel, crushed
rocks.
• Similarly for construction in geologically
sensitive areas as those of coastal belts,
seismic zones and permafrost regions,
knowledge of geological history of the
area is of great importance.
• Construction of underground projects like
tunnels cannot at all be undertaken
without a through knowledge of the
geological characters and setting of the
rocks and their relevance to the loads
imposed.
Geology and Civil Engineering
Geology and Civil Engineering
Geology and Civil Engineering
 Geology and Civil Engineering

Geology in Water Resource Development

• Exploration and development of water

resources have become very important
areas of activities for scientists,
technologists and engineers in all parts of
the world.
• The water resource engineers has to
understand the water cycle in all
essential details. Study of water cycle is
an essential prerequisite for effective
planning and execution of major water
resource development programmers on
national and regional level.
 Geology and Civil Engineering

Geology in Water Resource Development

 Geology and Civil Engineering

Geology in Water Resource Development

 Geology and Civil Engineering

Geology in Water Resource Development

 Geology and Civil Engineering

Geology in Water Resource Development

 Geology and Civil Engineering

Geology in Town and Regional Planning

• A town planner is concerned essential with

land utilization in as best and as aesthetics
a manner as possible for developing cities
and towns for meetings social needs in
different areas.
• The regional Town Planner is responsible for
adopting an integrated approach in all
such cases of allocation of land for
developmental projects.
 Geology and Civil Engineering

Geology in Town and Regional Planning

• Thus a change induced in the natural

setup of an area due to a proposed new
project is going to lead a series of changes
in the adjoining and even in distant places.
In nature, nothing works in isolation. As
such all sound planning must be in tune
with the natural features and processes of
a region.
 Geology and Civil Engineering

Geology in Town and Regional Planning

Thank You . . .

Prepared by:

Engr. John Ronald R. Fortuito

fortuitojohnronald@gmail.com