Saint Louis College

City of San Fernando, La Union

Department of Civil Engineering

CE 212 [GEOLOGY FOR CIVIL ENGINEERS]

August, 2022

Prepared by : ENGR. REYNOLD F. TORCEDO

Geology in Civil Engineering

GEOLOGY

- is the study of earth, the materials of which it is made, the structure of those materials and the effects of the
natural forces acting upon them and is important to civil engineering because all work performed by civil
engineers involves earth and its features.
- Fundamental understanding of geology is so important that it is a requirement in university-level civil
engineering programs. For a civil engineering project to be successful, the engineers must understand the land
upon which the project rests.

Geologists

- study the land to determine whether it is stable enough to support the proposed project.
 - they also study water patterns to determine if a particular site is prone to flooding. Some civil engineers use
geologists to examine rocks for important metals, oil, natural gas and ground water.

ROLE OF THE ENGINEER IN THE SYSTEMATIC EXPLORATION OF A SITE

The investigation of the suitability and characteristics of sites as they affect the design and construction of civil
engineering works and the security of neighboring structures is laid out in British Standard Code of Practice for site
investigations (BS 5930:1981, formerly CP 2001). The sections on geology and site exploration define the minimum that
a professional engineer should know THE SYSTEMATIC EXPLORATION AND INVESTIGATION OF A NEW
SITE MAY INVOLVE FIVE STAGES OF PROCEDURE. THESE STAGES ARE:

1. Preliminary investigation using published information and other existing data;

2. A detailed geological survey of the site, possibly with a photo-geology study;
3. Applied geophysical surveys to provide information about the subsurface geology;
4. Boring, drilling and excavation to provide confirmation of the previous results, and quantitative detail, at critical
points on the site; and
5. Testing of soils and rocks to assess their suitability, particularly their mechanical properties (soil mechanics and
rock mechanics), either in situ or from samples.

In a major engineering project, each of these stages might be carried out and reported on by a consultant
specializing in geology, geophysics or engineering (with a detailed knowledge of soil or rock mechanics). However,
even where the services of a specialist consultant are employed, an engineer will have overall supervision and
responsibility for the project. The engineer must therefore have enough understanding of geology to know how and when
to use the expert knowledge of consultants, and to be able to read their reports intelligently, judge their reliability, and
appreciate how the conditions described might affect the project. In some cases, the engineer can recognize common rock
types and simple geological structures, and knows where he can obtain geological information for his preliminary
investigation. When reading reports, or studying geological maps, he must have a complete understanding of the meaning
of geological terms and be able to grasp geological concepts and arguments. For example, a site described in a geological
report as being underlain by clastic sedimentary rocks might be considered by a civil engineer to consist entirely of
sandstones. However, clastic sedimentary rocks include a variety of different rock types, such as conglomerates,
sandstones and shales or mudstones. Indeed, it would not be unusual to find that the site under development contained
sequences of some of these different rock types—say, intercalated beds of sandstone and shale, or sandstone with
conglomerate layers. Each of these rock types has different engineering properties, which could affect many aspects of the
development work such as core drilling into, and excavation of, the rock mass, and deep piling into the underlying strata.

The systematic testing of the engineering properties of soils and rocks lies between classical geology and the older
disciplines of engineering, such as structures. It has attracted the interest of, and contributions from, people with a first
training in either geology or engineering, but has developed largely within departments of civil and mining engineering
and is usually taught by staff there. These tests, and the advice about design or remedial treatment arising from them, are
more naturally the province of the engineer, and fall largely outside the scope of this book. The reasons for this lie in the
traditional habits and practices of both fields. The engineer’s training gives him a firm grounding in expressing his
conclusions and decisions in figures, and in conforming to a code of practice. He also has an understanding of the
constructional stage of engineering projects, and can better assess the relevance of his results to the actual problem.
RELEVANCE OF GEOLOGY TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

Most civil engineering projects involve some excavation of soils and rocks, or involve loading the Earth by
building on it. In some cases, the excavated rocks may be used as constructional material, and in others, rocks may form a
major part of the finished product, such as a motorway cutting or the site f or a reservoir. The feasibility, the planning and
design, the construction and costing, and the safety of a project may depend critically on the geological conditions where
the construction will take place. This is especially the case in extended ‘greenfield’ sites, where the area affected by the
project stretches for kilometers, across comparatively undeveloped ground. Examples include the Channel Tunnel project
and the construction of motorways. In a section of the M9 motorway linking Edinburgh and Stirling that crosses
abandoned oil-shale workings, realignment of the road, on the advice of government geologists, led to a substantial
saving. In modest projects, or in those involving the redevelopment of a limited site, the demands on the geological
knowledge of the engineer or the need for geological advice will be less, but are never negligible. Site investigation by
boring and by testing samples may be an adequate preliminary to construction in such cases.

THE SCIENCE OF GEOLOGY

Geology

- is the study of the solid Earth.

- includes the investigation of the rocks forming the Earth (petrology) and of how they are distributed (their
structure), and their constituents (mineralogy and crystallography).
 Geochemistry is a study of the chemistry of rocks and the distribution of major and trace elements in
rocks, rock suites, and minerals. This can lead to an understanding of how a particular rock has originated
(petro genesis), and also, in the broadest sense, to a knowledge of the chemistry of the upper layers of the
Earth.

The distribution of rocks at the Earth’s surface is found by making a geological survey (that is, by geological
mapping) and is recorded on geological maps. This information about rocks is superimposed on a topographic base map.
Knowledge of the nature and physical conditions of the deeper levels of the planet can be gained only by the special
methods of geophysics, the twin science of geology; the term ‘Earth sciences’ embraces both. From the theory and
methods of geophysics, a set of techniques (applied geophysics) has been evolved for exploring the distribution of rocks
of shallower levels where the interests of geologists and geophysicists are most intertwined.

Knowledge of the Earth at the present time raises questions about the processes that have formed it in the past:
that is, about its history. The interpretation of rock layers as Earth history is called stratigraphy, and a study of the
processes leading to the formation of sedimentary rocks is called sedimentology. The study of fossils (paleontology) is
closely linked to Earth history, and from both has come the understanding of the development of life on our planet. The
insight thus gained, into expanses of time stretching back over thousands of millions of years, into the origins of life and
into the evolution of man, is geology’s main contribution to scientific philosophy and to the ideas of educated men and
women.

WHAT IS GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING?

Geotechnical engineering
- is the branch of civil engineering concerned with the engineering behavior of earth materials. Geotechnical
engineering is important in civil engineering, but also has applications in military, mining, petroleum and other
engineering disciplines that are concerned with construction occurring on the surface or within the ground.

A typical geotechnical engineering project begins with a review of project needs to define the required material
properties. Then follows a site investigation of soil, rock, fault distribution and bedrock properties on and below an area of
interest to determine their engineering properties including how they will interact with, on or in a proposed construction.
Site investigations are needed to gain an understanding of the area in or on which the engineering will take place.
Investigations can include the assessment of the risk to humans, property and the environment from natural hazards such
as earthquakes, landslides, sinkholes, soil liquefaction, debris flows and rockfalls.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING SUBTOPICS:

1. Soil mechanics
Soil mechanics is a branch of soil physics and engineering mechanics that describes the behavior of soils. It
differs from fluid mechanics and solid mechanics in the sense that soils consist of a heterogeneous mixture of fluids
(usually air and water) and particles (usually clay, silt, sand, and gravel) but soil may also contain organic solids and other
matter.

2. Geotechnical investigation
Geotechnical engineers and engineering geologists perform geotechnical investigations to obtain information on
the physical properties of soil and rock underlying (and sometimes adjacent to) a site to design earthworks and
foundations for proposed structures, and for repair of distress to earthworks and structures caused by subsurface
conditions.

3. Foundations
A building's foundation transmits loads from buildings and other structures to the earth. Geotechnical engineers
design foundations based on the load characteristics of the structure and the properties of the soils and/or bedrock at the
site.

4. Lateral earth support structures

A retaining wall is a structure that holds back earth. Retaining walls stabilize soil and rock from downslope
movement or erosion and provide support for vertical or near-vertical grade changes. Cofferdams and bulkheads,
structures to hold back water, are sometimes also considered retaining walls.

5. Earthworks
Earthworks include excavation, filling, and compaction
6. Ground Improvement
Ground Improvement is a technique that improves the engineering properties of the treated soil mass. Usually,
the properties modified are shear strength, stiffness and permeability. Ground improvement has developed into a
sophisticated tool to support foundations for a wide variety of structures. Properly applied, i.e. after giving due
consideration to the nature of the ground being improved and the type and sensitivity of the structures being built, ground
improvement often reduces direct costs and saves time.

7. Slope stabilization

Slope stability is the potential of soil covered slopes to withstand and undergo movement. Stability is determined
by the balance of shear stress and shear strength.

8. Offshore geotechnical engineering

Offshore (or marine) geotechnical engineering is concerned with foundation design for human-made structures in
the sea, away from the coastline (in opposition to onshore or nearshore).
9. Geosynthetics

Geosynthetics are a type of plastic polymer products used in geotechnical engineering that improve engineering
performance while reducing costs.

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF ROCKS?

Rocks
- have a broad range of uses that makes them significantly important to human life. For instance, rocks are used in
construction, for manufacturing substances and making medicine and for the production of gas.
- are also extremely vital to scientists as they provide clues about the Earth’s history.
- can broadly be classified into three categories: sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. These classes,
which are based on the rock's origin, determine the structure and use of the rock.
- are important in the making of many objects, such as plates, jewelry and toothpaste. Most houses are also built of
materials obtained from rocks.
- Some of the most valuable rocks used in the manufacturing of items include graphite, slate, limestone, gypsum
and pyrite. These types of rocks help in the production of stationery and the building of houses.
- Coal, which is an organic rock made mainly from plant materials, has various uses. It can be used in the
production of gas, and its residue is used in making plastics and several synthetic materials.

Rock mining
- provides employment opportunities for casual workers, especially in places where formal jobs are difficult to find.

Rocks contribute greatly to the economy of a country or region where they are found. Rocks are also used in
the medicine industry. Bismuth is helpful for people with stomach upsets, while silver is used in the manufacturing
of dental equipment.

WHAT IS ENGINEERING GEOLOGY?

Engineering Geology
- is the application of geology to engineering studies to ensure that the geological factors related to the location,
design, construction, operation and maintenance of engineering works are recognized and taken into account.
- provide geological and geotechnical recommendations, analysis and design related to human development and
different types of structures. The engineering geologist’s realm is essentially about earth-structure interactions or
investigating how earth or earth processes impact human-made structures and human activities.

Geological engineering studies can be performed during the planning phases, environmental impact analysis, civil or
structural engineering design, value engineering and construction phases of public and private works projects, and post –
construction and forensic phases of projects. Geological hazard assessments, geotechnical, material properties, stability of
landslides and slopes, erosion, flooding, dewatering, and seismic investigations, etc.
 Geological engineering studies are conducted by a geologist or engineering geologist who is educated, trained and has
experience in recognizing and interpreting natural processes ; Understanding how these processes affect human – made
structures (and vice versa) and knowledge of ways to mitigate hazards caused by adverse natural or human – made
conditions. The engineering geologist’s main objective is to protect life and property from damage caused by different
geological conditions.

The practice of engineering geology is also very closely linked to the practice of geological engineering and
geotechnical engineering. If there is a difference in the content of the disciplines, it is mainly the training or experience of
the practitioner.

One of the most important roles as an engineering geologist is the study of landforms and earth processes to identify
potential geological and associated human-made hazards that may have a significant impact on civil structures and human
development. The background in geology provides the engineering geologist with an understanding of how the earth
works, which is crucial to mitigating the risks associated with the environment. Many engineering geologists have also
graduated with specialized training in soil mechanics, rock mechanics, geotechnics, drainage, hydrology and civil
engineering. Such two elements of engineering geologist training provide them with a specific ability to understand and
minimize hazards associated with earth-structure interactions.

WHAT TYPE OF WORK DO GEOLOGICAL ENGINEERS DO?

Many of these specialists consult for engineering or environmental firms. Many are employed by departments of
the highways, environmental agencies, forest services, and hydro operations.

Construction industries depend on geological engineers to ensure the stability of rock and soil foundations for
tunnels, bridges, and high-rises. Foundations must withstand earthquakes, landslides, and all other terrestrial phenomena,
including permafrost, swamps, and bogs.

Geological engineers are finding better ways for landfill construction and management. They find safer ways to
dispose and manage sewage from toxic chemicals and garbage. They plan and design tunnels for excavations.

Groundwater engineering is another specialty of geological engineering. Industries and farms need reliable
sources of water, requiring dams or drilling wells at times. These engineers regulate the supply of water to hydroelectric
dams ; they design dikes and work to prevent shoreline erosion.
Prepared by:

ENGR. REYNOLD F. TORCEDO