Department of Civil Engineering

MVGR College of Engineering (A)

Engineering Geology Lab

Mr. B. Ramu, Assistant Professor
Mr. S. S. B. S Kumar, Assistant Professor
Mr. W. Sai Deepak, Assistant Professor
 Contents
1) Introduction
2) Course Objectives, Course Outcomes
3) Mapping of CO –PO
4) List of experiments
5) Applications
6) Mineralogy
7) Petrology
8) Structural Geology
9) List of Project Based Experiments
 Introduction

Geology: “The science which deals with the physical structure

and substance of the earth, their history, and the processes
which act on them”

Engineering geologists investigate and provide

recommendations on the character of the geology of the area for
engineering analysis and design.

Laboratory trains civil engineering students in identification

procedures of minerals and rocks and study of geological maps.
 Course Objectives
The objectives of this course are
1. To demonstrate Mega-scopic identification of
Rock forming and Ore minerals.
2. To demonstrate Mega-scopic identification of
Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic rocks .
3. To explain the topographical study of the site.
4. To explain how to solve structural geology
problems.
 Course Outcomes
Learners at the end of this course will be
able to
• Identify Mega-scopic minerals & their
physical properties.
• Identify Mega-scopic rocks & their physical
properties.
• To prepare the maps showing contour, slope
and other topographical features.
• To Solve structural geology problems.
 Course Outcomes (CO) –Program Outcomes (PO)
Mapping Table

Engineering POs PSOs

Geology 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 PSO1 PSO2

lab M H M M M M M M

1)
 Applications
The importance of geology in civil engineering may briefly be outlined
as follows

•Geology provides a systematic knowledge of construction material, its

occurrence, composition, durability and other properties. Example of such
construction materials is building stones, road metal, clay, limestones and
laterite

•The foundation problems of dams, bridges and buildings are directly concerned
with the geology of the area where they are to be built. In these works drilling is
commonly undertaken to explore the ground conditions. Geology helps greatly in
interpreting the drilling data.

•In tunnelling, constructing roads, canals, docks and in determining the stability of cuts
and slopes, the knowledge about the nature and structure of rocks is very necessary.
 Applications (continues)…
•Before staring a major engineering project at a place, a detailed geological
report which is accompanied by geological maps and sections, is prepared.
Such a report helps in planning and constructing the projects.

•The stability of civil engineering structure is considerably increased if the

geological feature like faults, joints, bedding planes, folding solution channels
etc in the rock beds are properly located and suitably treated.

•The cost of engineering works will considerably reduced of the geological

survey of the area concerned is done before hand.
 List of Experiments

1. Identification of Rock Forming Minerals

2. Identification of Ore Forming Minerals
3. Identification of Igneous Rocks
4. Identification of Sedimentary Rocks
5. Identification of Metamorphic Rocks
6. Structural Geology Problems –I (Thickness of Strata
Problems)
7. Structural Geology Problems –I (Dip & Strike Problem)
8. Structural Geology Problems –I (Borehole Depth Problem)
9. Geological Map Study
Mineralogy
 List of Physical Properties

1. Colour

2. Form

3. Hardness

4. Cleavage and Fracture

5. Streak

6. Lustre
Colour: The property possessed by an object of producing different
sensations on the eye as a result of the way it reflects or emits lighti often
the first property noticed of a mineral. For some minerals it is a
very important property.

Calcite- White Quartz-Colourless

Graphite - Black Olivine - Green

Form: When a crystal is allowed to grow freely in an unrestricted environment
(lots of free-space), a natural geometric form will be produced. This form reflects
the internal arrangement of atoms (internal structure)

Bladed- Kaynite Botryoidal- Hematite

Columnar - Pyrosult Botryoidal- Hematite

Different Forms of Minerals and Rocks Tetragonal- Quartz

Cubic- Galena Tabular- Feldspar

Tabular - Fibrous- Asbestos

Laminar – Mica Hexagonal

Hardness: Hardness is a measure of a mineral's ability to resist abrasion
(scratching). A harder substance will scratch a softer one.
Talc – 1 Gypsum - 2

Calcite – 3 Fluorite - 4
Apatite– 5 Orthoclase - 6

Quartz– 7 Topaz- 8
Corundum– 9 Diamond - 10
Cleavage and Fracture: If definite planes of weakness exist, a mineral may break
repeatedly along those planes of weakness more readily than in other directions.
This repeatable breaking is known as Cleavage.

Whenever a mineral is broken in random (non-parallel, non-planar) non-

repeatable directions, it is said to have fracture. Mineral fracture may resemble
broken glass or concrete.
 Quartz – No cleavage Mica - 1 set of cleavage

Feldspar – 2 sets of cleavage at 90 Degrees Calcite - 3 sets of cleavage

Fluorite - 4 sets of cleavages Sphalarite - 6 sets of cleavages
Conchoidal Fracture – Quartz Hackly Facture - Asbestos

Obsidian- Conchoidal
Streak: When a mineral is broken down into small pieces, or ground into a powder,
its colour may become enhanced. When we grind a mineral across a white
unglazed porcelain plate a powdered streak will be left on the plate. The colour of
this streak may be very helpful in properly identifying the specimen (especially the
metallic or earthy minerals).
Graphite – It gives black colour in its
streak test

Hematite – It gives cherry red colour

in its streak test
Lustre: The way a mineral reflects light is called its lustre. The two basic types of
lustre are metallic and non-metallic. Recognizing the difference between metallic
and non-metallic lustres is our usual first step in mineral identification.

Metallic Lustres – These usually resemble shiny brass or steel.

On occasion, though, minerals with metallic lustre will look more like a dull
metal (like an engine block).

Most minerals possessing metallic lustres will also leave a pronounced streak
and have bireferengence.

Non-metallic Lustres – These can be quite variable.

With the exception of the earthy minerals, most will leave no streak. The
following terms are used to further describe them.

Glassy/ Vitreous - looks like Glass

Earthy/ Dull - looks like a Broken Brick

Metallic luster - Silver

Magnesite - Non Metallic Luster

Silky Luster – Asbestos Vitreous Luster - Quartz
Petrology
STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY
Structural geology is the study of the three-dimensional distribution of rock units
with respect to their deformational histories.

Widespread patterns of rock deformation (e.g., mountain building, rifting) due to

plate tectonics. The important point in the context is how the development of
secondary structures i.e. folds, faults and joints makes the affected rocks either
suitable or unsuitable for civil engineering works.

Structural fabrics and defects such as faults, folds, foliations and joints are
internal weaknesses of rocks which may affect the stability of human engineered
structures such as dams, road cuts, open pit mines and underground mines or road
tunnels.
Outcrop : An outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient deposits on

the surface of the Earth.

Dip and Strike: DIP is the acute angle that a rock surface makes with a horizontal
plane. STRIKE is the direction of the line formed by the intersection of a rock surface
with a horizontal plane. Strike and dip are always perpendicular to each other on a
map.
Fault: A fault is a crack in the Earth's crust. Typically, faults are associated with, or

form, the boundaries between Earth's tectonic plates. In an active fault, the pieces

of the Earth's crust along a fault move over time. The moving rocks can cause

earthquakes
Fold: A geological fold is one or a stack of originally flat and planar surfaces, such as

sedimentary strata, are bent or curved as a result of permanent deformation

STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY PROBLEMS
Type – I Problems (Thickness of Strata Problems) Introduction Thickness of a bed is the
shortest distance between its upper and lower surfaces. In other words, it is the
perpendicular drawn to both the surfaces and it is known as “True Thickness” (TT). When a
vertical borehole is suck on the inclined beds, it reaches the upper and lower surfaces at
different levels. The difference is known as “Vertical Thickness” (VT). When a bed is exposed
on the ground it is an outcrop. An inclined bed is outcropped on a horizontal ground, its
upper and lower surfaces are found parallel to each other. The distance between the two
surfaces (bedding planes) is called “Width of Outcrop” (WO). It is usually measured along
the dip direction. Dip of an inclined bed is always expressed by its direction (Dd) and
amount of dip (Da) are interrelated.
Type 1 Data Given : WO+ Da+ Dd To Determine: TT and VT
Type 2 Data Given : WO+VT+ Dd To Determine: TT and Da
Type 3 Data Given : TT+ Dd+ Da To Determine: VT and WO
Type 4 Data Given : VT+ Dd+ Da To Determine: TT and WO
Where,
WO = Width of Outcrop , Da = Dip Amount , Dd = Dip Direction , TT = True Thickness
VT = Vertical Thickness
1. A coal seam is exposed on horizontal ground. It dips 30° west ward its width
of outcrop is 360m. Determine its true thickness and vertical thickness.

Aim : To determine true thickness and vertical thickness

Data Given : Dip amount Da = 30° W

Width of out crop Wo = 360 m
Procedure : i. Draw a horizontal line and mark the west and east directions.
ii. Assume an appropriate scale and accordingly measure and
mark AB equal to width of outcrop = 360m
iii. Construct 30° angle west wards at A and B
iv. Draw a perpendicular to the lower surface from A it intersects
the lower surface at C, measure AC it gives true thickness.
v. Draw a perpendicular to AB downwards from A, it cuts the
lower surface at D, measure AD. It gives the vertical thickness.

Result : True Thickness = _______________ m

Vertical thickness = _______________ m
2. A coal seam is exposed on a level ground it dips northward. Its width of outcrop is
180m. A bore hole sunk from its upper bedding plane at a depth of 105m. Determine
its true thickness and amount of inclination.
Aim : To determine true thickness and dip amount

Data Given : Vertical thickness = 105 m

Width of out crop Wo = 180 m
Procedure : i. Draw a horizontal line XY along N-S direction.
ii. Assume an appropriate scale and accordingly measure and mark AB equal to
width of outcrop = 180 m
iii. Drop a perpendicular at B and measure 105 m and mark D. BD = vertical
thickness = 105 m.
iv. Join AD and extend it downwards. This is the lower bedding plane and from B
draw upper bedding plane parallel to AD
v. Drop a perpendicular from B to line AD, it cuts AD at point C. BC is true
thickness.
vi. Measure the dip angle.
Result : True Thickness = _______________ m
Dip Amount = _______________
3. On a horizontal canal of bed, sandstone dips 30°E. The true thickness is 200m.
Determine the vertical thickness and width of outcrop in the canal.

Aim : To determine width of outcrop and vertical thickness

Data Given : Dip amount Da = 30° E

True Thickness = 200 m

Procedure : i. Draw a horizontal line XY and mark the west and east directions.
ii. Assume an appropriate scale and accordingly measure lengths.
iii. Construct a line with 30° as angle at A in eastwards direction and name the
line as AZ.
iv. Draw a perpendicular to AZ from A at a distance of 200m and mark the point
as C.
v. Draw a line parallel to AZ passing through C. This is the lower bedding plane.
This intersects the XY line at a point B. Measure AB. This is the width of
outcrop.
vi. To line XY drop a perpendicular from point A. This intersects the lower
bedding plane at D. This is the vertical thickness.

Result : Width of Outcrop= _______________ m

Vertical thickness = _______________ m
 4. A vertical bore hole sunk from the upper bedding plane of a shale bed reached
the lower bedding plane at a depth of 150m. It dips 35° westwards. Determine its
true thickness and width of outcrop on level ground.
Aim : To determine true thickness and width of outcrop

Data Given : Dip amount Da = 35° W

Vertical Thickness VT = 150 m

Procedure : i. Draw a horizontal line XY in W-E direction and mark a point A.

ii. Adopt an appropriate scale and measure lengths accordingly
iii. Construct a line with 35° as angle at A towards west. This is the upper
bedding plane of sandstone. Name it as AZ.
iv. Draw a perpendicular to line XY at point A and mark point D at a distance
of 150m. This is the vertical thickness.
v. Draw a parallel line to AZ passing through D. It cuts XY line at B.
vi. Now AB is width of outcrop. Draw perpendicular to AZ at A. AC is the true
thickness.

Result : True Thickness = _______________ m

Width of outcrop = _______________ m
Type – II Problems (Dip and Strike Problems-Geometrical Methods)
Introduction In all inclined beds, dip and strike are co-existing and they are mutually
perpendicular. TRUE DIP is maximum amount of inclination and it is only one, which is
always perpendicular to strike direction. But dips are often measured in the adjacent
direction of the true dip. They are always less than the true dip. They are in between true
dip and strike directions. Further away from the true dip direction, they become less and
less and zero along the strike direction. Such dips are known as “APPARENT DIPS”. They are
many on either side of true dip.
1. True dip and apparent dip appear only on one side of the strike. Amount of true dip is
always more than apparent dip.
2. True dip and apparent dips are inter-related. They can be determined from the available
data from the field or map.
3. Dip and strike problems can be solved by graphical method.
Type 1: Data Given : Two apparent dip directions and angles To Determine: True Dip
direction and amount
Type 2: Data Given : True dip direction and angle and Apparent dip direction To Determine:
Apparent Dip amount
Type 3: Data Given : True dip direction and angle and Apparent dip amount To Determine:
Apparent Dip direction.
STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY PROBLEMS – III
Type – III Problems (Borehole Problems)
Introduction In all inclined beds, dip and strike are co-existing and they are mutually
perpendicular. TRUE DIP is maximum amount of inclination and it is only one, which is
always perpendicular to strike direction. But dips are often measured in the adjacent
direction of the true dip. They are always less than the true dip. They are in between true
dip and strike directions. Further away from the true dip direction, they become less and
less and zero along the strike direction. Such dips are known as “APPARENT DIPS”. They are
many on either side of true dip.
- True dip and apparent dip appear only on one side of the strike. Amount of true dip is
always more than apparent dip.
- True dip and apparent dips are inter-related. They can be determined from the available
data from the field or map.
-Dip and strike problems can be solved by graphical method.
Type 1: Data Given : Two apparent dip directions and angles To Determine: True Dip
direction and amount
Type 2: Data Given : True dip direction and angle and Apparent dip direction To Determine:
Apparent Dip amount
Type 3: Data Given : True dip direction and angle and Apparent dip amount To Determine:
Apparent Dip direction
 Project Based Experiments
1. Explain the feasibility of construction of a dam at a location by
considering all the factors. Take a pre-existing dam (Tatipudi Dam) as
an example and prepare a case study.
2. Explain the feasibility of construction of a tunnel at a location by
considering all the factors. Take a pre-existing tunnel (Tyada Tunnel)
as an example and prepare a case study.
3. Locate the groundwater depth at a specific location by using any
relevant geophysical method. (Location: Open auditorium, Cricket
Ground, MBA block, Chintalavalasa etc.,)
4. Investigate the bedrock of a location by using geophysical methods.
(Location: MBA Block)
5. Identify the depth of sand deposits of a river bed. Use any relevant
instrument. (Location: Gosthani River near Tagarapuvalasa)
6. Investigate the type of soil, layer thickness of a location using
electrical resistivity meter. (Location: Gosthani River near
Tagarapuvalasa)
 Project Based Experiments
7. Variation of electrical resistivity for different types of rocks.
8. Variation of electrical resistivity for different types of
minerals.
9. Variation of electrical resistivity for different types of soils.
10. Seasonal variation of groundwater table in a location. Use
any geophysical method.(Location: Open auditorium, Cricket
Ground, MBA block)
11. Comparative study of Wenner and Schlumberger electrical
resistivity method for groundwater investigation.
12. Evaluate the true thickness and vertical thickness of the
exposed outcrop using any geophysical method. (Location:
MBA Block)
THANK YOU