Geology and its Relevance to Civil Engineering: A Basic Introduction - Prof. Ford, Slides of Engineering Geology

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GEOLOGY AND ITS RELEVANCE

TO CIVIL ENGINEERING

GEOLOGY

Knowledge of the geology of the area concerned is required in the construction of large civil engineering projects. The geology of an area influences the location and nature of each of the following structures: Dams, Building foundations, roads and railways. Common fundamental problems in reservoirs, bridges and other buildings are usually directly related to the geology of the region in which they were constructed. Moreover, most civil engineering works require some digging of soils and rocks. In some cases, excavated rocks may be used as building material, and in others, rocks may form a major part of the finished product, such as a highway or a site for a dam.

MINERALOGY

This deals with the study of minerals. Minerals are basic units with different rocks and ores of the earth are made up of.

PETROLOGY

Petrology deals with the study of rocks. The earth’s crust also called lithosphere is made up of different types of rocks. This is the most important branch of geology from the civil engineering point of view.

PHYSICAL GEOLOGY

This is also variously described as dynamic geology, geomorphology etc. It deals with: i) Different physical features of the earth, such as mountains, plateaus, valleys, rivers, lakes, glaciers and volcanoes in terms of their origin and development. ii) The different changes occurring on the earth surface like marine transgression, marine regression, formation or disappearance of rivers, springs and lakes. iii) Geological work of wind, glaciers, rivers, oceans, and groundwater and their role in constantly molding the earth surface features iv) Natural phenomena like landslides, earthquakes and weathering.

STRATIGRAPHY

The climatic and geological changes including tectonic events in the geological past can also be known from these investigations. This kind of study of the earth’s history through the sedimentary rock is called historical geology. It is also called stratigraphy

ROLES OF KNOWLEDGE IN GEOLOGY IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

• It provides knowledge about materials used for construction
• Its knowledge is helpful for constructing dams, river control, and shipping works
• Geotechnical Engineers needs knowledge about this subject for digging work or excavation
• For design of highways and roads and in construction of tunnels
• Its knowledge is required for foundation faults
• Nature of soil materials can be found out

QUIZ

• 1 – 6. WHAT ARE THE MAIN BRANCHES OF GEOLOGOY?
• 7 – 10. WRITE ATLEAST 3 ROLES OF KNOWLEDGE IN GEOLOGY IN CIVIL ENGINEERING