Engineering Geology

Specific Foundation / Core

The course is also offered to exchange programme students.

The aim of the course is: 1. to create new Geologists correctly trained in performing engineering geological studies for the safe construction of technical works. 2. the evaluation of the geological information into geotechnical parameters and the appraisal of the geomaterial’s behaviour for the design and construction of engineering works (like tunnels, dams, cuts, embankments, foundations and port works). 3. the role of the geological model for the engineering works. Site investigation (boreholes, laboratory and in-situ testing, engineering geological mapping). 4. evaluation of the engineering geological characteristics of rocks and soils that influences their strength and deformability. Shear strength of soils and rocks. Geotechnical classifications. 5. assessment of the engineering geological behaviour in engineering projects. Landslides and slope stability. Dams – Selection of dam axis location and type of dam based on the engineering geological appreciation (strength, water tightness). Tunnels and underground works: Identification of the engineering geological conditions along the tunnel and prediction on the behaviour. Seismotectonics and engineering works. Students are working on a number of tutorials and submit every week an exercise, while they are trained in the field (one-day and two multiple days field trip) in engineering works. For the purpose of the tutorials, three supportive materials are provided: A. Presentation (power point) of the exercise, B. Supportive sheet-booklet of to work and solve the exercise, C. Analytical presentation of the exercise. For the theory, a series of power point presentations are provided and at the beginning of each ppt presentation it is provided, where the student should focus more for the learning outcomes.

The course of Engineering Geology (7th semester of undergraduate studies) is taught with 2 hours of lectures and 2 hours of tutorials. Lectures: 13 lectures are given. The topics that are taught are:  1st Lecture: Introduction (Topics of Engineering Geology-The role of Engineering geology in engineering works)  2nd Lecture: Site investigation tools  3rd Lecture: Engineering geology of soils (consistence, soil description, Physical characteristics)  4th Lecture: Engineering geology of soils (shear strength, Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria)  5th Lecture: Engineering geology of rocks (Physical, Mechanical properties of rocks and discontinuities)  6th Lecture: Rock mass strength-Geotechnical classification (GSI, RMR, Q)  7th Lecture: Engineering Geology of Sedimentary, Igneous and metamorphic rocks.  8 th Lecture: Landslides  9 th Lecture: Slope stability  10 th Lecture: Tunnels  11 th Lecture: Dams  12 th Lecture: Foundations Tutorials (3 teaching groups): 10-12 series of tutorials are given (15 tutorials in total). For every tutorial the associated exercise includes all data and geo- information, a presentation (PowerPoint) with all the necessary theoretical background and a supplementary assisting booklet with supporting information. The topics of the tutorials are:  1st tutorial: The importance of the geological model in major construction projects. The consequences from its ignorance or misinterpretation.  2nd tutorial: Evaluation of site investigation program: Construction of geological and engineering geological sections from sampling boreholes, laboratory and in-situ tests .  3rd tutorial: Putting numbers in Geology I. Shear strength of soils. Mohr-Coulomb parameters, laboratory tests (triaxial, shear test, consolidation test) in soils. Total and effective stress, pore pressures.  4th tutorial: Putting numbers in Geology II.. Uniaxial compressive test of intact rock – UCS. Deformation modulus of the intact rock(Ei). Rock mass strength (σcm). Hoek-Brown failure criteria and equivalent evaluation of cohesion and angle of friction with the use of rock mass classification GSI. Deformation modulus of the rock mass (Em).  5th tutorial: Putting numbers in Geology III. Shear strength of rock joints (when the failure of the rock mass is controlled by them). Shear tests. Evaluation of angle of friction from the Barton – Bandis failure criteria.  6th tutorial: Cuts. Rock slope stability. Kinematic analysis. Definition of Factor of Safety. Groundwater influence. Rock slope support  7th tutorial: Dams I. Selection of Dam place and dam type. Water tightness issues in dam and basin. Slope stability. Foundation problems and mechanisms of failures. The role of Geology.  8th tutorial: Dams II. Water tightness below the dam. Lugeon tests. Grout curtain against seepage and internal erosion  9th tutorial: Tunnels. Evaluation of Engineering geological conditions along a tunnel. Behaviour types. Groundwater inflows.  10th tutorial: Geotechnical classifications in tunnelling. GSI, RMR and Q classifications  11th tutorial: Seismotectonics and engineering projects. Evaluation of the seismic hazard. Evaluation of the liquefaction susceptibility of soil deposits. The final evaluation of the students is based upon:  Written examination in the end of the semester  Submission of 10-12 exercises-tutorials  Field work performance and report Lectures: 9 digital presentations (PowerPoint) are prepared Tutorials: 10 presenting papers (in most of the papers there are more than 1 exercises. They are provided to the students in printed and digital form. Supporting booklets in digital and printed form (in 2012-13 they were given for the tutorials 1,2,4,5,8 and 10). The booklet (around 10 pages) of every tutorial has as structure: Purpose-scope, solution «keys» – theoretical background guidance, step by step solution, form of the answers, references. 10 presentations are prepared for every paper (different than those of the lectures). They are provided in digital form.

Engineering works, site investigation, physical and mechanical properties of soils and rock-rock masses, slope stability, landslides, tunnels, dams, foundations

25-11-2021