Introducing engineering geology as a career option at undergraduate level

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Introducing engineering geology as a career
option at undergraduate level

• EurGeol James S Griffiths
• BSc PhD CEng CGeol EurGeol FHEA
• School of Geography, Earth Environmental
  Sciences
• University of Plymouth

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• Engineering Geology
• The application of the science of geology to the
  understanding of geological phenomena and the
  engineering solution of geological hazards and
  other geological problems for society

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Zone of interest to the engineering geologist,
i.e. the natural landscape plus the effects of
humans
Ancient seabed
unconformity
Variscan folding
Carboniferous swamps
unconformity
Granite batholith
Caledonian folding
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Importance of Engineering Geology

• Engineering geologists have a key role in the UK
  construction industry which is worth just under
  10 of the UKs Gross Added Value
• In 2009 the top 35 UK Geotechnical companies
  generated a turnover of 1.12 billion.
• The UK geotechnical companies employ over 6000
  engineering geologist and geotechnical engineers
• The Engineering Group is the largest specialist
  group of the Geological Society with some 40 of
  the Fellows
• Engineering geologists (along with
  hydrogeologists, geophysicists, geoscientists and
  engineering geomorphologists) remain on the
  Governments Skills Shortage Register compiled by
  the Migration Advisory Committee (Oct. 09)

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Real geologists
Engineering Geologists
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Plymouth module running since 1993

• Has gone through a number of important changes
  over 17 yrs but basic philosophy is the same an
  introduction to engineering geological techniques
  supported by case studies and laboratory
  practicals
• Part of the Applied Geology and Physical
  Geography Geology BSc programmes (these are
  Geological Society Accredited)
• 20 credits in Stage 3 brief introduction in
  Stage 2
• Uses the training guide of the Engineering Group
  of the Geological Society to establish the module
  content (http//www.geolsoc.org.uk/webdav/site/GSL
  /shared/pdfs/Fellowship/GS20Training20Guide20fo
  r20Engineering20Geologists.pdf)

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Topics covered

• Engineering soil rock description (Eurocode 7)
• Desk studies
• Remote sensing
• Site investigation
• Geographical information systems
• Hazards and risk assessment
• Introduction to hydrogeology
• Soil and rock slope stability analysis
• Earthworks and foundation design
• Tunnelling
• Aggregates
• Waste disposal

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A very different literature
Site work not field work
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Mistakes can cost lives
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Students perception

• Survey of the undergraduate students indicate
  less than 10 knew of career opportunities in
  engineering geology before taking the module
  even fewer had been aware such careers existed
  before coming to university
• Student feedback is strongly supportive of my use
  of real case studies as examples
• Practicals are geared towards developing skills
  in techniques required to be a practicing
  engineering geologist

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Engineering Geological Techniques that might
have wider applicability

• Eurocodes are standards used throughout Europe
• Rock description Eurocode chart only contains
  some 30 rock types which covers 95 of the rocks
  geologists will ever encounter strong emphasis
  on site observation, simple diagnostics, and
  proforma data collection
• Engineering Soil description again very
  pragmatic and based on simple field tests and
  observations

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Weathered Rock description after Eurocode 7
Grade Classifier Characteristics
VI Residual soil Soil derived by in situ weathering no original texture or fabric left
V Completely weathered Weakened to a soil slakes in water original texture apparent no core stones
IV Highly weathered Mainly a soil few remaining core stones cannot be broken by hand
III Moderately weathered Considerably weakened large core stones cannot be broken by hand up to 50 soil penetrative discoloration
II Slightly weathered Slight weakening slight discoloration
I Fresh Unchanged from original state
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Student progression

• Advice is that to develop a career they will need
  a specialist masters degree
• Given the skills shortage a number of students
  each year go onto 1 year contracts to gain
  experience before taking a masters
• The opportunities are not just in the UK this
  year I have had students take up posts in
  Australia and Hong Kong

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Student feedback on the best aspects of the
module 2009/10

• The course was very interesting, material was
  always challenging and interesting
• The practical exercises in general were all
  challenging but very useful to apply what we know
  to real problems.
• The teaching of techniques that are used within
  the industry and also being taught about the
  industry itself.
• I really enjoyed learning about what life as an
  engineering geologist is like. As well as
  learning about the subject, I think it is
  important that we were taught about what to
  expect if we wanted to enter this field of work.

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Conclusion

• Undergraduate geology programmes should contain
  engineering geology module(s)
• Engineering geology is a realistic career option
  even at undergraduate level
• We need to expose students to engineering geology
  as a career option in Stage 1
• Some of the techniques taught in engineering
  geology have wide applicability

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