Any building project that takes place on the ground (that’s many of them) has to be concerned with geotechnical engineering. This branch of Civil Engineering is concerned with earth materials, soil mechanics, geology etc. A geotechnical engineer will examine rock formations and locations to determine safety, environmental concerns and much more. Learn more about this fascinating sub-field here.
Studying the behavior of earth materials is a vast subject that includes the study of soil properties, foundations, slopes, risk mitigation, and ground improvement methods. The following topics will guide you through much of the terminology and theory of geotechnical engineering and soil mechanics.
Before learning about the difference between geological energy and biological energy, and how energy flows in each, let’s take a detailed look at both the energy forms and understand how they exist in nature.
Engineers who practice green project management techniques will be very much aware of the effects that their projects can have on the ecology and the environment. Good engineers will have plans to mitigate these effects even before the first spade of soil is turned over.
Latitude and longitude are used to define the absolute location of any place. This requires an accepted system of coordinates to be in place, and these are used to pinpoint the location of a place on the surface of the earth.
Soil classification gives generalized information about the behavior and nature of soil belonging to a particular region or location. It also gives scientists, engineers, and agriculturists information about the kind of soil they are going to be dealing with.
The ancient idea of testing the hardness of a particular rock by trying to scratch it with another rock was standardized in the early 1800s. This system is still in use today due to its ridiculous ease of use even though other systems have been developed that are far more precise.
Soil permeability is a characteristic property of soil, and studying it helps to erect better structures, construct stable foundations, and perform agricultural activities. Permeability of soil depends upon various factors, and important related aspects are discussed here.
Soil compaction means increasing soil density that makes working with soil easy, helps in erecting stable structures, and reduces maintenance costs. Read to learn about the desirable, and undesirable, effects of mechanical soil compaction on construction and agricultural works.
Understanding the soil formation process is the first step toward understanding the vastness and complexity of soil mechanics.
The study of the chemical and physical properties of soil helps in managing resources while working with a particular kind of soil. Not all soils have similar properties, and working with them requires understanding soil properties in detail.
Geotechnical soils reports indicate whether a particular site is suitable for the construction of a permanent or temporary structure.
High definition induction logs are more accurate and efficient than the conventional well logging methods. HDIL, as they are popularly known as are an important part of well-logging and ensure precise resistivity data and hydrocarbon traces of a newly dug well.
A portable hydrographic survey system must be reliable and precise. Integration of the latest technology with the standard operations of a survey system has made hydrographic surveying very fast and simple. Read on to find which ones the best and latest available in the market.
Water from firefighting operations and smoke from a fire causes lots of damage and a need for cleaning operations once the fire is put out. This cleanup should be started as soon as possible, but only after making sure the structure and electrical systems are safe.
Drill foam is a detergent used by drillers of oil wells to assist in the floatation of dirt to the surface and which also helps to extend the life of drill bits by reducing the wear on them. Such foams form a substantial cost of drilling and reusing the foam treatment makes sound economic sense.
The process of producing drinking water from wastewater has been made possible by biological treatment known as bioremediation. This consists of introducing micro-organisms to the pre-treated wastewater storage tanks, where they work away until contaminates are completely removed.
There are a number of techniques available for estimating the bearing capacity of rock foundations. These techniques include analytical methods, traditional bearing capacity equations, and field load tests. Of the various methods, field load tests are the least commonly used.
Rock mechanics is a field of engineering that involves interaction between geology, mathematics, physics, petroleum, mining, and civil engineering. There’s a lack of standardization in rock mechanics terminology, so this beginner’s guide is intended to help you get started with rock mechanics.
Lateral earth pressure refers to lateral forces acting on a retaining structures or soil mass. The three conditions of lateral earth pressure are active earth pressure, passive earth pressure, and earth pressure at rest.
The technique of reed bed construction is a muck treatment by plant ingestion. Reed beds present sludge dewatering by plant consumption, evapotranspiration, and drainage. Reed beds chemically change the muck with the plants using up the nutrients and minerals.
