Geotechnical Engineering
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.
Geotechnical Topics in Civil Engineering
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.
How is Geological Energy different than Biological Energy?
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.
Engineering Attempts to Deal with Land Pollution - And Some Successes
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.
Absolute vs. Relative Position in Coordinate Systems
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 Mechanics: Soil Classification Systems
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.
Mohs Scale of the Ten Hardnesses - It's "Mohs," not "Moh's!"
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 Mechanics: Flow of Water in Soils
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 Mechanics: Moisture-Density Relationship and Soil Compaction
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.
Soil Mechanics: Soil Formation
Understanding the soil formation process is the first step toward understanding the vastness and complexity of soil mechanics.
Soil Mechanics: Chemical and Physical Properties of Soil
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.
