Geotechnical Engineering

Why geotechnical engineering is important?

  • Geotechnical engineering is an important field of engineering that is concerned with behavior of earth materials. Some of the important tasks of geotechnical engineering are designing of foundations for structures, embankments, storage systems for hazardous materials, and lessening soil erosion.

What is the definition of geotechnical engineering?

  • Geotechnical engineering is the branch of engineering concerned with the analysis, design and construction of foundations, slopes, retaining structures, embankments, tunnels, levees, wharves, landfills and other systems that are made of or are supported by soil or rock.

What is a geotechnical engineer?

It includes, without being limited to, the analysis, design and construction of foundations, slopes, retaining structures, embankments, roadways, tunnels, levees, wharves, landfills and other systems that are made of or are supported by soil or rock. Geotechnical Societies by Country.

Description

Geotechnical engineering is the study of the behaviour of soils under the influence of loading forces and soil-water interactions. This knowledge is applied to the design of foundations, retaining walls, earth dams, clay liners, and geosynthetics for waste containment. The goals of geotechnical engineers could range from the design of foundations and temporary excavation support, through route selection for railways and highways, to the increasingly important areas of landfill disposal of wastes and groundwater contamination.  As such, the geotechnical engineer is involved in field and laboratory investigations to determine the engineering properties of site soils and other geomaterials and their subsequent use in the analytical study of the problem at hand.

Recent computational and computer advances are extending our ability to predict the behaviour of soil and soil-water systems under a wide variety of conditions. In recent years, the activities of geotechnical engineers have also involved geoenvironmental engineering. Geoenvironmental engineers design strategies for the clean-up of contaminated soils and groundwater and develop management systems for contaminated sites.

Employment opportunities include geotechnical and engineering consultants, public utilities, governmental agencies, environmental agencies, specialized contractors and resource industry companies.

Geotechnical engineering is the branch of civil engineering concerned with the engineering behavior of earth materials. Geotechnical engineering is important in civil engineering, but also has applications in military, mining, petroleum and other engineering disciplines that are concerned with construction occurring on the surface or within the ground. Geotechnical engineering uses principles of soil mechanics and rock mechanics to investigate subsurface conditions and materials; determine the relevant physical/mechanical and chemical properties of these materials; evaluate stability of natural slopes and man-made soil deposits; assess risks posed by site conditions; design earthworks and structure foundations; and monitor site conditions, earthwork and foundation construction

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