Advanced Geotechnical Engineering

Course Introduction

Course Objectives

• Applied to engineering practice
• Critically evaluate geological data from the field and laboratory, and recognize their geotechnical importance
• Demonstrate an enhanced understanding of the inter-relationships between geological processes and the behavior of the ground
• Develop a ground investigation plan based on an in-depth knowledge of geological and engineering constraints derived from a critical evaluation of desk study data and the scientific literature;
• Measure and represent the changes of position, orientation, volume, and shape in rock bodies ranging in size from single crystals to lithospheric plates;
• Understand the processes at the microscopic and atomic scale that allow minerals and rocks to deform.
• Document the geometries and processes characteristic of extensional environments such as rifts;
• Understand the major tectonic environments and processes in convergent zones and orogens;
• Investigate environments involving strike-slip motion, including transgressions and trans tension
• Apply an understanding of geological principles to assist engineers in the design of structures
• Analyze the safety of slopes and excavations, and outline suitable measures to mitigate problems and ensure safety under in-service conditions
• Demonstrate an ability to evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to problem-solving associated with the discipline
• Work autonomously within a structured environment
• Demonstrate the ability to work within professional boundaries and norms where appropriate.
• Observing the results of the Earth's history and processes
• Reconstructing the events giving rise to certain formations and their arrangement
• Predicting where oil accumulations might occur