Undergraduate Course: Engineering Geology 2 (CIVE08018)
Course Outline
| School | School of Engineering |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 10 |
| Home subject area | Civil |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | This course will provide an introduction to the discipline of engineering geology, with the purpose of allowing an understanding of how the fundamental principles of geological sciences influence the design and construction of engineering structures.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2011/12 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
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WebCT enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| King's Buildings | Lecture | Lecture | 1-11 | | 10:00 - 10:50 | | | | | King's Buildings | Tutorial | Tutorial | 2-11 | 09:00 - 10:50 | | | | |
| First Class |
Week 1, Tuesday, 10:00 - 10:50, Zone: King's Buildings. Lecture Theare 1, Daniel Rutherford Building |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours:Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Engineering Geology 2 | 1:30 | | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | | 1:30 | | |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course the student should be able to:
- recognise and describe elementary geological formations of relevance to civil engineering;
- demonstrate a basic knowledge of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks: formation and context in different tectonic environments;
- demonstrate ability to interpret geological maps and construct elementary geological sections with reference to subsurface structure.
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Assessment Information
Degree Examination: 70%
Practical coursework (30% of course mark but must be passed independently):
1. Demonstrator led field trip to Holyrood Park, Edinburgh (10%)
Assessed by work done and handed in on the day.
3-hour trip, half of the class each morning on a Saturday or Sunday, dates tba, in October.
An introduction to field observations using a local example of historical significance.
A zero mark will be awarded to students who do not hand in the assessment.
2. Geological mapping tutorials (60%)
Assessed by homework exercise (issued week 9 for hand-in week 11).
Four 2-hour sessions, half of the class each week on alternate weeks: 2, 4, 6, 8 and 3, 5, 7, 9.
Optional revision & remedial session available in week 10.
An introduction to geological maps and cross-sections: construction, interpretation and the extraction of event sequences.
3. Self-taught rock and mineral identification (30%)
Assessed by 30-minute practical examination, by completing pro-forma sheets.
A captioned rock display suite is available throughout the semester in JCMB with demonstrator attendance for one hour at set times in weeks 7, 8, 9 and 10.
The suite includes a self-test section with answers and is laid out according to a basic classification matrix with emphasis on common rock-types and minerals and on the visual criteria for categorisation.
Familiarity with the suite is the only route to acquiring identification skills, self-paced by repeated close observation. Demonstrators will answer questions but do not teach the basic identification skills.
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Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Lecture Titles
L1 Rationale: geology for Civil Engineering. Overview: how the Earth works.
L2 Plates, magmatism and the diversity of igneous rocks..
L3 Surface processes, sedimentary rocks. Minerals.
L4 Metamorphism. Rock strength and what controls it on different scales.
Cleavage, joints and faults. The Rock Cycle, geologic time and event sequences.
L5 Types and uses of geological maps and cross-sections. Superficial deposits.
L6 Glacial deposits and arctic terrains. Ground investigation: procedures. Geophysical methods. Difficult ground.
L7 Limestone terrain: landforms, engineering problems and solutions.
Earthquakes: mechanisms, ground motion and secondary consequences. Hazard and risk. Strategies.
L8 The Bam earthquake (26-12-2003) case study. Link between geology, earthquake hazard and human settlement. Engineering implications. Slope failure and other hazards with engineering implications.
L9 Global warming: the evidence, and implications of climate change. Sea-level rise and future civil engineering challenges.
L10 Review of the course. Revision and examination strategies.
Laboratory
The rock and mineral identification display is organised and laid out according to a basic classification matrix: Igneous (basic, intermediate, silicic / extrusive, intrusive) Sedimentary (clastic, biogenic, chemical / coarse grained, fine grained) and Metamorphic (low-grade to high-grade / common protoliths). Emphasis is on common rock-types and minerals and on the visual criteria for placing a rock in a particular category. The only route to successfully acquiring identification skill is repeated close observation (i.e. time spent looking and handling $ú your part) plus confirmation from experienced demonstrators that you are seeing the right things (our part, but backed up when we are not there by the extensive captions accompanying the specimens.) Self-test rock suites, with answers are also available to hone your skills.
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| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Waltham, A.C. Foundations of Engineering Geology. 3nd Edition, Blackie Academic and Professional, 2009. Excellent concise text organised in page-wise units on specific topics. Highly recommended. Good value.
Blyth, F.G.H. and de Freitas M.H. A Geology for Engineers 7th Edition. Edward Arnold, 1984. A solid classic if you want more.
West, G. The Field Description of Engineering Soils and Rocks. Open University Press, 1991. A useful little practical guide for future use as a professional.
For more background on geology I recommend:
Marshak, S. Earth: Portrait of a Planet. 3rd Edn. 2008. W.W. Norton. Probably the best of the illustrated mega-textbooks. American but examples not exclusively so. Good web-links to GoogleEarth images. Used as a source in the course. Copies to be installed on Student Reserve.
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| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr John Dixon
Tel: (0131 6)50 5110
Email: John.Dixon@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Sharon Potter
Tel: (0131 6)51 7079
Email: Sharon.Potter@ed.ac.uk |
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© Copyright 2011 The University of Edinburgh - 16 January 2012 5:47 am
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