651-3525-AAL  Introduction to Engineering Geology

SemesterAutumn Semester 2017
LecturersS. Löw
Periodicityevery semester recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish
CommentEnrolment ONLY for MSc students with a decree declaring this course unit as an additional admission requirement.

Any other students (e.g. incoming exchange students, doctoral students) CANNOT enrol for this course unit.


AbstractThis introductory course starts from a descriptions of the behavior and phenomena of soils and rocks under near surface loading conditions and their key geotechnical properties. Lab and field methods for the characterization of soils, rocks and rock masses are introduced. Finally practical aspects of ground engineering, including tunneling and landslide hazards are presented.
ObjectiveUnderstanding the basic geotechnical and geomechanical properties and processes of rocks and soils. Understanding the interaction of rock and soil masses with technical systems. Understanding the fundamentals of geological hazards.
ContentRock, soil and rock mass: scale effects and fundamental geotechnical properties. Soil mechanical properties and their determination. Rock mechanical properties and their determination. Fractures: geotechnical properties and their determination. Geotechnical classification of intact rock, soils and rock masses. Natural and induced stresses in rock and soil. Interaction of soil masses with surface loads, water and excavations. Slope instability mechanisms and stability analyses. Underground excavation instability mechanisms and rock deformation. Geological mass wasting processes.
Lecture notesLecture Material as defined in German PPT Slides of the German Course “651-3525-00L Ingenieurgeologie”.
LiteratureFor English speakers study chapters 1-3 of Part I of the book “Geological Engineering” (Gonzalez de Vallejo & Ferrer 2011, CRC Press), without groundwater flow, consolidation time, geophysical methods, details of triaxial tests in soils and rocks, details of clay mineralogy.
Prerequisites / NoticeParticipate on all exercises of “651-3525-00L Ingenieurgeologie”, Thursday 13-14 pm.
Participate in Written Exam together with students of the German Course