Geological engineering is a discipline of engineering concerned with the application of geological science and engineering principles to fields, such as civil engineering, mining, environmental engineering, and forestry, among others.M. Diederichs, "Geological Engineering," Kingston, 2021 The work of geological engineers often directs or supports the work of other engineering disciplines such as assessing the suitability of locations for civil engineering, environmental engineering, mining operations, and oil and gas projects by conducting geological, geoenvironmental, geophysical, and geotechnical studies.
They are involved with impact studies for facilities and operations that affect surface and subsurface environments. The engineering design input and other recommendations made by geological engineers on these projects will often have a large impact on construction and operations. Geological engineers plan, design, and implement geotechnical, geological, geophysical, hydrogeological, and environmental data acquisition. This ranges from manual ground-based methods to deep drilling, to geochemical sampling, to advanced geophysical techniques and satellite surveying.
Geological engineers are also concerned with the analysis of past and future ground behaviour, mapping at all scales, and ground characterization programs for specific engineering requirements. These analyses lead geological engineers to make recommendations and prepare reports which could have major effects on the foundations of construction, mining, and civil engineering projects.
Some examples of projects include rock excavation, building foundation consolidation, pressure grouting, hydraulic channel erosion control, slope and fill stabilization, landslide risk assessment, groundwater monitoring, and assessment and remediation of contamination. In addition, geological engineers are included on design teams that develop solutions to surface hazards, groundwater remediation, underground and surface excavation projects, and resource management. Like mining engineers, geological engineers also conduct resource exploration campaigns, mine evaluation and feasibility assessments, and contribute to the ongoing efficiency, sustainability, and safety of active mining projects.
History While the term geological engineering was not coined until the 19th century, principles of geological engineering are demonstrated through millennia of human history.
Ancient engineering One of the oldest examples of geological engineering principles is the Euphrates tunnel, which was constructed around 2180 B.C. – 2160 B.C... This, and other tunnels and qanats from around the same time were used by ancient civilizations such as Babylon and Persia for the purposes of irrigation. Another famous example where geological engineering principles were used in an ancient engineering project was the construction of the Eupalinos aqueduct tunnel in Ancient Greece. This was the first tunnel to be constructed inward from both ends using principles of geometry and trigonometry, marking a significant milestone for both civil engineering and geological engineering
Geological engineering as a discipline Although projects that applied geological engineering principles in their design and construction have been around for thousands of years, these were included within the civil engineering discipline for most of this time. Courses in geological engineering have been offered since the early 1900s; however, these remained specialized offerings until a large increase in demand arose in the mid-20th century. This demand was created by issues encountered from development of increasingly large and ambitious structures, human-generated waste, scarcity of mineral and energy resources, and anthropogenic climate change – all of which created the need for a more specialized field of engineering with professional engineers who were also experts in geological or Earth sciences.
Notable disasters that are attributed to the formal creation of the geological engineering discipline include dam failures in the United States and western Europe in the 1950s and 1960s. These most famously include the St Francis dam failure (1928), Malpasset dam failure (1959), and the Vajont dam failure (1963), where a lack of knowledge of geology resulted in almost 3,000 deaths between the latter two alone. The Malpasset dam failure is regarded as the largest civil engineering disaster of the 20th century in France and Vajont dam failure is still the deadliest landslide in European history.
Education
Post-secondary degrees in geological engineering are offered at various universities around the world but are concentrated primarily in North America. Geological engineers often obtain degrees that include courses in both geological or Earth sciences and engineering. To practice as a professional geological engineer, a bachelor's degree in a related discipline from an accredited institution is required. For certain positions, a Master’s or Doctorate degree in a related engineering discipline may be required. After obtaining these degrees, an individual who wishes to practice as a professional geological engineer must go through the process of becoming licensed by a professional association or regulatory body in their jurisdiction.
Canadian institutions In Canada, 8 universities are accredited by Engineers Canada to offer undergraduate degrees in geological engineering. Many of these universities also offer graduate degree programs in geological engineering. These include:
Queen’s University (Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering) (1975 – present), École Polytechnique (1965 – present), Université Laval (1965 – present), Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (1983 – present), University of British Columbia (1965 – present), University of New Brunswick (jointly administered by Department of Earth Sciences and Department of Civil Engineering) (1984 – present), University of Saskatchewan (1965 – present), and University of Waterloo (1986 – present).
American institutions In the United States there are 13 geological engineering programs recognized by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). These include:
Colorado School of Mines (1936 – present), Michigan Technological University (1951 – present), Missouri University of Science and Technology (1973 – present), Montana Technological University (1972–present), South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (1950 – present), The University of Utah (1952 – present), University of Alaska-Fairbanks (1941 – present), University of Minnesota Twin Cities (1950 – present), University of Mississippi (1987 – present), University of Nevada, Reno (1958 – present), University of North Dakota (1984 – present), University of Texas at Austin (1998 – present), and University of Wisconsin – Madison (1993 – present).
Other institutions Universities in other countries that hold accreditation to offer degree programs in geological engineering from the EAC by the ABET include:
Escuela Superior Politécnica Del Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador (2018 – present), Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey (2009 – present), Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería, Rímac, Peru (2017 – present), and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain (2014 – present).
Specializations In geological engineering there are multiple subdisciplines which analyze different aspects of Earth sciences and apply them to a variety of engineering projects. The subdisciplines listed below are commonly taught at the undergraduate level, and each has overlap with disciplines external to geological engineering. However, a geological engineer who specializes in one of these subdisciplines throughout their education may still be licensed to work in any of the other subdisciplines.
Geoenvironmental and hydrogeological engineering Geoenvironmental engineering is the subdiscipline of geological engineering that focuses on preventing or mitigating the environmental effects of anthropogenic contaminants within soil and water. It solves these issues via the development of processes and infrastructure for the supply of clean water, waste disposal, and control of pollution of all kinds. The work of geoenvironmental engineers largely deals with investigating the migration, interaction, and result of contaminants; remediating contaminated sites; and protecting uncontaminated sites. Typical work of a geoenvironmental engineer includes:
The preparation, review, and update of environmental investigation reports, The design of projects such as water reclamation facilities or groundwater monitoring wells which lead to the protection of the environment, Conducting feasibility studies and economic analyses of environmental projects, Obtaining and revising permits, plans, and standard procedures, Providing technical expertise for environmental remediation projects which require legal actions, The analysis of groundwater data for the purpose of quality-control checks, The site investigation and monitoring of environmental remediation and sustainability projects to ensure compliance with environmental regulations, and Advising corporations and government agencies regarding procedures for cleaning up contaminated sites.
Mineral and energy resource exploration engineering Mineral and energy resource exploration (commonly known as MinEx for short) is the subdiscipline of geological engineering that applies modern tools and concepts to the discovery and sustainable extraction of natural mineral and energy resources. A geological engineer who specializes in this field may work on several stages of mineral exploration and mining projects, including exploration and orebody delineation, mine production operations, mineral processing, and environmental impact and risk assessment programs for mine tailings and other mine waste. Like a mining engineer, mineral and energy resource exploration engineers may also be responsible for the design, finance, and management of mine sites.
Geophysical engineering (applied geophysics) Geophysical engineering is the subdiscipline of geological engineering that applies geophysics principles to the design of engineering projects such as tunnels, dams, and mines or for the detection of subsurface geohazards, groundwater, and pollution. Geophysical investigations are undertaken from ground surface, in boreholes, or from space to analyze ground conditions, composition, and structure at all scales. Geophysical techniques apply a variety of physics principles such as seismicity, magnetism, gravity, and resistivity. This subdiscipline was created in the early 1990s as a result of an increased demand in more accurate subsurface information created by a rapidly increasing global population. Geophysical engineering and applied geophysics differ from traditional geophysics primarily by their need for marginal returns and optimized designs and practices as opposed to satisfying regulatory requirements at a minimum cost
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