WATER

Geotechnical Engineering

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The process of understanding and working with soil and rock, underground water, site and structural conditions, in relation to a construction project, is known as Geotechnical Engineering. In their professional capacity, geotechnical engineers plan and design the structures for buildings, roads, embankments, canals and hundreds of other construction projects. Beyond their construction role, the geotechnical engineer will also deal with geological hazards like landslides, soil erosion and, in some extreme conditions, earthquakes. Geotechnical engineering is important in civil engineering, but is also used by military, mining, petroleum, or any other engineering concerned with construction on or in 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