Hydrogeology and engineering geology in the education of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineers

Richard Jackson

In the proceedings of: GEO2011: 64th Canadian Geotechnical Conference, 14th Pan-American Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 5th Pan-American Conference on Teaching and Learning of Geotechnical Engineering

Session: Teaching & Learning of Geotechnical Education

ABSTRACT: Engineering geology and hydrogeology are both essential components of the formal education of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineers. Unfortunately, the teaching of these subjects to undergraduate civil engineers has become very limited and that which is taught is biased towards elementary physical geology, which is of limited value. This trend is likely irreversible and is completely at variance with what Terazaghi and Legget recommended before 1980. The role of these subjects in the teaching of civil engineers is discussed on the basis of the need to defer teaching the applied earth sciences engineering geology, geomorphology and hydrogeology until the final undergraduate year or, better still, the first year of graduate education. Fortunately, developments within civil engineering education make this a possibility in the next ten years, most likely for those who are likely to specialise in geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering.

RÉSUMÉ: Géologie de l'ingénieur et de l'hydrogéologie sont deux composantes essentielles de l'éducation formelle des ingénieurs en géotechnique et géo-environnemental. Malheureusement, l'enseignement de ces sujets au premier cycle en génie civil est devenue très limitée et ce qui est enseigné est orientée vers la géologie physique élémentaire, qui est d'une utilité limitée. Cette tendance est probablement irréversible, et est totalement en contradiction avec ce que Terazaghi et Legget recommandé avant 1980. Le rôle de ces sujets dans l'enseignement des ingénieurs du génie civil est discutée sur la base de la nécessité de différer l'enseignement des sciences appliquées de terre - géologie de l'ingénieur, la géomorphologie et hydrogéologie - jusqu'à la dernière année de premier cycle ou, mieux encore, la première année d'études supérieures . Heureusement, l'évolution dans l'enseignement du génie civil que cette possibilité a dans les dix prochaines années, le plus probable pour ceux qui sont susceptibles de se spécialiser dans l'ingénierie géotechnique et géo-environnemental.

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Cite this article:
Richard Jackson (2011) Hydrogeology and engineering geology in the education of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineers in GEO2011. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Geotechnical Society.

@article{GEO11Paper543,author = Richard Jackson ,title = Hydrogeology and engineering geology in the education of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineers,year = 2011}