About Course
The course in Engineering Geology is devoted to train students with the purpose of contributing knowledge and solving engineering and environmental issues arising from the interaction of human works and activities with the natural environment.
The course will describe how engineering geology play a key role in maintaining or creating the buildings, roads, dams, and other structures that modern society depends upon. A discipline which needs to develop a thorough understanding of rock and soil including their structural geologic setting and the weathering processes affecting the area over time.
Another primary role of engineering geology is assessing geologic hazards including seismic shaking, liquefaction, subsidence, sinkhole development, flood zones, and landslide activity including debris flows. The emphasis is on preventing or limiting the adverse effect of various hazards to society.
Prof. Claudio Margottini
Curriculum
Section 1 – Introduction to Engineering geology and sustainability - (4 hours)
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- 1.1 - The pillars of sustainability: Course Introduction
- 1.2 - The pillars of sustainability: The history of sustainability
- 1.3 - The pillars of sustainability: The principles of sustainability
- 1.4 - The pillars of sustainability: Dimensions of sustainability
- 2.1 - Relationship between sustainability and geology - Geology and Engineering Geology
- 2.2 - Geology and Sustainable Development Goals
- 2.3 - Cultural Heritage & Geology 1
- 2.4 - Cultural Heritage & Geology 2
- 3.1 – Environmental, social and cultural Sustainability: The UN SDGs
- 3.2 – Environmental, social and cultural Sustainability: Environmental sustainability
- 3.3 – Environmental, social and cultural Sustainability: Cultural and social Sustainability
- 3.4 – Environmental, social and cultural Sustainability: Cultural and social Sustainability
- 4.1 - The relevance of knowing soil and subsoil: Soil formation
- 4.2 – The relevance of knowing soil and subsoil: Soil profiles
- 4.3 – The relevance of knowing soil and subsoil: Soil and constructions
- 4.4 – The relevance of knowing soil and subsoil: oil as a carbon sink
Section 2 – Rocks and structures - (8 hours)
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- 5.1 - Igneous rocks: Introduction to rocks
- 5.2 - Igneous rocks: Effusive and intrusive rocks
- 5.3 - Igneous rocks: How igneous rocks form
- 5.4 - Igneous rocks: Examples of effusive rocks
- 6.1 - Sedimentary rocks: How sediments are generated
- 6.2 –.Sedimentary rocks: How sediments are transported
- 6.3 - Sedimentary rocks: How sediments are deposited
- 6.4 - Sedimentary rocks: Examples of sedimentary rocks
- 7.1 - Metamorphic rocks: Types of metamorphism
- 7.2 - Metamorphic rocks: Effects of metamorphism
- 7.3 - Metamorphic rocks: Technical properties of rocks
- 7.4 - Metamorphic rocks: Uses of rocks
- 8.1 - Geological structures: Strata, fractures and faults
- 8.2 - Geological structures: Faults and folds
- 8.3 - Geological structures: Non tectonic structures
- 8.4 - Geological structures: Landforms
- 9.1 - Geological maps and sections: Principles of Geological Surveying
- 9.2 - Geological maps and sections: Geometry and type of the geological contacts
- 9.3 - Geological maps and sections: Geological cross section 1
- 9.4 - Geological maps and sections: Geological cross section 2
- 10.1 - Geological Map Interpretation: Geological Maps
- 10.2 - Geological Map interpretation: Examples: Folds
- 10.3 - Geological Map interpretation: Engineering Geological Maps
- 10.4 - Geological Map interpretation: Hydrogeological mapping
- 11.1 - Plate tectonic: Plate tectonics: Introduction 1
- 11.2 - Plate tectonics: Introduction 2
- 11.3 - Plate tectonic
- 11.4 - Plate Tectonics: Type of Margins
- 12.1 - Seismic Hazard and Risk: Earthquakes
- 12.2 - Seismic Hazard and Risk: Seismic Hazard
- 12.3 - Seismic Hazard and Risk: Seismic Risk
- 12.4 - Seismic hazard and risk: Seismic Prevention
Section 3 – Surface processes - (5 hours)
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- 13.1 - Weathering and Soils: What is Weathering?
- 13.2 - Weathering and Soils: Biological and Chemical Weathering
- 13.3 - Weathering and Soils: Weathering of Limestone
- 13.4 - Weathering and Soils: Engineering classification of Weathering
- 14.1 - Water erosion: River erosion
- 14.2 - Water erosion: River channel morphology
- 14.3 - Water erosion: Fluvial geomorphology
- 14.4 - Water erosion: Water erosion on slopes
- 15.1 - Climatic Variants: Climate change
- 15.2 - Climatic Variants: Arid Environments
- 15.3 - Climatic Variants: Glacial Environments
- 15.4 - Climatic Variants: Periglacial environments
- 16.1 – Coastal processes: Coastal classification
- 16.2 – Coastal processes: Coastal dynamics and erosion
- 16.3 – Coastal processes: Coastal dynamics and deposition
- 16.4 – Coastal processes: Deltas and coast destruction
- 17.1 - Groundwater: Rock/soil properties affecting groundwater
- 17.2 - Groundwater: Groundwater Flow
- 17.3 - Groundwater: Groundwater in soils/rocks
- 17.4 - Groundwater: Groundwater development
Section 4 – Ground Investigations - (8 hours)
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- 18.1 - Ground investigation - General concept
- 18.2 - Ground investigation - Sequences of stages
- 18.3 - Ground investigation - Complementary aspects and actions
- 18.4 - Ground investigation - Review stage
- 19.1 - Desk study - General concept
- 19.2 - Desk study - BGS & USGS
- 19.3 - Desk study - Photogeology and Stereoscopy
- 19.4 - Desk study - Radar interferometry
- 20.1 - Ground investigation boreholes - General concept
- 20.2 - Ground investigation boreholes - Trial pits and trenches, borehole records and cost
- 20.3 - Ground investigation boreholes - Borehole extensometer and inclinometer
- 20.4 - Ground investigation boreholes - Piezometers and MDS
- 21.1 - Geophysical survey - General Concept
- 21.2 - Geophysical survey - Seismic methods
- 21.3 - Geophysical survey - Intrusive seismic measurements
- 21.4 - Geophysical survey - Other geophysical survey methods
- 22.1 - Assessment of difficult ground - Ground subsidence
- 22.2 - Assessment of difficult ground - Slope failure
- 22.3 - Assessment of difficult ground - Earthquakes
- 22.4 - Assessment of difficult ground - Cavity search, rockhead relief, sinkholes
- 23.1 - Rock strength - Stress
- 23.2 - Rock strength - Strain
- 23.3 - Rock strength - Failure
- 23.4 - Rock strength - Tests on rock
- 24.1 - Rock mass strength - What is a rock mass
- 24.2 - Rock mass strength - Discontinuities
- 24.3 - Rock mass strength - Rock mass classification (part 1)
- 24.4 - Rock mass strength - Rock mass classification (part 2)
- 25.1 - Soil strength - Types of soil
- 25.2 - Soil strength - Soil classification
- 25.3 - Soil strength - Effective stress principle
- 25.4 - Soil strength - Tests on soil
Section 5 – Geohazards - (12 hours)
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- 26.1 - Ground subsidence - What is subsidence
- 26.2 - Ground subsidence - Subsidence by groundwater withdrawal
- 26.3 - Ground subsidence - Other types of subsidence
- 26.4 - Ground subsidence - The Nile delta subsidence case study
- 27.1 - Subsidence on clays - Oedometer test
- 27.2 - Subsidence on clays - Consolidation
- 27.3 - Subsidence on clays - Settlements with time
- 27.4 - Subsidence on clays - How to calculate settlements
- 28.1 - Subsidence on limestone (sinkholes) - Types of sinkhole
- 28.2 - Subsidence on limestone (sinkholes) - Elba island case study: monitoring and hypotheses
- 28.3 - Subsidence on limestone (sinkholes) - Elba island case study: the role of surface and ground water
- 28.4 - Subsidence on limestone (sinkholes) - Elba island case study: geophysical surveys
- 29.1 - Subsidence over old mines - Types of mining (part 1)
- 29.2 - Subsidence over old mines - Types of mining (part 2)
- 29.3 - Subsidence over old mines - Pillar and shaft failure
- 29.4 - Subsidence over old mines - Open-pit mine case study
- 30.1 - Mining subsidence: Subsidence and ongoing longwall mining
- 30.2 - Mining subsidence: Construction in subsidence areas
- 30.3 - Mining subsidence: Witwatersrand goldfields case study
- 30.4 - Mining subsidence: Witbank Coalfields case study
- 31.1 - Slope failure and landslides: Landslide definition
- 31.2 - Slope failure and landslides: Slope stability
- 31.3 - Slope failure and landslides: Landslide classification
- 31.4 - Slope failure and landslides: Types of movement
- 32.1 - Soil failure and flow slides - Soil failure principles
- 32.2 - Soil failure and flow slides - The effect of water on particles
- 32.3 - Soil failure and flow slides - Debris flows
- 32.4 - Soil failure and flow slides - Debris flows morphology and impact
- 33.1 - Landslide Hazard: Introduction
- 33.2 - Landslide Hazard: Definitions 1
- 33.3 - Landslide Hazard: Definitions 2
- 33.4 - Landslide Hazard: Methods for Landslide Susceptibility/Hazard Zoning
- 34.1 - Slope stabilization - Bio-engineering
- 34.2 - Slope stabilization - Bio-engineering
- 34.3 - Slope stabilization - Rock/soil reinforcement support
- 34.4 - Slope stabilization - Restraint measures
- 35.1 - Rock excavation: General concept
- 35.2 - Rock excavation: Ripping and drill and blast
- 35.3 - Rock excavation: TBM
- 35.4 - Rock excavation: Cut slopes
- 36.1 - Tunnel excavation: General concept
- 36.2 - Tunnel excavation: Project phases
- 36.3 - Tunnel excavation: Geological problems
- 36.4 - Tunnel excavation: Rock characteristic and hydrogeology
- 37.1 - Stone and aggregates: General concept
- 37.2 - Stone and aggregates: Stone e linear infrastructures
- 37.3 - Stone and aggregates: Linear infrastructures (part.1)
- 37.4 - Stone and aggregates: Linear infrastructures (part.2)
Section 6 – Geology on field
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- 38.1 - Instruments of research: Geological survey 1
- 38.2 - Instruments of research: Geological survey 2
- 38.3 - Geotechnical survey 1
- 38.4 - Geotechnical survey 2
- 39.1 - Case studies: Lungarno Torrigiani (Firenze, Italy) part 1
- 39.2 - Case studies: Lungarno Torrigiani (Firenze, Italy) part 2
- 39.3 - Case studies: Pomarico landslide, South Italy (part. 1)
- 39.4 - Case studies: Pomarico landslide South Italy (part 2)
- 40.1 - Significant Africa’s phenomenons: Landslides in tropical areas 1
- 40.2 - Significant Africa’s phenomenons: Landslides in tropical areas 2
- 40.3 - Significant Africa’s phenomenons: East African Rift System (EARS)
- 40.4 - Significant Africa’s phenomenons: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) groundwater
Useful documentations
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- Wichmann2017
- USGS
- Thesis_Younis_4101495
- Resource Manual on Flash Flood Risk Management Module 3 Structural Measures
- MacDonald&Davies 2000
- Jill,2017
- ISRM SM Uniaxial Compressive Strength and Deformability- 1979
- Hydrography and geomorphology of Antananarivo High City Madagascar
- Guidelines for Open Pit Slope Design
- Gigliet al.,2012
- Catani2005_Article_LandslideHazardAndRiskMappingA
- Barton 1978 Quantitativedescriptionofdiscontinuities.ISRMSugg.Methods
TEST SESSION
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Check your inbox to confirm your subscription