Geology: Basics for Engineers
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Features
The book offers an exhaustive outline of the methods and techniques used in geology, with a study of the nature and proporties of the principal soils and rocks.
It allows students to understand how geological conditions should be taken into account by the engineer
It presents the wide range of available basic resources and explains how these can be managed in an intelligent way
Taking a problem-solving approach, this highly didactic and synthetic work is intended for engineering students, as well as to experts in the fields of civil engineering. environmental engineering. earth sciences and architecture.
A CDROM supplements the work containing solutions to problems, along with animations illustrating some facets of the living Earth.
It is extensively illustrated and contains many examples.
Summary
Geology – Basics for Engineers presents the physical and chemical characteristics of the Earth, the nature and the properties of rocks and unconsolidated deposits/sediments, the action of water, how the earth is transformed by various phenomena at different scales of time and space. The book shows the engineer how to take geological conditions into account in his projects, and how to exploit a wide range of natural resources in an intelligent way, reduce geological hazards, and manage subsurface pollution.
Through a problem-based-learning approach, this instructional text imparts knowledge and practical experience to engineering students (undergraduate and graduate level), as well as to experts in the fields of civil engineering, environmental engineering, earth sciences, architecture, land and urban planning.
The DVD that supplements the book contains solutions to the problems and animations that show additional facets of the living Earth.
*The original French edition of the book (2007) won the prestigious Roberval Prize, an international contest organized by the University of Technology of Compiegne in collaboration with the General Council of Oise, France. Geology, Basics for Engineers, was selected out of a total of 110 candidates.The jury praised the book as a “very well conceived teaching textbook” and underscored its highly didactic nature, as well as the excellent quality of its illustrations.
Table of Contents
1. The Geology-Engineering Partnership
- Areas of engineering geology
- Project construction
- Natural hazards
- Geological resources
- Environmental pollution
- The history of geology
2. The Earth in Space
- The solar system
- Historical representations
- General structure
- The Earth’s revolution
- The telluric planets
- Atmospheres and hydrospheres
- Geology and geologic activity
- Giant planets
- Comets
- Meteorites
- Stony meteorites
- Metallic meteorites
3. The Earth in Time
- Measurement of geologic time
- Radiometric methods
- Stratigraphic methods
- Paleontological methods
- Summary of dating methods
- Origin of the Universe and matter
- Initial nucleosynthesis
- Stellar phase
- Accretion of the planets
- Voyage through time: From the Precambrian to the
- Quaternary
- Precambrian Era
- Primary Era (Paleozoic)
- Secondary Era (Mesozoic)
- Tertiary Era (Cenozoic)
- Quaternary Era (Anthropozoic)
4. Physics of the Globe
- Seismology
- Rupture mechanisms
- Types of seismic waves
- Laws of wave propagation
- Causes of earthquakes
- Monitoring and treatment of seismic signals
- Seismic risk
- Seismic prospecting
- Gravimetry
- Connection with mechanics
- Notion of a geoid
- Measurement of the gravitational fi eld and its
- treatment
- Interpretation of anomalies
- Principles of isostasy
- Density of Earth’s rocks
- Magnetism
- Causes of the Earth’s magnetic fi eld
- Components of the magnetic fi eld at a point
- on the Earth’s surface
- Measurement of the magnetic fi eld
- Paleomagnetism
- Geothermics
- Thermal transfer within the Earth
- Exploitation of geothermal energy
5. Rock Forming Minerals
- Crystallography
- Internal structure of minerals
- Crystal morphology
- Cohesion properties
- Optical properties of minerals
- Geochemistry
- Silicates
- Carbonates
- Sulfates
- Phosphates
- Halides
- Sulfi des
- Oxides and hydroxides
- Practical mineral identifi cation
6. Magmatism and Magmatic Rocks
- Composition of the Earth’s layers
- Magmatism and plate tectonics
- The history of plate tectonics
- Paleomagnetic reconstruction
- Possible relationships between plates
- From magma to magmatic rocks
- Process of magma generation
- Magma solidifi cation processes
- Magmatic confi gurations
- Magmatic events
- Plutonism and plutonic rocks
- Volcanism and volcanic rocks
- Major magmatic rocks
- Classifi cation
- Field identifi cation methods
7. The Water Cycle
- Water reserves and their exchanges
- The atmosphere
- Atmospheric reservoir
- The greenhouse effect
- Atmospheric precipitation
- Rainfall fractionation on the soil
- Surface water
- Rivers and streams
- Lakes
- Glaciers
- Groundwater
- Porosity of geological materials
- Water fl ow in geologic media
- Basics of hydrodynamics
- Application of permeability to the subsurface
- Hydrodynamic application of fl ow toward a well
- Hydrologic balance of aquifers
- Groundwater intake
- Effects of drainage and irrigation
- Groundwater management
- Groundwater protection
- Groundwater and civil engineering projects
- Water in the seas and oceans
8. The Continental Sedimentary Environment
- Generalities
- Continental erosion
- Continental sedimentation
- The slope environments
- Particle transport on slopes
- Mass transport
- The alluvial environment
- Solid transport in rivers
- Areas of stream and river erosion
- Alluvial zones
- The lacustrine environment
- Deltas
- Lacustrine basins
- The palustrine environment
- Swamps at the bottom of depressions
- Swamps created by springs
- Marsh drainage
- Exploitation of peat
- Boreal and polar environments
- Glacial regions
- Non-glaciated regions
- The desert environment
- Eolian erosion and transport close to the soil
- Transport of suspended particles
- Water in deserts
- Protective measures
9. The Oceanic Sedimentary Environment
- Continental margin
- Detrital sedimentation
- Biogenic sedimentation
- Evaporite deposits
- The continental rise and the abyssal plains
- Detrital sedimentation
- Biogenic sedimentation
- Hydrochemical sedimentation
10. Diagenesis and Properties of Sedimentary Rocks
- Diagenetic processes
- Compaction
- Cementation
- Mineralogical modifi cations
- Detrital rocks
- Conglomerates
- Sandstones
- Siltstone
- Claystones
- Biogenic rocks
- Carbonate rocks
- Siliceous rocks
- Fossil fuels
- Evaporite rocks
- Primary dolomite
- Gypsum and anhydrite
- Halite rocks
- Potassium rocks
- Cargneules
11. Metamorphism
- Transformation processes
- Mineralogical modifi cations
- Chemical modifi cations
- Mechanical modifi cations
- Types of metamorphism
- Regional metamorphism
- Contact metamorphism
- Cataclastic metamorphism
- Principal metamorphic rocks and their properties
- Pelitic sequence
- Quartzo-feldspathic sequence
- Carbonate sequence
- Calcareous-pelitic sequence
- Mafi c sequence
- Ultramafi c sequence
- Identifi cation of magmatic, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks
12. Tectonics
- Mechanical stresses in the subsurface
- Physical defi nition
- Stress state in geological environments
- Stress-deformation relationships
- Laboratory tests
- Rock deformation observed in the fi eld
- Brittle deformation
- Joints
- Faults
- Thrusting
- Characterization of discontinuities in a rock massif
- Ductile deformation
- Folds
- Concentric folds
- Similar folds
- Fold nappes
- Geometric representation and treatment of structural elements
- Mapping of structural elements
- Geometric tools
- Stereographic projections
- The Alps: a tectonic model
- Jura
- Molasse plateau
- Prealps
- High Calcareous Alps
- External crystalline massifs
- Internal thrust nappes
- Present-day deformation
13. Weathering
- Weathering processes
- Thermal processes
- Physicochemical processes
- Catalog of weathering-prone materials
- Extent of weathering at depth
- Engineering concerns
- Weathering effects on mechanical properties
- Weathering effects on hydrogeological properties
- Screening for weathering
14. Geology’s Role in the Major Issues Facing Society
- Land development and natural resources
- Food resources
- Energy resources
- Underground resources
- Mineral resources
- Geomaterials resources
- Resources of the Space
- Environmental protection
- Ecosystems and biodiversity
- Natural hazards
- Climate change
- Geologic waste disposal
- Subsurface pollution
- Conclusion
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
Author Bio(s)
Editorial Reviews
"This 570 page book contains numerous excellent illustrations, figures and sketches for the effective conception of the information and contains original photographs that exemplify the potency of observation, a prime tool in geological science. Most of the illustrations are in color.
The pedagogic value of the book is underlined by exercises throughout the chapters.
An accompanying DVD contains the solutions to problems and also animations that make the description of geology much more dynamic and alive.
I highly recommend the book as a resource for the basic background of geological knowledge necessary for the understanding of the behaviour of the ground in engineering practice, infrastructure development and environmental protection."
Paul G. Marinos
Past President of the International Association of Engineering Geology and the Environment (IAEG)
Past President of Geological Society of Greece
Professor at the National Technical University of Athens
School of Civil Engineering
Geotechnical Dept.
Athens, Greece
Reviews published about the French version
".... it provides a comprehensive overview of methods and techniques of this discipline, exploring the nature of the main soils and rocks and their properties." -- Geomatique, Switzerland --
"This book will be useful to all those for whom understanding of the environment that they process is fundamental to make their actions consistent with our future." -- Securite – Environnement
"This well-written and very didactic work constitutes an excellent synthesis on the role and impact of geology and geological phenomena which affect daily life conditions. It is therefore an excellent reference book and manual for engineers and other specialists dealing with civil engineering, construction and environmental problems, and with issues related to landscape architecture."
Willy Verheyen, De Pinte, Belgium in: WASC (Newsletter of the World Association of Soils and Water Conservation).
