Catalog Description: Principles of physical geology, with emphasis on engineering and environmental topics. Study of landforms, geologic maps, geologic structure, weathering, groundwater, mass wasting, and earthquakes.
Pre-requisite(s):
PHY 2048
MAC 2312
CHM 2045.
Designation: Elective
Contribution of course to meeting the Professional Component:
| Math & Science Topic | 0.5 credit hours |
| Engineering Topics | 2.5 credit hours |
| General Education Topics | 0.0 credit hours |
| Class Schedule: | Laboratory Schedule: | ||
| Number of sessions per week | 3 | Number of sessions per week | 0 |
| Duration of each session | 60 mins | Duration of each session | 0 |
Course Objectives:
· Understanding of rock forming minerals and related processes; applications
to engineering.
· Engineering classification of intact rocks and rock mass properties.
Familiarization with uniaxial and triaxial compression test methods, rock elasticity,
Mohr diagrams.
· Development of effective stress, shear, and stress distribution equations.
· Knowledge of structural geology utilizing subsurface mapping techniques
based on well log and seismic data.
· Development of equations addressing underground opening collapse, falls,
topples, slope slip, failure by lateral spread, and relevant safety factor determinations.
· Analytical solutions to both unconfined and artesian groundwater flow.
· Description of carbonate chemistry and igneous/metamorphic rock weathering
processes.
· Introduction to coastal engineering practices.
· Engineering geophysics with emphasis on seismic wave refraction and
reflection, blasting effects, earth electrical resistivity, and exploration
methodologies.
Topics:
· Expertise in working with topographic maps
· Development of vertical cross-sections from surface data
· Creation of subsurface stratigraphy maps based on well log and geophysical
data
· Site development based on geologic local features
· Engineering and Geophysical Applications
· Wave propagation in solid and liquid/solid mediums
· Static and dynamic mathematical modeling in massive features
· Vibrational consideration in structural design
· Safety factor parameters, uniaxial and triaxial testing methods.
· Numerical solution of differential equations
· Analysis of coupled systems of ordinary differential equations
· Basic concepts of groundwater hydrology
· Dewatering processes, depression cones control
· Pollution plume modeling.
Textbook(s):
West, Geology Applied to Engineering, Prentice Hall, 1995.
Reference(s):
· Geology for Engineers and Environmental Scientists (Kehew)
· Applied Hydrogeology (Fetter)
Relationship of the
course to Program Outcomes:
This course addresses the program outcome 10.