B.Sc Project EEG499

 
Course Description

General considerations:

A topic will be selected within the field of engineering geology or environmental geology, by the student under the supervision of a department member. The student is expected to carry out an investigation and perform tests both in the field and laboratory, write a scientific report and present his findings in a public lecture (Field trip for 21 days).

Course Objectives

The project represents the final harvest of the student’s learning during his B.Sc. years in the university. The project is routed towards the student minor specialty of Engineering and Environmental Geology.

Therefore, the scope may be routed towards the following:

• Site investigation for roads, buildings, dams, bridges, retaining walls, slopes and tunnels.
• Geological hazards: Slopes failure, flooding, collapse, subsidence and sand dunes movement.
• Waste disposal.
• Soil and rock pollution.
• Foundations.
• Environmental issues.
• Urban industrial planning and general application of land use techniques.

Field work and Time:

Field study should be no less than three weeks (3 weeks). The student will tackle his project in the following manners:

i) Mapping of the site based on:

ii) Sampling:

• Disturbed samples.
• Undisturbed sampling.

iii) In-situ testing:

• In-situ testing of the geotechnical properties of soils and rocks.

iv) Laboratory tests and data analysis:

Laboratory tests include physical and mechanical properties of soils and rocks that were brought from the field. Lab testing will require 4 to 6 weeks.

v) Report writting:

The student will learn how to write a geotechnical report as in the following sequence:

• Introduction (aim, scope and previous studies).
• Geological and morphological setting of the site under investigation.
• Methods of investigation.
• Results of field and laboratory tests investigation.
• Discussion and conclusion.
• References.
• Report writing will be 4 to 6 weeks.

General References for the Course: (Books/Journals...etc.)

Students in this course can read from:

1. Description of Rock Masses for Engineering Purposes, by GSA London, 1977. Q.J. Eng. Geol. Geological Society (London) Engineering Group Working Party,. Vol. 10, pp. 335-388.
2. International Society for Rock Mechanics, by ISRM, 1980. Basic Geotechnical Description of Rock Masses (BGD), Commission on classification of rocks and rook masses, Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. & Geomech. Abstr., Vol. 18, pp. 85-110.
3. Recommended Symbols for Engineering Geological Mapping, by IAEG, 1981. Commission on Engineering Geological Mapping. Bull. Int. Assoc. Engng. Geol., 24, 227-234.
4. Report of the LAEG Commission on Site Investigation, by IAEG, 1981. Bull. Int. Assoc. Engineering. Geol., 24, 185-226.
5. Rock and Soil Description and Classification for Engineering Geological Mapping, by IAEG, 1981. Bull. Int. Assoc. Engng. Geol., 24, 235-274.
6. Standard Classification of soils for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System), by ASTM, 1993. Designation D 2487-93.
7. The Preparation of Maps and Plans in Terms of Engineering Geology, by GSA London, 1972. Geological Society Engineering Group Working Party, Q. J. Eng. Geol., 5 (4), 293-382.

The student is in a position to write a geotechnical report, collect data and use applicable computer software. He will also learn the following:

Site investigation

Geological hazards

Environmental issue

Data processing