Engineering Geology

Geology

• It is the science of the earth.

• Application of basic sciences to the earth.

• Deals with the study of origin, age, interior structure, and the history of earth.

• Also involves evolution and modification of various surface features like rivers, mountains and lakes.

Geologist

• Earth scientists that work with rocks and the natural processes associated with rocks.

• They also study rock formations and how they are created. What leads to rocks being and the natural processes that shape our world.

• They may examine how natural processes affect rocks such as river formation, for example, and how the natural environment is affected by rocks.

Geotechnical Engineer

• Are engineers with a geological background whose expertise is to use that knowledge to design buildings and structural foundations that adhere to the area's geological offerings.

• Research and study soil to evaluate its suitability for foundations and materials.

Geodetic Engineer

• Collects and measures spatial data on the surface of the earth using appropriate technologies and precision instruments.

• Applies scientific and methodological processing and management of gathered data in producing spatial information systems, maps, plans, charts, and other relevant documents.

Engineering Geologist

• Responsible for identifying the geological factors that could affect construction projects.

• They analyze ground materials to assess their risk factors and advise on the best procedures for developments and the suitability of construction materials.

• Runs tests and surveys, collects samples and performs ground assessments.

Physical Geology

• This is also called Dynamic geology or Geomorphology.

• Deals with the different Physical features of the earth such as mountains, rivers, lakes, glaciers and volcanoes.

• It also deals with different changes occurring on the earth surface like marine, formation or disappearance of rivers, springs, and lakes.

Pedology

Study of soil.

Mineralogy

This deals with the study of minerals.

Petrology

Deals with the study of rocks.

Structural Geology

The rocks, which form the earth's crust, undergo various deformations, dislocations and disturbances under the influence of tectonic forces.

Stratigraphy / Historical Geology

• The branch of geology concerned with the order and relative position of strata and their relationship to the geological time scale.

• The climatic and geological changes including tectonic events in the geological past can also be known from these investigations.

• This kind of study of the earth's history through the sedimentary rock.

Economic Geology

It deals with the mode of formation, occurrence, classification, association, varieties and concentration, properties and uses of minerals related to economic importance.

Mining Geology

• This deals with the application of geological knowledge in the field of mining.

• Combines the principles of economic geology and mining engineering to the development of a defined mineral resource.

• Mining geologists and engineers work to develop an identified deposit to economically extract the ore.

Geochemistry

This branch is relatively more recent and deals with occurrences, distribution, abundance, mobility of different elements on the earth crust.

Geohydrology

It deals with occurrence, movements, and nature i.e., (quality and quantity) of groundwater in an area.

The Big Bang Theory

States that the universe began as an infinitely hot and dense point.

Big Bang Theory

States that the universe began as an infinitely hot and dense point.

Radiation Era

Dominance of radiation right after the big bang. Matter is not present at this time.

Planck Epoch

At this time, no matter existed, only energy and the four forces of nature called the super forces.

Super forces

Gravity, Strong Nuclear, Weak Nuclear and Electromagnetic.

Grand Unification Epoch

• Named after the three remaining unified forces of nature.

• Ended when the strong nuclear broke away.

Inflationary Epoch

The universe rapidly expanded and was hot at this time.

Electroweak Epoch

Electromagnetic force and weak nuclear force finally split off.

Quark Epoch

The ingredients of the universe were present, but the temperature is still too hot for subatomic particles to form.

Quark

Is a type of elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter.

Hadrons

Combination of quarks to form composite particles.

Hadron Epoch

The universe cooled down and the ingredients fused to produce Protons and Neutrons.

Lepton and Nuclear Epoch

Protons and neutrons fused and created the nuclei and created the first chemical element - Helium.

Matter Era

The ability of the universe to produce matter marked the start.

Atomic Epoch

• The universe's temperature cooled down for electrons to attach to nuclei; this is called recombination.

• Produced the second chemical element which was Hydrogen.

Galactic Epoch

Due to hydrogen and helium, the universe may have had enough gravity to cause atoms to collect and this paved the way for the creation of galaxies.

Stellar Epoch

Hydrogen and helium dotted the universe with atomic clouds.

Core Accretion Model

Gravity was the driver coalescing earth out of dust and the earth was still so hot in addition to the massive meteorites and asteroids that hit the surface of the earth.

Disk Instability Model

This mechanism requires no direct interactions between solids whatsoever, just the condensing of gas and dust in the planetary disk.

Biosphere

The biosphere includes the bio-geo-physical processes of land surfaces including living species, and in particular the vegetation ecosystem.

Hydrosphere

• The main natural water flows are precipitation, evaporation, and runoff.

• Includes oceans, lakes, seas, rivers, & groundwater.

Cryosphere

Snow and ice (marine and continental) are important energy reservoirs that can delay the warming or cooling of the atmosphere and ground by releasing or absorbing latent heat.

Minerals

• Is a naturally occurring, homogenous, solid with a definite but not generally fixed chemical composition and ordered atomic arrangement.

• Building blocks of rocks.

Specific Atomic Structure

• The way the atoms within the substances are arranged with each other.

• The physical properties of a mineral are the result of the internal arrangement of atoms.

Color (Physical Char of Mineral)

• The visible color that a mineral sample appears to the naked eye.

• Is not a reliable characteristic to use for mineral identification.

Streak

• Color of a mineral in its powdered form.

• It is tested by rubbing a sample against an unglazed ceramic streak plate.

Luster

The way in which light reflects off a mineral's surface.

Breakage

The way that a mineral will tend to break.

Hardness

Is the resistance to being scratched.

Rocks

• Aggregate of minerals.

• Since the crust is composed of rocks, it may also be defined as a unit of earth's crust.

• It is classified in various ways: Geological, Physical and Chemical to name a few.

• The study of this is encompassed in the branch of geology which is petrology.

Petrogeny

Study of the origin, mode of occurrence and natural history of rocks.

Petrography

Study of the classification and description of rocks.

Lithology

Study of stones.