Syllabus 2008/2009 VTG101

Syllabus academic year 2008/2009
(Created 2008-07-17.)

ROCK CHARACTERISTICS AND ENGINEERING GEOLOGY

VTG101

Higher education credits: 6. Grading scale: TH. Level: G2 (First level). Language of instruction: The course will be given in Swedish. VTG101 overlap following cours/es: VTG100 och VTG100. Optional for: V3. Course coordinator: Gerhard Barmen, gerhard.barmen@tg.lth.se och Conny Svensson, conny.svensson@tg.lth.se, Teknisk geologi. Prerequisites: VTG011 or a corresponding course. Recommended prerequisits: VVR145 and FMI031 or corresponding courses. Active participation in a civil engineering basic course, e.g. VVB055. Assessment: Written test on conceptions and written and oral presentation of a engineering geological conceptual expectation model. Compulsory participation in laboratory work, excursions, field exercises and seminars. The final mark is a weighted average of the marks from the different parts (written test 50%, written and oral presentation of expectation model 50%) rounded off downwards to an integer. To pass the written test on conceptions it is necessary to answer correctly to at least 50% of the questions. Further information: The course is overlapping the course VTG100 and it is mainly intended for students taking a V3-specialization towards building technology and structural engineering within the civil engineering programme. The course VTG101 is finished after six weeks of the second part of the autumn semester HT2. Home page: http://www.tg.lth.se/kurser.

Aim
The aim of the course is to enhance the student's knowledge and skills in engineering geology as a tool to handle infrastructure and building projects in a way, which takes into account the needs of the inhabitants and the general goals for development of a sustainable society. The course is a complementary course in a specialization towards building technology and structural engineering within the civil engineering programme.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

be able to define and explain basic conceptions and characteristics in engineering geology, in particular rock mass properties and structural features and also how weak zones in the rock mass may have influence on the orientation and form of for example tunnels, bridges and caverns.
be able to describe field investigation methodology and common geophysical investigation methods for engineering geological purposes.

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

be able to read a geological map and erect a geological cross-section with geological strata - a so called type section - and thus describe a soil and rock mass in three dimensions.
be able to estimate, discuss and present archive material and field investigations, concerning engineering geological problems. The presentation shall be oral as well as in the form of a written report on an engineering geological expectiation model.
show an ability to seek and evaluate information with relevance for problems concerning engineering geology with a high degree of independence.

Contents
During the first weeks of the course there is a comparatively large load of lectures, exercises and excursions. This part is finished by a written test of basic concepts. A project work concerning conceptual models and expectation models in engineering geology is also started during the first week af the course. This work is carried out individually and is completed with a written and an oral presentation of the expectation model.

The following aspects of engineering geology are included in the course.

-Basic rock geology emphasizing origin and characteristics of rocks in relation to their mechanical properties. The influence of the properties of the rock mass on construction work in the rock. Examples on situations with magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks of various age and in different parts of the world. Weathering and clay alteration.

-Structural geology and tectonics. Structural characteristics in a macro and micro scale with emphasis on fissures, fracture zones and folding.

-Origin and characteristics of soils and soil stratigraphies. Occurrence, replenishment and properties of groundwater. The content of the course VTG011 is developed and deepened.

-Engineering geological pre-investigations and field investigation methodology. Establishment of a conceptual model of the expected geological situation including engineering geological characteristics. Information from archives: maps, aerial photographs and previous investigations. Field reconnaissance, geophysical investigations, drilling and sampling. Compilation of data, interpretation and concluding synthesis. Reporting.

-Descriptions of environmental consequences. Selection of topics to include in such a description and why do the contents of these descriptions vary a lot? Other kinds of descriptions of consequences. The content of the course FMI031 is developed and deepened.

Literature
Stanfors, R, Triumf, C-A och Emmelin, A: Geofysik för bergbyggare. SveBeFo 2001. ISBN: 91-631-0633-7.
Svensson, C: Kompendium i teknisk geologi. KFS 2006.
Svensson, C: Kompendium om större makrostrukturer i berggrunden. Teknisk geologi, LTH 2001.
Reference literature available at the department:
Waltham, A C: Foundations of Engineering Geology. Blackie A & P 1994. ISBN: 0-7514-0071-8.
Handboken Bygg Geoteknik. Liberförlag 1984. ISBN: 91-38-06077-9.
Sveriges Nationalatlas. Berg och jord. SNA Förlag 1994. ISBN: 91-87760-27-4.
Sveriges Nationalatlas. Atlas över Skåne. Kartförlaget Gävle 1999. ISBN: 91-87760-46-0.
Supplementary papers, maps and exercises.
Personal reference literature recommended for the report writing on the engineering geological expectation model:
Strömquist, S: Skrivboken. Skrivprocess, skrivråd och skrivstrategier. Gleerups 2005. ISBN: 91-40-64513-4.
Svenska språknämnden: Svenska skrivregler. Liber 2000. ISBN: 47-04974-X.