625-023 Geology (Engineering Course)

By the end of the course the student will know some of the basic concepts of geology that are pertinent to the practice of engineering. The student will learn sufficient mineralogy and petrology to identify the main minerals and rock types in the Earth's crust, and will learn how structural geology is used to explain the architecture of the Earth's crust. The student will comprehend how processes at the Earth's surface modify basic geological materials into forms whose properties are of direct relevance to engineering. The student will appreciate the methods, both direct and indirect, by which the properties of, and distribution of, rock materials near the surface of the Earth can be predicted and evaluated.

Topics covered include basic concepts in geology: mineralogy, petrology, structural geology, tectonic processes; rock weathering, formation of clay minerals and soils, soil profiles; development of landforms and landscapes; fluvial erosion; aerial photography and remote sensing; subsurface investigations by geophysical methods; underground water; and applied mineralogy and petrology.

Two 2-hour examinations, one of which will be laboratory-based.