Back to the original discussion.
1. I think Geotechnical Engineering is about engineering the ground for the support of human structures.
2. "Engineering the ground" would allow us to include soil, rock, sediment, asteroids, moon rock.
3. "Engineering the ground" would mean that we need to know what the properties of the ground are which includes engineering geology and site investigation.
4. "support of human structures" highlights that it is not about agriculture though some agricultural activities require geotechnical engineering.
5. "human structures" would exclude the animal engineers like beavers, mole and termites
6. "human structures" would obviously include buildings but also include tunnels and pipes.
What do you think? Thank you for your attention.
Regards,
Andrew
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Eur. Ing. Prof. Andrew H.C. Chan (陳衍昌): Professor in Computational Engineering
Deputy Head of School (Teaching) and Head of Learning and Teaching
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-----Original Message-----
From: Geotechnical Engineering Email List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Andrew Chan (School of Civil Engineering)
Sent: 17 October 2012 22:08
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Definitions of Geotechnical Engineering (GE)
Dear all,
A slight side branch as Stylianos used "the first geo-engineering scientific discipline" to describe geotechnical engineering. This use of "geo-engineering" or "geoengineering" will cause confusion as it has been coined by climate scientist for another purpose. For example, on the Wikipedia page for Geoengineering: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoengineering
Geoengineering - Not to be confused with Geotechnical engineering.
The concept of geoengineering (or climate engineering, climate remediation, and climate intervention[1]) refers to "the deliberate large-scale intervention in the Earth’s climate system, in order to moderate global warming".
Thank you for your attention.
Regards,
Andrew
--
You cannot change the past but you can improve the future by working on the present.
--
Follow the events of the School of Civil Engineering on twitter: @civeng_unibham
--
Eur. Ing. Prof. Andrew H.C. Chan (陳衍昌): Professor in Computational Engineering Deputy Head of School (Teaching) and Head of Learning and Teaching School of Civil Engineering, The University of Birmingham B15 2TT
Tel: +44 121 41 45100 Fax: +44 121 41 43675 Mobile: +44 77099 68522 Email Linkedin Personal email facebook Twitter Webpage Google+ Google Scholar
skype: aquila_eagle MSN Messenger/ooVoo: [log in to unmask]
The contents of this email may be privileged and are confidential. It may not be disclosed to or used by anyone other than the addressee, nor copied in any way. If received in error please notify the sender and then delete it from your system. Should you communicate with me by email, you consent to the University of Birmingham monitoring and reading any such correspondence.
-----Original Message-----
From: Geotechnical Engineering Email List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Stylianos Skias
Sent: 17 October 2012 21:20
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Definitions of Geotechnical Engineering (GE)
Dear colleagues,
Let me interfere in the dialog regarding “Geotechnical Engineering”
(GE) by making the following comments:
1. My answer to Prof. John P. Harrison’s justifiable question (why
'geotechnical engineering' is effectively synonymous with 'application of soil mechanics to engineering’) is that soil mech. was originally the first geo-engineering scientific discipline, so it has been a matter of traditional engagement…
2. I would suggest that: GE is the branch of civil engineering
concerned with the engineering (and environmental…) behavior of geo-environment and in particular the “earth materials”. Earth materials (or geo-materials) are all solid earthen materials (abiotic) and water.
3. The word “rock” has been originally a geologic term and refers to
all solid geo-materials, consisting of one or more minerals, which are divided in three main types/categories, as far their geological origin and characteristics (igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic).
4. In engineering terminology, all solid geo-materials, taking into
consideration their engineering behavior, are divided in two main
categories: soils (either formations, materials, masses) and rocks (formations, materials, masses). There exist also an intermediate category of semi-rocks (since there exist a continuity in natural geo-materials regarding the transition, through weathering, from the state of rock to that of soil) which consists of what we call “hard soils” or “soft rocks”
5. GE concerns with the application of the three geo-scientific
disciplines: the two “mechanics” being the soil mechanics and rock mechanics as well as the engineering geology (the later being the application of geological sciences to engineering).
6. In my country (Greece) the term “geotechnical” is a rather confusing
one since it also refers to scientists dealing with classical geology
(geologists) as well as with agriculture (agronomists, veterinarians), i.e. plants and animals!!...
7. I think (and I propose it) that the three sister societies of soil
mechanics, rock mechanics and engineering geology must consider, jointly, the issue (i.e. the meaning/content of the term GE) and give their common verdict.
Best regards,
Dr. Stelios Skias, Engin. Geologist and Civil Engineer Dept. Civil Eng., Democritus University of Thrace Xanthi, GREECE
On Wed, 17 Oct 2012 17:38:09 +0100, Paul McCombie wrote:
> ..but there is also construction of earthworks, and stabilistion of
> ground where we are not constructing anything at all!
> So how about:
>
> All engineering in, on or using the ground.
>
> This brings in things like vehicle traction and touches on building
> with stone, and leaves some flexibility in where you choose to place
> the boundary. This recognises the wide range of academic traditions
> used in that engineering, such as geology, chemistry, soil mechanics,
> rock mechanics, structural analysis, etc..
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Paul McCombie
>
> Quoting John Harrison <[log in to unmask]>:
>
>> But those of us working with rock would also expand (1) to include
>> rock mechanics!
>>
>> It has always been a mystery to me why 'geotechnical engineering' is
>> effectively synonymous with 'application of soil mechanics to
>> engineering'. There are a great many geotechnical engineering
>> projects around the world where the principal (or only) geomaterial
>> is rock.
>>
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
>> Prof. John P. Harrison
>> W.M. Keck Chair of Engineering Rock Mechanics Lassonde Institute of
>> Mining Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto Toronto M5S
>> 1A4
>>
>> +1 416-978-1634
>>
>> www.civil.engineering.utoronto.ca/staff/professors/harrison.htm
>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Geotechnical Engineering Email List
>>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Parminder
>>> Singh
>>> Sent: 17 October 2012 06:12
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Subject: Definitions of Geotechnical Engineering (GE)
>>>
>>> Dear Colleagues,
>>>
>>> I looked around for some and came up with :-
>>>
>>> 1) GE is the application of the science of soil mechanics and
>>> engineering geology
>>>
>>> 2) GE deals with the engineering properties of the ground
>>>
>>>
>>> If there are some interesting ones that involve current trends in
>>> the field do share with us.
>>>
>>>
>>> Best Regards,
>>>
>>> Parminder Singh
>>> Malaysia
>>>
>
> Paul McCombie
> BA MSc DIC PhD CEng FICE FRSA
> Deputy Head of Department
> Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering University of Bath
> Bath BA2 7AY United Kingdom
>
> http://www.bath.ac.uk/ace/index.php?page=AcePerson&person=mccombie-pau
> l
> Tel: +44 (0)1225 386629
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