GEO101 – Week 1 SCIENTIFIC METHOD/S

DEFINITIONS • Geological problem to be solved.

Geology – study of earth, its composition, • Development of hypothesis or
structure, and history and the processes multiple hypotheses.
that shaped the earth of the past and those • Collection and analysis of data in
that would continue to mold the earth of field and laboratory.
the present. • Publication of research in scientific
journals.
The scientific method – a process of
• Evaluation, debate, and further
investigation in which a problem is
testing of the hypothesis by the
identified, data are collected and analyzed,
scientific community.
and a hypothesis is formulated and tested.

Hypothesis- a tentative explanation of Geosciences Specialties

phenomena that is tested for validity by
• Geophysics
repeated observations and experiments.
• Geochemistry
Model – hypothesis expressed as a visual or • Petroleum Geology
statistical simulation or as a description by • Economic Geology
analogy of phenomena or processes that • Hydrogeology and Hydrology
are difficult to observe and describe directly. • Engineering Geology
Multiple working hypotheses – several • Environmental Geology
possible explanations of a phenomena are • Seismology
developed and evaluated simultaneously • Geochronology
and impartially. • Geomorphology
• Planetary Geology or Cosmogeology
Theory – the widely accepted explanation
• Glaciology
for a group of known facts. A theory is a
• Marine Geology
hypothesis that has been elevated to a high
• Minerology
level of confidence by repeated
• Paleontology
confirmation through testing and
• Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
experimentation; serendipity – finding
something of a value purely by chance. • Structural Geology
• Volcanology
The geological study: a.) data and sample
collection in the field, b.) geological map Geological Timescale
preparation, c.) analysis of data samples.
 Civil Engineers

• They direct construction, operations,

and maintenance activities at the
project site.
• They plan and design transportation
or hydraulic systems and structures,
following construction and
government standards, using design
software and drawing tools.

Geologists

▪ Geologists are involved in a range of

Plate tectonics – the model or theory that widely varying occupations with one
has been used for the past 60 years to thing in common: the privilege and
understand and explain how the Earth work- responsibility of studying this
more specifically the origins of continents fascinating planet.
and oceans, of folded rocks and mountain ▪ Geologists work in the resource
ranges, of earthquakes and volcanoes, and industries, including mineral
of continental drift. exploration and mining and energy
exploration and extraction.
Plate Tectonics ▪ Other major areas where geologist
work include hazard assessment and
mitigation (e.g., assessment of risk
from slope failures, earthquakes,
and volcanic eruptions); water
supply planning, development, and
management; waste management,
and assessment of geological issues
in the forest industry, and on
construction projects such as
highways, tunnels, and bridges.

Geotechnical Engineers

❖ They collect soil samples from the

GEOLOGY INTRODUCTION FOR CIVIL
project’s intended site, using bores
ENGINEERS
and test pits where analysis will
 determine the ground’s stress Why geology is important to civil
bearing capability and stability. engineers?
❖ They determine whether issues like
• Geology provides a systematic
erosion, settlement and slope will
knowledge of construction
pose a safety risk to the proposed
materials, their structure, and
project.
properties.
GEOLOGY FOR CIVIL ENGINEERS • The knowledge of Erosion,
Transportation and Deposition (ETD)
Geology by surface water helps in soil
conservation, river control, coastal
• The study of the Earth, the materials
and harbor works.
of which it is made, the structure of
• The knowledge about the nature of
those materials, and processes
the rocks is very necessary in
acting upon them.
tunnelling, construction roads and in
• The Scottish naturalist James Hutton
determining the stability of cuts and
(1726 – 1797) is known as the Father
slopes. Thus, geology helps in civil
of Modern Geology.
engineering.
• The foundation problems of dams,
bridges and buildings are directly
related with geology of the area
where they are to be built.
• The knowledge of ground water is
necessary in connection with
excavation works, water supply,
Importance of Geology irrigation, and many other purposes.
• Geology provides necessary • Geological maps and sections help
information about the site of considerably in planning many
construction materials used in the engineering projects.
construction materials used in the • If the geological features like faults,
construction of buildings, dams, joints, beds, folds, solution channels
tunnels, tanks, reservoirs, highways, are found, they have to be suitably
and bridges. treated. Hence, the stability of the
• Geological information is most structure is greatly increased.
important in the planning phase • Pre-geological survey of the area
(stage), design phase and concerned reduces the cost of
construction phase of an engineering work.
engineering project. Branches of Geology
What do you think are the top 3 branches of physically, chemically, and
geology that concern the civil engineering mechanically.
profession?
Mineralogy
Physical Geology – as a branch of geology, it
The study of mineralogy is most
deals with the “various processes of
important:
physical agents such as wind, water,
glaciers, and sea waves”, run on these a.) For a civil engineering student to
agents go on modifying the surface of the identify the rocks.
Earth continuously. b.) In industries such as cement, iron
and steel, fertilizers, glass industry,
Minerology – as a branch of geology, it
etc.
deals with “the study of minerals”. A
c.) In the production of atomic energy.
mineral may be defined as a naturally
occurring, homogenous solid, inorganically Petrology
formed, having a definite chemical
The study of petrology is most
composition, and ordered atomic
important for civil engineers’ point of view:
arrangement.
a.) In the selection of suitable rocks for
Petrology – as a branch of geology, it deals
building stones, road metals, etc.
with “the study of rocks”. A rock is defined
b.) It provides a proper concept and
as “the aggregation of minerals found in the
logical basis for interpreting physical
Earth’s crust.
properties of rocks. Thus, the study
Physical Geology of texture, structure, mineral
composition, chemical composition,
• Physical geology includes the study
etc.
of Erosion, Transportation, and
Deposition (ETD).

The study of physical geology plays a PLATE TECTONICS

vital role in civil engineering thus:
The lithosphere is broken into pieces.
a.) It reveals constructive and
destructive processes of physical
agents at a particular site.
b.) It helps in selecting a suitable site for
different types of projects to be
undertaken after studying the effects
of physical agents which go on
modifying the surface of the Earth
These plates float on the asthenosphere
beneath.

Convection currents in the asthenosphere

Convergent Boundaries
drive plate motion.

Divergent Boundaries
Plate Boundaries

Transform Boundaries
Hot Spots