CEG8216 : Engineering Geology Field Skills (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Colin Davie
- Lecturer: Dr Jean Hall, Dr Ross Stirling
- Owning School: Engineering
- Teaching Location: Off Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To provide an understanding of Engineering Geology Field techniques, their applicability and their relationship to construction processes. To provide an opportunity to apply geological techniques to pre-construction site assessment and forensic analysis of geohazards. To provide an understanding of the field process from site assessment through gathering of appropriate data, to presentation and ultimately interpretation of that data.
Summary:
This module comprises a number of classroom based sessions, followed by field visits and culminates in a residential field trip† (typically to the Alpes de Haute Provence in the South of France). Basic field skills will be taught in class before being demonstrated and practiced in field settings. During the residential trip, a series of Engineering Geological exercises are carried out by the students to teach various field skills, assessment and analysis techniques.
[† Please note that students are required to contribute to a small part of the cost for meals during the residential field trip. Transport, accommodation and some meals are arranged and provided by the School.
Outline Of Syllabus
The module teaches and practices a number of field skills and site appraisal techniques:
• Identification and classification of soils
• Identification and classification of rocks
• Classification of rock masses
• Measurement and recording of structural features
• Gathering and recording of data in the field
• Engineering geology mapping
• On site, dynamic risk assessment
Initially skills and theory are taught in classroom sessions. These are then demonstrated and practised in the field and through online resources.
The field work comprises a series of field exercises designed to expose students to a variety of environments and engineering applications including soil and rock cuttings, different types of dam construction, tunnels, landslides and coastal engineering. Hands-on engineering geology field based site appraisal techniques (different techniques appropriate to different sites) with an emphasis on identification of geo-hazards, pre-construction reporting and initial analysis of recorded data are taught and practised by the students and related back to theory taught in classroom and in previous modules.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | Introductory material for field skills |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 19 | 0:30 | 9:30 | Preparation for oral exam |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 0:30 | 0:30 | Oral Exam |
| Guided Independent Study | Skills practice | 1 | 5:00 | 5:00 | Practice of field skills, measurements and data collection |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 10 | 5:00 | 50:00 | 8 day residential field trip plus 2 x 1 day trips (length of individual trips may vary) |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Self study |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | Field trip and lecture follow up |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 5:00 | 5:00 | Background reading |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The focus of the module is to teach practical field skills and their appropriate application for the gathering of relevant data. Initially skills and theory are taught in classroom sessions. These are then demonstrated and practised in the field.
The field work comprises a series of field exercises designed to expose students to a variety of environments and engineering applications including soil and rock cuttings, different types of dam construction, tunnels, landslides and coastal engineering. Hands-on engineering geology field based site appraisal techniques (different techniques appropriate to different sites) with an emphasis on identification of geo-hazards, pre- construction reporting and initial analysis of recorded data are taught and practised by the students and related back to theory taught in classroom and in previous modules.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Examination | 30 | 2 | M | 100 | An individual oral exam with 2 examiners. Students are to bring field books & pre-prepared material based on their field work. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Individual oral assessment allows the examiners to very quickly determine a student's ability to evaluate geological sites in the context of specific applications, choosing and applying appropriate techniques and drawing initial assessment and interpretation from their in field work, which is key to the module and the course to which it belongs.
To these ends the oral assessment may involve small practical tests as well as discussion of the student's field notes and interpretive exercises (stability assessments, mapping exercises etc.) that students will be required to bring to the assessment in order to assess their site appraisal techniques including the collection, analysis and interpretation of data in the context of the relationship between geology and the construction process.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- CEG8216's Timetable