Engineering Geology and Soil Mechanics unit (ENG221)

Hobart

Introduction

This unit analyses how the characteristics of earth materials may influence the design, construction, stability and life of engineering structures and consists of two components: engineering geology and soil mechanics. The engineering geology component will serve as an introduction to geology, engineering geology, rock evaluation and geophysical methods and impact of geology on design and stability of engineering structures such as slopes, cuttings, quarries, tunnels, dams and bridges. The soil mechanics part will introduce soil classification, soil phase relationships, soil compaction, Darcy's law and water seepage through soils, Terzaghi's effective stress principle, and soil consolidation theory and test. Students will prepare to achieve the stated learning outcomes in this unit through attending a series of lectures, tutorials, field trip and laboratory practicals.

Summary

Unit name	Engineering Geology and Soil Mechanics
Unit code	ENG221
Credit points	12.5
College/School	Sciences and Engineering School of Engineering
Discipline	Earth Sciences|Engineering
Coordinator	Doctor Hong Liu
Available as an elective?	Yes
Delivered By	University of Tasmania
Level	Intermediate

Availability

Location	Study period	Attendance options		Available to
Hobart	Semester 2

Note

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Key Dates

Study Period	Start date	Census date	WW date	End date
Semester 2	20/7/2025	18/8/2025	7/9/2025	25/10/2025

* The Final WW Date is the final date from which you can withdraw from the unit without academic penalty, however you will still incur a financial liability (refer to How do I withdraw from a unit? for more information).

Unit census dates currently displaying for 2025 are indicative and subject to change. Finalised census dates for 2025 will be available from the 1st October 2024. Note census date cutoff is 11.59pm AEST (AEDT during October to March).

About Census Dates

Learning Outcomes

• Identify earth materials and geological processes in laboratory and in the field on the basis of their characteristic properties.
• Apply geological and geophysical methods to discover essential information on distributions and properties of the earth materials.
• Classify engineering soils in a systematic and unified manner according to Australian and international standards.
• Apply Darcy's law and Terzaghi's effective stress principle to evaluate soil permeability, deformation, and strength properties during the processes of water seepage through soils and soil consolidation.

Fee Information

Field of Education	Commencing Student Contribution 1,3	Grandfathered Student Contribution 1,3	Approved Pathway Course Student Contribution 2,3	Domestic Full Fee 4
030900	$1,164.00	$1,164.00	not applicable	$3,239.00

• Available as a Commonwealth Supported Place
• HECS-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility³
• FEE-HELP is available on this unit, depending on your eligibility⁴

¹ Please refer to more information on student contribution amounts.
² Please refer to more information on eligibility and Approved Pathway courses.
³ Please refer to more information on eligibility for HECS-HELP.
⁴ Please refer to more information on eligibility for FEE-HELP.

If you have any questions in relation to the fees, please contact UniConnect or more information is available on StudyAssist.

Please note: international students should refer to What is an indicative Fee? to get an indicative course cost.

Requisites

Prerequisites

KAA110 OR ENG103 OR JEE135

Mutual Exclusions

You cannot enrol in this unit as well as the following:

KNE273

Teaching

Teaching Pattern	3 x 1-hour lectures per week 1 x 1-hour tutorial per week  7 x 3-hour geology practicals from weeks 1 to 7 1 whole-day engineering geology field trip 4 x 3-hour soil mechanics practicals from weeks 8 to 12
Assessment	Soil Mechanics Quizzes (4%)|Soil Mechanics Project - Soil Consolidation (6%)|A whole-day engineering geology field trip (10%)|Engineering Geology Online Quizzes (10%)|Soil Mechanics Practicals (12.5%)|Soil Mechanics Tutorials (12.5%)|Geology Practicals and Quizzes (15%)|Final Exam (30%)
Timetable	View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required

For Engineering Geology part: A practical manual is required for geology. It is recommended to read each of the practicals prior to the sessions. The complete manuals can be purchased through UniPrint (cost around $16). Alternatively you can download each practical from MyLO.   For Soil Mechanics part: Any textbooks about soil mechanics or foundation engineering such as the following textbook Knappett, J.A., Craig, R.F. 2012. Craig's Soil Mechanics, 8th Edition, SPON Press. Full text is available at library.

Recommended

For Engineering Geology part: Portions of Marshak S, 2012, Earth: Portrait of a Planet. Bell, F. G., 2007, Engineering Geology, (2nd edition) Elsevier, BH. Price, D.G., 2009, Engineering Geology: Principles and Practice, Berlin: Springer. For the Soil Mechanics part: Budhu, M. Soil Mechanics and Foundations (3rd Edition). J.Wiley and Sons Inc, NY, 2011. Das, B.M. Principles of geotechnical enineering, 7th edition, CENGAGE Learning, 2010. Ishibashi, I. and Hazarika H. Soil Mechanics Fundamentals, CRC Press, 2010. Beer, D. and McMurrey, D. 2009. A guide to writing as an engineer (3rd Edition). Wiley: http://www.coop.com.au/bookshop/show/9780470417010.

The University reserves the right to amend or remove courses and unit availabilities, as appropriate.