Geotechnical engineering

Geotechnical engineering, also known as geotechnics, is the branch of civil engineering concerned with the engineering behavior of earth materials. It uses the principles and methods of soil mechanics and rock mechanics for the solution of engineering problems and the design of engineering works. It also relies on knowledge of geology, hydrology, geophysics, and other related sciences.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geotechnical_engineering

 Geotechnical engineering is important in civil engineering, but also has applications in military, mining, petroleum, coastal, ocean, and other engineering disciplines that are concerned with construction occurring on the surface or within the ground, both onshore and offshore. The fields of geotechnical engineering and engineering geology are closely related, and have large areas of overlap. However, while geotechnical engineering is a specialty of civil engineering, engineering geology is a specialty of geology: they share the same principles of soil mechanics and rock mechanics, but may differ in terms of objects, scale of application, and approaches.

The tasks of a geotechnical engineer comprise the investigation of subsurface conditions and materials; the determination of the relevant physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of these materials; the design of earthworks and retaining structures (including dams, embankments, sanitary landfills, deposits of hazardous waste), tunnels, and structure foundations; the monitoring of site conditions, earthwork, and foundation construction; the evaluation of the stability of natural slopes and man-made soil deposits; the assessment of the risks posed by site conditions; and the prediction, prevention, and mitigation of damage caused by natural hazards (such as avalanches, mud flows, landslides, rockslides, sinkholes, and volcanic eruptions).^[1][2]