"POLITEHNICA" UNIVERSITY OF TIMISOARA
SYLLABUS
for the course:
“ENGINEERING GEOLOGY”
(“GEOLOGIE INGINEREASCA”)
FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
DOMAIN CIVIL ENGINEERING
Year of study: II
Semester: 1
Course coordinator: As.dr.ing. Alexandra CIOPEC
Collaborators:
Number of hours / Examination / Credits
Course
Seminar
Practical
Project
works
28
14
Fundamental  In the domain Speciality 
Course
status
Compulsory: Imposed 
Optional 
Examination
Credits
E
3
Complementary 
Facultative

A. COURSE OBJECTIVES
The course objective is to initiate the student in the domain of engineering geology.
Engineering geology is concerned with the applications of the principles of geology to civil
engineering. Geological principles must be used to explain the variation in the mechanical
properties of rocks and soils. The course of engineering geology comprises a number of
chapters regarding the following branches: mineralogy, petrology, structural geology,
palaeontology and geomorphology. After completion of the course students should be able to
identify principal minerals, rocks, to understand the processes which conducted to the present
state of the Earth’s crust.
B. COURSE TOPICS
Introduction (2 hours): Earth History.
Geological Investigation Methodologies (2 hours): Procedures for Sampling Soils; Field Tests.
Dynamic Geology (8 hours): Plate Tectonics; Earthquakes; Volcanoes.
Minerals and Rocks (6 hours): Minerals Classification Criteria; Rock Properties and
Classification (Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic Rocks).
Rock Weathering (2 hours): Weathering Processes; Climate; Products of Weathering.
Geological Structures (4 hours): Fundamental Units Structures (dip, faults, folds, joints).
Soils (4 hours): Mineral Composition of Soils; Texture and Fabric of Soils; Characteristics of
Soils Masses.
C. APPLICATION TOPICS
Geological Investigation Methods (2 hours). Plate tectonics (2 hours). Earthquakes (2 hours).
Volcanoes (2 hours). Mineral Properties (2 hours). Rock classification (2 hours). Geological
Structures (2 hours).
D. EDUCATIONAL METHODS EMPLOYED
 Course: lecturing, conversation, explication
 Practical works: explication, example, experiment
E. EVALUATION PROCEDURE
Final exam, composed of two theoretical subjects answered in written (3.0 hours): 60% of the
final grade;
In-class evaluations during the term: 40% of the final grade.
F. REFERENCES
1. Beavis, F.C. (1985). "Engineering Geology ". Blackwell Scientific Applications.
2. Symes, R.F. (1988). "Rocks and Minerals ". Alfred A. Knopf, New York. ISBN: 0-39489621-1.
3. Hamblin, W.K. (1992). "Earth’s Dynamic Systems: A Textbook in Physical Geology ".
Macmillan Publishing Company, Canada. ISBN: 0-02-349490-5.
4. Fuller, S. (1995). "Rocks and Minerals". Macmillan Publishing Company, Canada. ISBN: 156458-663-4.
5. Dixon, D. (1996). "Rocks and Minerals – The Practical Guide to Geology ". Quantum Books
Ltd, London. ISBN: 0-86288-008-4.
6. Boldurean, I.P. (1996). "Engineering Geology ". Ed. ”Politehnica” Timișoara.
7. Farndon, J. (1998). "Volcanoes". DK Publishing, Inc., United States. ISBN: 0-7894-3416-4.
G. INTERNATIONAL COMPATIBILITY
- University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
- Technische Universität München, Germnay
- Technische Universität Graz, Austria
Date: 02.04.2011
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
Prof.dr.ing. Ion COSTESCU
COURSE COORDINATOR
As.dr.ing. Alexandra CIOPEC