Engineering Geology
Where Civilization and Earth Meet
Soil
and rock as engineering materials
Resource extraction and usage
Environmental impacts
Geologic Hazards
Dr. James M. Martin-Hayden
Associate Professor
(419) 530-2634
Jhayden@UTnet.UToledo.edu
World Population Growth
11.9
9.8
7.9
High Growth
Medium Growth
Low Growth
2%
1%
Kehew, Figure 1.4 and 1.5
Population in Crisis

Pandemics and food
shortages are
beginning to decrease
population growth

Contamination and
global warming will
only exacerbate the
problem
Overuse of Geologic Resources
(Geology in the News)

1.7 billion are joining the “consumer class”
and the environment can’t sustain this
standard of living. (Worldwatch Institute, 2004)

Emissions of Greenhouse gasses is
accelerating global warming

Climate change is accelerating melting of
glaciers and driving mass extinctions
(The Centre of Biodiversity and Conservation,
Leeds University, UK)
Global Oil Production to Peak

Once oil production peaks extraction
will become increasingly expensive.

Alternative sources



Coal (emissions?)
Nuclear (waste?)
Renewable (lagging
technology?)
See Kehew Fig. 1.8
Greenhouse Gasses and
Global Warming
See Kehew Fig. 1.14

Global Warming
lags CO2 spikes

CO2 concentration
is higher than all
maximums during
the past 500,000
years

And still increasing!
Effects on Engineering Geology





Melting of Polar ice
Opening of new arctic shipping routes in a
few decades
Melting Permafrost
Increasingly severe storms
Sea level rise (~6m in a few decades)



Increased erosion
Flooding
Submerged infrastructure
Water Resources
Use of fresh water from the water cycle

Surface water



Lakes
Streams
Groundwater


Springs
Aquifers
(extracted by
pumping wells)
Water Cycle Storage and Transfer
Storage In 106 km3
Transfer in 106 km3/yr
Fresh Water Withdrawal Trends
Fresh Water Withdrawal Trends
The Cradle of Civilization
Sprung from geology of the region
Tigris River, Iraq
http://encarta.msn.com/
World of Geology
Geological Resources



The Cradle of
Civilization (Fertile
Crescent)
Development
limited by
availability, e.g.,
soil, water, energy
Conflicts based on
resources, e.g.,
water, minerals, oil,
energy…
http://encarta.msn.com/
Geologic Resources

Mineral Resources:
metals, fertilizers,
minerals, petroleum,
construction
Geologic Resources


Mineral Resources:
metals, fertilizers,
minerals, petroleum,
construction
Water resources:
Lakes, Rivers, Springs,
Groundwater
Geologic Resources

Mineral Resources:
e.g., Metals, fertilizers,
minerals, petroleum,
construction

Water resources:
e.g., Lakes, Rivers,
Springs, Groundwater

Energy:
e.g., Oil, natural gas, coal,
nuclear, silicon,
hydroelectric (dams),
hydrothermal (Earth’s heat)
Geologic Resources

The Geologist’s Job



Locating and
Characterizing
quantity and quality of
geologic resources
Extracting geologic
resources efficiently
Assessing
environmental effects of
extraction and use
E.g., Misuse of Resources
Misuse of Resources
Desiccation of the Aral Sea, Kazakhstan
See Page 6
Aral Sea
Over Time
1980
2000
2005
1957
1977
1982
1984
1993
2000
www.grida.no/aral/aralsea/english/arsea/arsea.htm
Environmental Geology

Environmental Sciences:
How we influence the earth

Geologic Hazards: How
geology influences us
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003
Geology in the News
Geologic Hazards


Two die in 6.5
magnitude
Earthquake near
San Lois Obispo
California
Earthquake triggers
mudslides
San Andreas Fault
Assessing Risk
“Major Quake Likely to
Strike San Francisco
Bay Region Between
2003 and 2032”
Geologic Hazards
• Assessing Risks
• Avoiding Risks
• Preventing Damage
• Predicting Impact
(http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/research/seismology/wg02/
Earthquake
Bam, Iran

A Magnitude 6.5
Earthquake hits a
stone- and mudhouse city of
100,000 in Iran 1226-03




30,000 Dead
30,000 Refugees
US sends aid and
releases sanctions
Relations improved
Photos
from AP
Volcanoes (pg. 108)
Geological Hazards
Floods (see pgs., 284)
Landslides (see pg. 250)
Earthquakes
(pg. 202)
Geology in Engineering
Slope Failure Risk Assessment and Control
To prevent slope failure engineers must understand the
geology that forms and controls the slope
Geology in Engineering
Geology in Engineering
The Leaning Tower Straightens Up
In Pisa the tilted one is back in
business after an 11-year effort
to keep it from collapsing
Committee member John
Burland, an engineer,
promoted soil extraction as the
best way to save the tower.
Engineers use knowledge of
geology to design, protect
and correct structures
www.smithsonianmag.si.edu