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Syllabus template 1

Methods in Engineering Geological Site Investigations

Course number: Meeting time: Location(s): Credit points (ECTS): Course language: Course inscription:
st

651-4065-00L Thursdays 14:00-18:00 HG-D 7.2 2 English required 1 Semester Week

Lecturer(s) Edward Button Keith Evans HIL D-23.2/Hoenggerberg HIL D-22.3/Hoenggerberg 0041(1) 633 2594 button@erdw.ethz.ch 0041 (1) 633 2591 keith.evans@erdw.ethz.ch

Teaching assistant(s) / tutor(s) Freddy Yugsi

Contact information Course url: www.engineering-geology.ethz.ch Official contact person: Official contact person teaching assistant(s): Edward Button HIL D-23.2/Hoenggerberg Hours of contact: Office: TBA email: ok Hours of contact:

Rationale, course aims, and objectives Rationale: This course functions to introduce the students to the methods used during geotechnical site investigations, where they are applicable, what information they provide, and their utility in terms of reducing uncertainty and developing engineering designs. This course is part of the Methods curriculum that aims to introduce the students to the tools and analyses that are used to determine the geologic conditions and their associated physical parameters, the state of stress in the ground, as well as monitor deformations and strains in natural conditions as well as those associated with construction processes. This course is a compulsory course in Engineering Geology and also may be attended by those interested in understanding the tools available for investigating the conditions at a site Aims
( Leitidee; see document Lernziel-Planung, chap. 1.1)

This course aims to introduce the general procedures taken during a engineering geological site investigation. The methods that are routinely employed in site investigations will be described focusing on their applicability in different geologic environments. The data that the methods generate will be discussed their limitations and problems of interpretation, as well as dealing with uncertianity in the acquired data. Cost-versus-information quality will also be addressed. Particular attention will be paid to drilling, borehole testing, photo and DSM analyses, in-situ deformation and stress measuring methods.

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Didaktikzentrum Schatz, Lutz, and Woschnack 2004

Master4

focused on research

Syllabus template 2 Objectives

( dispositive Lernziele; see document LernzielPlanung, chap. 1.1)

The students will be able to design a preliminary and detailed investigation program based on information acquired during desk studies and previous investigation campaigns and to analyse and interpret data from the site investigation program.

Teaching philosophy This course will involve a greater degree of contact-teaching than the average masters course. Students will receive their information from lectures, exercises and field trips and limited reading and publication searches. Field examples will be used to introduce the students to the problems of analysing raw data and making interpretations for the measurement methods discussed in the lectures. They will be expected to solve problems themselves in an environment where help is on-hand. Prerequisites Maximum number of participants: Courses must be completed: None Soil Mechanics (taken concurrently) Rock Mechanics (taken concurrently) Basic course in Engineering Geology Courses recommended: Skills, knowledge, experience: Tentative course outline / schedule [day 1 / date] Topic: Strategy - establish geological/environmental context of the problem. What information is required to meet the objectives. Overview (review) of methods and their application, pointing out links to other courses which deal more fully with relevant method that are not covered in this course. Desktop studies what information is availablewhat can it be used forHow to find it Preparing an initial site assessment from existing information in terms of planning further actions. [Meeting time] [Location] Student self-study / Assignments: Perform a literature search and summarize how desktop studies can be used to begin a site investigation. Prepare a simple analyses of a site for a given engineering project for supplied information. Applied Shallow Subsurface Geophysics Borehole Geophysical Logging

[day 2 / date]
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Didaktikzentrum

[Meeting time]

Schatz, Lutz, and Woschnack 2004

Master4

focused on research

Syllabus template 3 [Location] Topic: Photo & remote sensing techniques, available data and basic interpretations. Including Digital Surface Model Manipulation Lecture to be held in Hoenggerberg: Starting 14:45 room HIL F15.4 Student self-study / Assignments: Perform basic analyses and interpretations from aerial photographs and DSM.

[day 3 / date] Topic: Drilling technologies, techniques and limitations in different geological environments. Sampling techniques and their advantages and limitations

[Meeting time] [Location] Student self-study / Assignments: Summarize the experience and information gained during the excursion.

Possible field trip to a construction site with an ongoing drilling program.

[day 4 / date] Topic: Geotechnical and hydrological testing in boreholes and the subsurface; In-situ testing methods

[Meeting time] [Location] Student self-study / Assignments: Selected reading of applications and analyses of common and specialized borehole testing methods. Communicating the results. Review of case histories in which in-situ testing was applied; discuss the difficulties, costs, uncertainties and utility of the acquired data versus the costs involved.

Possible field excursion to a site where testing is taking place or to a basic demonstration, most likely combined with the drilling excursion

[day 5 / date] Topic: Deformation monitoring techniques and instrumentation 1: Basic considerations (importance of measurement baselength) 2: Methods for underground situations: Geological and practical considerations (e.g. pattern of convergence); Borehole inclinometers, extensiometers, and deflectometers; strain gauges (for support measures); geodetic survey methods (e.g. total station), crack meters, fiber optic sensor systems, data acquisition systems. [day 6 / date]

[Meeting time] [Location] Student self-study / Assignments: Tutorial and exercise for the reduction and analyses of common measurement techniques

[Meeting time]

DiZ
Didaktikzentrum Schatz, Lutz, and Woschnack 2004

Master4

focused on research

Syllabus template 4 [Location] Topic: Deformation monitoring techniques & Instrumentation 3: Methods for surface situations: - Small-scale measurements (crack meters, extensometers, tiltmeters, creepmeters); large-scale geodetic measurements (levelling, total station surveys, GPS, laserscanning, ground, aerial, and space-based radar methods, LIDAR). Visit to company specialising in geotechnical and hydrogeological instrumentation design and implementation. This will take place on the afternoon of either 1st of 5th December. Student self-study / Assignments: Tutorial and exercise for the reduction and analyses of common measurement techniques

[day 7 / date] Topic: Stress measurements and interpretation: Background: Importance of stress; Patterns of stress variation at different scales in the Earth, their causes, and the consequences for stress measurements; Primary and secondary stresses. Summary of types of stress measurement and their advantages/disadvantages including hydraulic methods, over- and undercoring and wellbore failure methods. [Week 14 / date] Topic: Examination

[Meeting time] [Location] Student self-study / Assignments: Tutorial and exercise for the reduction and analyses of common measurement techniques

[Meeting time] To Be Announced (TBA) [Location] TBA

Notes [e.g. preliminary talks...] Material Script: Required or recommended (text)books: Other necessary equipment or material: No compiled script; Appropriate readings/references will be supplied with the discussed lecture subjects Geotechnical Engineering Investiation Handbook. Roy E. Hunt. Taylor & Francis c/o, CRC Press (ETHZ Bibliothek E-Text); required none

Assessment / Grading criteria

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Didaktikzentrum Schatz, Lutz, and Woschnack 2004

Master4

focused on research

Syllabus template 5

assessment during course assessment end of semester Semesterendprfungen Sessionsprfung Inscription for assessment: Examination time will be given at the end of the course Prerequisites: class attendance and active participation [written examinations] Meeting time: To Be Announced (TBA) Duration: 2 hours Location: TBA Nature of test: The examination format will be based on actual project requirements What will be tested: The knowledge of how the different investigation methods are combined and used to develop a Engineering Geological Geotechnical Model for a Project

[e.g. 90]% weight of total mark [lab work] Deadline: 1 week after assignment Defaults: Both a manual and computer based exercise utilizing Aerial photographs and Digital Terrain Models for engineering geologic interpretation What will be assessed: The use and interpretation of Aerial Photographs and Digital Terrain Models

[e.g. 10]% weight of total mark Grading criteria: Marks: Notes: Services / Help Glossary: Helpline:

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Didaktikzentrum Schatz, Lutz, and Woschnack 2004