Geotechnical engineering facts for kids

Geotechnical engineering is an important subset of civil engineering dealing with engineering performance of earth materials. Geotechnical engineering uses principles of soil and rock mechanics to determine:

A drilling machine for foundation piles.

• subsurface conditions and materials;
• relevant physical/mechanical and chemical properties of these materials;
• stability of natural slopes and man-made soil deposits;
• risks posed by site conditions;

to design:

• earthworks;
• structure foundations;

and to monitor:

• site conditions;
• earthwork and foundation construction.

Foundations built for above-ground structures include shallow and deep foundations. Retaining structures include earth-filled dams and retaining walls.

Images for kids

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  Boston's Big Dig presented geotechnical challenges in an urban environment.

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  Example of a slab-on-grade foundation.

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  Pile-driving for a bridge in Napa, California.

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  A compactor/roller operated by U.S. Navy Seabees

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  Simple slope slip section.

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  A collage of geosynthetic products.

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  Platforms offshore Mexico.

See also

In Spanish: Geotecnia para niños