University of New Brunswick

Geological Engineering

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Geological Engineering is a relatively recent branch of engineering that has grown out of the interaction of the Geotechnical areas of Civil Engineering and the Science of Geology. The profession is related to the exploration, management and utilization of materials of the earth's crust. Geological Engineering is often related to the early development of project foundations, mineral quantities and qualities, and environmental impact assessment. This means the Geological Engineer needs the people and communication skills common to most engineering disciplines; however they may not appear at the forefront of public involvement as much as their Civil Engineering co-workers.

Geological engineers work to satisfy societal needs in the exploration, conservation, utilization and management of earth materials and the resources of the earth's crust. Geological engineers
apply the principles of earth sciences and engineering to find and extract earth-bound energy
such as oil, natural gas, and coal sources and mineral wealth and metal resources. Geological
engineers also aid other engineering disciplines in designing foundations of major structures
for various types of loads and in designing waste repository systems to protect the earth and
its inhabitants from environmental pollution.

Geological engineers frequently work with geologists and civil engineers and play
important roles in the study of the interaction between the earth and engineered facilities.
They are involved in planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of public works and industrial projects. Examples of engineering works with significant Geological Engineering components include: bridges, highways, airports, landfill sites, hydro-electric dams, water and sewage facilities, port facilities and buildings.

Geological Engineering may be viewed as a specialization of Civil Engineering or in some cases an Applied Science aspect of Geology. The program at the University of New Brunswick includes three possible options:

Geoenvironmental

design of waste facilities

protection of the environment from spills or leaks

provision and protection of quality groundwater

Geotechnical

structural foundations

earth structures: dams, road or bridge embankments

rock mechanics: tunnels or slopes

Mineral Resources

mine development

mineral exploration

mine operation

A large component of Geological Sciences within the Geological Engineering curriculum tends to limit the flexibility in designing a program to meet the engineering degree requirements. The program includes approximately 30 percent Civil Engineering, 40 percent Geology, and the remainder a mixture of other engineering, sciences, mathematics and humanities. The three options are made up of small packages of upper level electives taken during the last two years of the program.

For further information, please contact:

E-mail: eldo@unb.ca