What is geotechnical engineering?

Geotechnical engineering is the branch of civil engineering that deals with soil, rock, and underground water, and their relation to the design, construction, and operation of engineering projects. This discipline is also called soils engineering or ground engineering. Nearly all civil engineering projects must be supported by the ground, and thus require at least some geotechnical engineering.

Typical issues addressed by geotechnical engineers include:

• Can the soils and rocks beneath a construction site safely support the proposed project?
• What groundwater conditions currently exist, how might they change in the future, and what impact do they have on the project?
• What will be the impact of any planned excavation, grading, or filling?
• Are the natural or proposed earth slopes stable? If not, what must we do to stabilize them?
• What kinds of foundations are necessary to support planned structures, and how should we design them?
• If the project requires retaining walls, what kind would be best and how should we design them?
• How will the site respond to potential earthquakes?
   

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