2021 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Undergraduate major in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering in Practice
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Masaki Kitazume / Jiro Takemura / Akihiro Takahashi / Takeshi Kawagoe
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Tue (M113) / 1-2 Fri (M113)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- CVE.C311
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2021
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Under various geological process the ground has formed with complex layers which composed of various types of soil with different properties. In other words every ground has its unique feature. Furthermore almost all structures on the Earth are constructed on or in the ground. Therefore, the unique geological condition in a particular construct site is a critical condition in the plan, detail design, construction, and even maintenance of the structure.
In this lecture the followings are instructed in the view points of geological and geotechnical engineering.
1) Geological and geotechnical investigation to obtain the geological condition and geotechnical properties
2) Construction technology used in various types of geotechnical projects.
3) Case studies of the construction projects.
Course description and aims
The students in this lecture acquire the fundamental knowledges of geology, which are all crucial in the geological and geotechnical investigation, and the interpretation and application of the investigated results for the design, construction and maintenance of civil engineering structures. The students also study about construction technology of various geotechnical structures, and the technologies for disaster prevention and geo-environment.
Keywords
applied engineering geology, geological map, geotechnical Investigation, geotechnical construction, tunneling, disaster prevention facilities, dams, geo-environmental problem
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Lectures are given on each topic and short test is conducted at the end of each lecture.
Two study visits are organized, one is for geological survey and the other actual construction site. From the visits, the students recognize about the relation between theory and actual practice.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction, role of geotechnical investigation in civil engineering projects |
Confirmation of the pivotal importance of geological information in the civil engineering project |
| Class 2 | The Earth as a system |
Understanding geological processes in global level |
| Class 3 | Mineral, Rock and Geological Process |
Understanding mineralogy, rock types, geological processes contributing ground formation |
| Class 4 | Geological structure and appplication of geological map |
Understangin various features of geological structures, interpretation and application of geological map for engineering purposes |
| Class 5 | Application of topological map and its interpretation |
Understanging topology made by geologial process, interpretation and application of toplogical map for engineering |
| Class 6 | Soil investigation and geotechnical engineering map |
Understanding vairous soil investigation methods, interpretation of soil profiles and classification of the soil deposits |
| Class 7 | Geotechnical investigation and construction of foundation |
Understanding various types of foundation and their application based on geotechnical investigation |
| Class 8 | Ground improvement methods |
Understanding various ground improvement techonologies and their application based on geotechnical investigation |
| Class 9 | Earthquake disaster prevention technology |
Understanding investigation methods for earthquake disaster prevention and countermeasures against disaster |
| Class 10 | Invesitgation and technology for Geo-environment |
Understangind investigation and remediation technology against geo-environmental problems |
| Class 11 | Excavaiton and tunnel construction |
Understanding investigation and construction methods for excavation and tunneling |
| Class 12 | Dams and embankments, Slope stability |
Understanding dam construction method and required investigation |
| Class 13 | Site visit for geological survery |
Exercise of interpretation of toplogical map and fault investigation |
| Class 14 | Study tour of construction site |
Investigation of actual geotechnical construction and various construction technologies |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Nothing
Reference books, course materials, etc.
handouts are uploaded in OCWi or distributed in the class
Evaluation methods and criteria
Short tests at the end of each class (50%),
Reports (50%)
Related courses
- CVE.C201 ： Soil Mechanics I
- CVE.C202 ： Soil Mechanics II
- CVE.C310 ： Foundation Engineering
- CVE.C401 ： Mechanics of Geomaterials
- CVE.C402 ： Stability Problems in Geotechnical Engineering
- CVE.C403 ： Geo-environmental Engineering
- CVE.C431 ： Physical Modeling in Geotechnics
- CVE.C432 ： Rock Engineering
Prerequisites
Knowledge on Earth Science and Geology
Knowledge on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering
Interests on infrastructure construction and disaster prevention