Browse Laboratory Services Geotechnician jobs
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- A Geotechnician works in a branch of civil engineering concerned with the engineering behaviour of earth materials.
- Geotechnical engineering includes investigating existing subsurface conditions and materials; assessing risks posed by site conditions; designing earthworks and structure foundations; and monitoring site conditions, earthwork and foundation construction.
- A typical geotechnical engineering project begins with a site investigation of soil and bedrock on and below an area of interest to determine their engineering properties including how they will interact with, on or in a proposed construction.
- Site investigations are needed to gain an understanding of the area in or on which the engineering will take place.
- Investigations can include the assessment of the risk to humans, property and the environment from natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, sinkholes, soil liquefaction, debris flows and rock falls.
- A geotechnical engineer then determines and designs the type of foundations, earthworks, and/or pavement subgrades required for the intended man-made structures to be built.
- Foundations built for above-ground structures include shallow and deep foundations. Retaining structures include earth-filled dams and retaining walls. Earthworks include embankments, tunnels, levees, channels, reservoirs, deposition of hazardous waste and sanitary landfills.
- The fields of geotechnical engineering and engineering geology are closely related, and intersect in some areas. However, the field of geotechnical engineering is a specialty of engineering, where the field of engineering geology is a specialty of geology.
