Geological Engineering is an interdisciplinary program involving the Faculties of Engineering and Science, in particular, the Departments of Civil Engineering and Earth Sciences. The program is administered by the Geological Engineering Board which consists of faculty from both departments.
Geological Engineers study the origins and properties of earth materials, and learn how to predict the behaviour of these materials. This information is used to design structures in or on soil and rock, design mineral extraction processes in mining and petroleum engineering, explore for and protect groundwater sources, plan and design transportation routes, and so on.
Employment opportunities for Geological Engineers are available in the areas of petroleum geology and engineering, mining geology and mine design, foundations engineering, groundwater and surface water management, geophysics, hydrology, coastal engineering and granular materials supply. Geological Engineering graduates with strength in the geotechnical area find their employment activities most closely associated with public works such as site investigation and design studies for tunnels, roads, railroads, buildings, airports, shorelines, underground storage, and waste disposal facilities.
An increasing amount of activity lies in the geotechnical investigations associated with mining development, and geomechanical aspects of petroleum recovery, both conventional and unconventional such as tar sands development and in-situ heavy oil extraction. The Geological Engineering graduate specializing in hydrogeology and subsurface fluid flow will become involved in environmental site evaluation, groundwater resource management and contaminated site restoration, and will play a significant role in geothermal and petroleum resource exploration and development.
The demand for the expertise offered by geological engineers is expanding into many of the resource-development areas that will continue to play a major role in the Canadian economy for many decades.
Two technical themes are offered within the Geological Engineering program; the Geomechanics Theme and the Hydrogeology Theme. Students must declare which Technical Theme they intend to pursue at the beginning of Term 3B.
Different course structures are recommended in each Theme for the 3B, 4A, and 4B terms, as outlined in the Academic Program. Modifications to the recommended course schedule in either Theme are possible through discussion and approval by the Academic Advisor or Program Chair.
Geological Engineering with Geomechanics Theme
This Theme is for students interested in a professional career in areas concerned with the mechanical behaviour of soils and rocks, and construction on, in, or with these materials. For example, such careers may involve rock mechanics in mining, civil and petroleum applications; geotechnical aspects of tailings dams, dikes, hydro electric dams, and impoundments; landfill and waste repository design; foundation exploration and design for bridges, buildings and large dams; geotechnical and shallow geophysical site investigation; aggregate resource exploration and development; slope stability in mines and along transportation routes; and, design and construction of tunnels, shafts, trenches, and other underground structures.
Geological Engineering with Hydrogeology Theme
This Theme is for students interested in a professional career related to water supply and quality, fluid flow through soil and rocks, and environmental protection and monitoring related to these areas. Such careers could involve groundwater exploration, supply and recharge; surface and subsurface hydrology of lakes and river systems; flow of multiphase fluids (oil, water, gas) in shallow aquifers or deep sedimentary basins (petroleum development); landfill integrity and interaction with rainfall and groundwater; well testing in hydrogeology and petroleum production; and, geochemistry of groundwater, treated effluents, tailings pond seepage waters, waste site leachates, and deep basin fluids.
The Geological Engineering graduate specializing in hydrogeology and subsurface fluid flow will become involved in environmental site evaluation, groundwater resource management and contaminated site restoration, and will play a significant role in geothermal and petroleum resource exploration and development.
Faculty Options
Complete details of designated options available to engineering students are provided in this Calendar in the Engineering section entitled Options and Electives for Engineering Students. Students who satisfy the option requirements will have the appropriate designation shown on their transcript and diploma. It should be noted that if the Management Sciences Option is chosen, the declaration must be made at the beginning of Term 2B. Three of the available Options of specific interest to students in Geological Engineering are briefly summarized below.
Geological Engineering with an Option in Environmental Engineering
Although several of the core courses and many available electives in the program have an environmental focus, students can design their course schedule to include courses that cover additional environmental aspects. Students in either of the main themes in Geological Engineering should consider this Option
Geological Engineering with an Option in International Studies in Engineering
With the increasing emphasis on globalization of resource and environmental management, Geological Engineers are becoming actively involved on international projects overseas. This Option will provide the student with the opportunity of enriching their education through language and cultural studies, and will also involve work experience in an international setting. Students in either of the main themes in Geological Engineering should consider this Option.
Geological Engineering with an Option in Water Resources
Students in Geological Engineering may choose to expand their studies to include a broader range of topics in water resource management. The Option provides a combined emphasis on surface water and groundwater resources in both technical and social issues. The students within the Hydrogeology theme may find this Option of particular interest.
ACADEMIC PROGRAM (For students entering 1A in Fall 2002 and later)
Term 1A (Fall)
CHE 102 Chemistry for Engineers
ENVE 100 Environmental Engineering Concepts 1
MATH 115 Linear Algebra for Engineering
MATH 116 Calculus 1 for Engineering
PHYS 115 Mechanics
Term 1B (Spring)
CIVE 121 Digital Computation
ENVE 127 Statics and Solid Mechanics
GENE 123 Electrical Engineering
GEOE 153 Earth Engineering
MATH 118 Calculus 2 (for Engineering Students)
CSE 1 Approved Complementary Studies Elective
WKRPT 100 Work-term Report
Term 2A (Winter)
EARTH 221 Geochemistry 1
EARTH 238 Introductory Structural Geology
ENVE 221 Advanced Calculus
ENVE 224 Probability and Statistics
PHYS 122 Mechanics, Wave Motion and Heat
GEOE 298 Seminar
Term 2B (Fall)
EARTH 231 Mineralogy
EARTH 235 Stratigraphy and Earth History
EARTH 260 Applied Geophysics 1
ENVE 214 Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences
ENVE 223 Differential Equations
GEOE 299 Seminar
WKRPT 200 Work-term Report
Term 3A (Spring)
CIVE 353 Geotechnical Engineering 1
ENVE 321 Advanced Mathematics
ENVE 330 Lab Analysis and Field Sampling
EARTH 232 Petrography
MSCI 261 Engineering Economics: Financial Management for Engineers(CSE 2)
GEOE 398 Seminar
WKRPT 300 Work-term Report
Term 3B (Winter)
EARTH 333 Introductory Sedimentology
EARTH 390 Methods in Geological Mapping+
EARTH 438 Engineering Geology
CIVE 381 Hydraulics
ENVE 391 Environment: Regulations and Legal Issues (CSE 3)
GEOE 399 Seminar
Geomechanics Theme
CIVE 354 Geotechnical Engineering 2
Hydrogeology Theme
CIVE 375 Water Quality Engineering
Term 4A (Fall)
GEOE 400 Geological Engineering Design Project 1
GEOE 498 Seminar
CSE 4 Approved Complementary Studies Elective
Geomechanics Theme
EARTH 440 Quaternary Geology
Two technical electives from Geomechanics Theme List
Hydrogeology Theme
EARTH 458 Physical Hydrogeology
Two technical electives from Hydrogeology Theme List
WKRPT 400 Work-term Report
Term 4B (Winter)
GEOE 401 Geological Engineering Design Project 2
GEOE 499 Seminar
CSE 5 Approved Complementary Studies Elective
CSE 6 Approved Complementary Studies Elective
Geomechanics Theme
EARTH 437 Rock Mechanics
CIVE 554 Geotechnical Engineering 3
One technical elective from Geomechanics Theme list
Hydrogeology Theme
EARTH 459 Chemical Hydrogeology
Two technical electives from Hydrogeology Theme list
Technical Electives for the Geomechanics and Hydrogeology Themes
Geomechanics Theme
CIVE 422 Finite Element Analysis
CIVE 542 Pavement Structural Design
EARTH 332 Metamorphic Petrology
EARTH 342 Applied Geomorphology
EARTH 359 Flow Through Porous Media
EARTH 435 Advanced Structural Geology
EARTH 440 Quaternary Geology
EARTH 460 Applied Geophysics 2
EARTH 471 Earth and Mineral Resources
ENVE 477 Engineering for Solid Waste Management
ME 559 Finite Element Methods
Hydrogeology Theme
CHE 514 Fundamentals of Petroleum Production
CIVE 486 Hydrology
CIVE 583 Design of Urban Water System
EARTH 342 Applied Geomorphology
EARTH 359 Flow Through Porous Media
EARTH 433 Applied Sedimentology
EARTH 456 Groundwater Modelling
EARTH 461 Applied Geophysics 3
ENVE 472 Wastewater Treatment
ENVE 473 Contaminant Transport
ENVE 477 Engineering for Solid Waste Management.
+ After term
Notes
- The availability of some elective courses is contingent upon sufficient demand, scheduling constraints, and teaching resources.
- Each proposed program of study should be reviewed by the faculty advisor to ensure that it (a) satisfies prescribed minimum requirements with respect to Mathematics, Science, Engineering Science, Engineering Design and Complementary Studies, and (b) satisfies prerequisite requirements.