ENGINEERING GEOLOGY:
The field of Engineering Geology involves geologic work that is relevant to Civil Engineering construction and public safety. The Engineering Geologist utilizes specialized geologic training and experience to provide civil engineers, land-use planners, environmental specialists, and public policy makers with quantitative geologic information and recommendations, together with judgmental assessments of geological constraints.

Engineering Geology is imperative for ensuring that geologic factors affecting the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of construction works are adequately recognized, interpreted, and presented for use in engineering and related practice. The Engineering Geologist, in cooperation with the Civil Engineer, bears an important responsibility for public health, safety, and welfare, to the extent that geology impacts engineering works.

Some key activities of Engineering Geologists include:
- Foundation investigations for all types of major civil engineering structures, including dams, bridges, power plants, pumping plants, airports, large buildings, and towers.
- Geologic hazards evaluations, including landslides and mass wasting processes, faults and earthquakes, subsidence, expansive and collapsible soils, expansive bedrock, cavernous rock, and liquefaction.
- Construction geology, including slope stability evaluation, dewatering and sub-drainage requirements, grouting considerations, and excavatability.
- Geologic conditions assessments along tunnel, pipeline, railway, highway, and transmission line routes.
- Evaluation of geologic conditions (including groundwater) for open pit mines, aggregate quarries, impounded reservoir areas, and residential, commercial, and industrial land use and development sites.
- Site investigation program specification and evaluation, in conjunction with geotechnical project work.
- Geologic input and field data synthesis in support of geotechnical analysis, modeling, and design.
- Exploration and development related to sources of rock, soil and sediment for use as construction material.

For information:
http://www.iag.tugraz.at


MINERALOGY & HYDROGEOCHEMISTRY:
The focus of Mineralogy and Hydrogeochemistry comprises fundamental research as well as applied and environmental studies. Tasks are the origin and use of natural and synthetic inorganic materials, interaction between water and rock as well as the evolution and contamination of natural waters.

A primary goal in education is to impart profound knowledge in the field of analysis and evaluation of sediments and sedimentary rock as well as industrial raw materials and products. Based on these topics interaction of solids with aqueous solutions are investigated. Main topics in research and education are related to the physicochemical processes, which control the mobilisation and transport of dissolved and suspended material and the composition and quality of aqueous solutions from natural and anthropogenic origin. A detailed understanding of water and element cycles within the spectra of precipitation, ground water and sea water is given. The practical acquisition of field, laboratory and simulation methods attracts special interest.

Above skills are required for activities in the field of "water" in agencies, universities, consulting engineers, and industry. Moreover, geochemical, material-based, and isotopic knowledge open up manifold workscopes e.g. in the area of soil, raw materials, binders, refractory in engineering and science.

The Mineralogy and Hydrogeochemistry at the Technical University of Technology provides important links between natural sciences and engineering. Close interaction in research and education exists especially with aspects of Geochemie and Hydrogeology.

Further information:
http://www.iag.tugraz.at