Geological Engineering
GEOLOGICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM
| General Office: | Head Hall, Room H-124 | |
| Mailing Address: | Dr. Karl Butler, P.Geo., P.Eng. Director, Geological Engineering Program Department of Geology , University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, N. B., Canada, E3B 5A3 |
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| Phone: | (506) 458-7210 | |
| Fax: | (506) 453-5055 | |
| Email: | GE-Program@unb.ca | |
| Website: | http://www.unbf.ca/geological/ |
General Information
Geological Engineers play key roles in the exploration, protection, and responsible development of Earth’s water, mineral, and hydrocarbon resources. They also ensure that structures such as bridges, dams and buildings are designed for long term stability and safety, taking geological conditions and hazards into account. The profession is distinct amongst engineering disciplines for the opportunities it affords for travel and work in the natural environment, and for the atmosphere of adventure and discovery that accompanies geological exploration at all scales.
Geological engineers require skills and tools to “see” beneath the surface and predict the behaviour of highly variable earth materials. To this end, they draw on the field methods, powers of observation, analytical techniques, and remote sensing tools employed by geoscientists, and incorporate engineering approaches to materials testing, modelling, structural design and risk assessment. They must integrate a wide variety of data with knowledge of geological and geotechnical processes in order to make informed recommendations and decisions. As team players, frequently working with geologists or civil engineers, geological engineers also require good communication and people skills.
Examples of engineering works with significant geological engineering components include mines, dams, bridges, building foundations, highways, slope stabilization projects, landfill and wastewater treatment sites, waterways and port facilities. Geological engineers also conduct environmental impact assessments, develop and protect groundwater resources, and remediate contaminated sites. In the oil and gas and mining industries, they are responsible for locating and evaluating resources hidden far below the Earth’s surface and for developing hydrocarbon reservoirs and mineral deposits efficiently and responsibly.
Program
The Geological Engineering Program is delivered jointly by the Department of Civil Engineering and the Department of Geology at UNB and offers three options: Geoenvironmental, Geotechnical, and Mineral Resources. Each option is built on a common core of courses which provides education in the basic sciences and engineering principles required for the profession as well as exposure to important aspects of oral and written communications, engineering design, economics, law, and professional practice. Skills in field work and team work are developed through two geoscientific and one geomatics field school and through a capstone team design project. Students tailor their program of study through the choice of technical and complementary studies electives and, most significantly, by their choice of a program option.
The Geoenvironmental Option involves additional environmentally-oriented courses in Civil Engineering, Geochemistry, Biology and Geology. Graduates are thus better trained to work in the environmental field on projects such as environmental impact assessments, waste disposal, and the management of surface and ground water quality and supplies.
The Geotechnical Option involves additional courses on the behaviour of earth materials and their impacts on people and infrastructure. Courses designated for this option prepare the student for assessments of geological hazards and groundwater supplies and for involvement in the design of major structures such as bridges, off-shore installations and waste-disposal facilities.
The Mineral Resources Option involves additional courses that address applied scientific, economic and environmental aspects of the discovery, extraction, utilization, and management of mineral deposits.
The Geological Engineering BScE degree program entails a total of 190 credit hours, 15 to 16 of which are taken in the form of three field camps that are held in the spring or late summer outside the normal teaching terms. The program is intended for completion within 9 terms. Students should pay special attention to the course sequences and prerequisites when selecting their courses for any term. Advice concerning course selection and sequence should be sought from the Director of the Geological Engineering Program.
Graduates of this program will be eligible for registration in Canadian associations of professional engineers.
Common Core
| APSC 1013 | Mechanics I |
| APSC 1023 | Mechanics II |
| CHEM 1882 | General Chemistry |
| CE 2023 | Mechanics of Materials |
| CE 2703 | Introduction to Fluid Mechanics |
| CE 3113 | Soil Mechanics I |
| CE 3713 | Hydraulics & Hydrology |
| CE 3933 | Numerical Methods for Civil Engineers |
| CE 3963 | Engineering Economy |
| CE 4613 | Construction Engineering II |
| CS 1003 | Introduction to Computer Programming |
| ECON 1073 | Economics for Engineers |
| ENGG 1013 | Design and Communication |
| ENGG 4003 | The Engineering Profession |
| ENGG 5003 | Commercial Law: Engineering |
| ENGL 1103 | Fundamentals of Clear Writing |
| GE 1026 | Geology Lab for Geological Engineers |
| GE 2022 | Engineering Geology |
| GE 4973 | Team Design Project |
| GEOL 1001 | The Earth: Its Origin, Evolution and Age |
| GEOL 2131 | Mineral Sciences |
| GEOL 2142 | Chemistry and Physics of Minerals |
| GEOL 2211 | Sedimentology I |
| GEOL 2321 | Structural Geology I |
| GEOL 2602 | Principles of Geochemistry |
| GEOL 2703 | Field School |
| GEOL 3131 | Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology |
| GEOL 3411 | Rock Mechanics |
| GEOL 4512 | Exploration Geophysics II |
| GGE 1001 | Introduction to Geodesy & Geomatics |
| GGE 1803 | Practicum for Civil Engineers |
| GGE 3342 | Imaging and Mapping I |
| MATH 1003 | Introduction to Calculus I |
| MATH 1013 | Introduction to Calculus II |
| MATH 1503 | Introduction to Linear Algebra |
| MATH 2513 | Multivariable Calculus for Engineers |
| STAT 2593 | Probability and Statistics for Engineers |
Geoenvironmental Option
- Compulsory Courses
BIOL 2113 Ecology CE 3403 Introduction to Environmental Engineering GE 5753 Engineering Hydrogeology GEOL 3442 Environmental Geology GEOL 3631 Geochemistry of Natural Waters GEOL 3713 Environmental Geology Field School - Complementary Studies Electives (6 ch)
- Minimum of 9 Credit Hours of Technical Electives must be selected from:
CE 5113 Soil Mechanics II CE 5141 Embankments I CE 5201 Road Materials & Structures GE 5153 Environmental Geotechnics CE 5421 Water Quality and Treatment CE 5432 Wastewater Treatment and Pollution Control GEOL 4501 Exploration Geophysics I GEOL 4452 Environmental Impact Assessment Other courses may be selected for Technical Electives subject to the approval of the Director of the Program.
Geotechnical Option
- Compulsory Courses
CE 3123 Foundation Engineering I GE 4412 Applied Rock Mechanics GE 5753 Engineering Hydrogeology GEOL 3322 Structural Geology II GEOL 3703 Field School
- Complementary Studies Electives (6 ch)
- Minimum of 9 Credit Hours of Technical Electives must be selected from:
*CE 5113 Soil Mechanics II *CE 5132 Foundation Engineering II *CE 5141 Embankments I *GE 5153 Environmental Geotechnics CE 5201 Road Materials and Structures CE 5212 Pavement Design CE 5603 Construction Equipment and Methods CE 5623 Project Management GE 4432 Rock Mechanics Design GEOL 4501 Exploration Geophysics I * At least one Technical Elective must be chosen from this list of Geotechnical courses.
Other courses may be selected for Technical Electives subject to the approval of the Director of the Program.
Mineral Resource Option
- Compulsory Courses
GEOL 3322 Structural Geology II GEOL 3482 Mineral Resources, Economics and the Environment GEOL 3703 Field School GEOL 4461 Economic Geology GEOL 4472 Economic Geology II GEOL 4501 Exploration Geophysics I
- Complementary Studies Elective (6 ch)
- Minimum of 3 Credit Hours of Technical Electives must be selected from:
*CE 5132 Foundation Engineering II *CE 5141 Embankments I *CE 5201 Road Materials and Structures *CE 5212 Pavement Design *CE 5603 Construction Equipment and Methods CE 5623 Project Management GE 5153 Waste Geotechnics * At least one technical elective must be taken from the list of courses marked with an asterisk.
Complementary Studies Electives
A complete Geological Engineering program requires 6 credit hours of complementary studies electives. Course selections are subject to Program Director’s approval, and also must meet the Faculty of Engineering, General Regulations for Complementary Studies requirements.