Encyclopedia of Geoscience and Geotechnology (Volume 1 & 2)

Description

Geoscientists study and work with minerals, soils, energy resources, fossils, oceans and freshwater, the atmosphere, weather, environmental chemistry and biology, natural hazards and more. They even study rocks on our moon and other planets in our solar system. Geoscience (also called Earth Science) is the study of Earth. Geoscience includes so much more than rocks and volcanoes, it studies the processes that form and shape Earth's surface, the natural resources we use, and how water and ecosystems are interconnected. Geoscience uses tools and techniques from other science fields as well, such as chemistry, physics, biology, and math! Geotechnics is an engineering discipline that deals with soil and rock behaviour in an engineering perspective. It also involves assessing slope stability and the risk of landslides, rock fall and avalanches. Geophysics helps us to unravel the mysteries of the unreachable insides of the earth. It has made unparalleled contribution towards knowledge of lithosphere structure of the Earth and the Plate Tectonic processes, which over millions of years, build the surface features and amass mineral wealth for our consumption. Geotechnical engineering is the study of the behaviour of soils under the influence of loading forces and soil-water interactions. This knowledge is applied to the design of foundations, retaining walls, earth dams, clay liners, and geosynthetics for waste containment. The goals of geotechnical engineers could range from the design of foundations and temporary excavation support, through route selection for railways and highways, to the increasingly important areas of landfill disposal of wastes and groundwater contamination. The Encyclopedia is ideal for students, administrators, legal professionals, non-scientific professionals, and general readers with little or no science background. It is a user-friendly overview of our physical, biological, and ecological environment, one that offers up-to-date coverage of the major scientific fields that form the structure of geosciences and geotechnology.