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Engineering Geology and Geotechniques

By Prof. M.E.A. Mondal   |   Aligarh Muslim University
Learners enrolled: 67
ABOUT THE COURSE:
Course Objective:
To develop research skills in the field of geotechnical engineering. The course content has great societal impacts particularly in development of hilly regions.

Course Outcome: On successful completion of the course, students would be able to:
1. Understand a detailed insight of geoengineering properties and behaviour of rocks.
2. Develop understanding of rock quality parameters and characterization of rock mass
3. Understand the concepts of soil mechanics and foundations
4. Manage geological issues related with landslides and various geoengineering projects like dams, tunnels, bridges, coastline

INTENDED AUDIENCE: Masters

PREREQUISITES: B. Sc in Geology/ Earth Science/ Geoscience

INDUSTRY SUPPORT: 1. Geological Survey of India, Government of India
2. Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, Govt of India
3. Coal India Ltd
4. ONGC
5. IBM
6. MECL
Summary
Course Status : Upcoming
Course Type : Elective
Language for course content : English
Duration : 12 weeks
Category :
  • Earth Sciences
Credit Points : 4
Level : Postgraduate
Start Date : 21 Jul 2025
End Date : 10 Oct 2025
Enrollment Ends : 28 Jul 2025
Exam Registration Ends : 15 Aug 2025
Exam Date : 25 Oct 2025 IST
NCrF Level   : 6.5

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.


Page Visits



Course layout

Week 1:  Concept of Intact rock, discontinuities and rock mass. Scale effects and rock strength.

Week 2: Index properties of intact rock and their correlations: Porosity, Density, Point load Index, Schmidt Hammer Rebound test, Compressive, shear & tensile strength, Slake Durability test, Poisson’s ratio.

Week 3: Discontinuities: Types, Orientation, Spacing, RQD by direct and indirect methods, Block size, Persistence, Roughness, Aperture, Filling, Matching.

Week 4: Rock mass classification and their correlations: Rock mass rating, Q-system, Rock mass index, Geological strength index, Slope mass rating, Continuous Slope mass rating, Chinese slope mass rating.

Week 5: Slope stability rating, Q-slope, Concept of Rockfall hazard rating system.

Week 6: Engineering soil: Specific gravity, Geotechnical characteristics of clay minerals in soil, Soil gradation, Consistency limits and their measurements, Plasticity index, Liquidity index, Activity.

Week 7: Classification of soil: Textural, AASHTO and Unified soil classification.

Week 8: Shear strength of soil: Basic principles of Direct shear and triaxial test.
Foundations: Types, Stress distribution and bearing capacity.

Week 9: Landslides: Classification, Causes, Monitoring, Reporting landslides, Remedial measures.

Week 10: Dams: Parts, Geological and Geotechnical requirements, Forces on dam site.
Reservoirs: Geotechnical investigations and rim stability, leakage, Capacity and siltation. Remedial measures to control siltation, Reservoir induced seismicity.

Week 11: Tunnels: Parts, Classification, Payline, Lining and overbreak, Stand-up time, Geological and geotechnical consideration, Problems and treatment of soft and hard ground during tunnelling.

Week 12: Geological and geotechnical investigations for Coastlines and Bridges.

Books and references

1. D.P. Krynine and W.R. Judd (2005) Principles of Engineering Geology and Geotechnics. CBS.
2. B. Singh and R.K. Goel (2011) Engineering Rock Mass Classification: Tunneling, Foundations, and Landslides-Elsevier.
3. Wyllie, Duncan C. (2018)-Rock Slope Engineering: Civil Applications-CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group.
4. S.P. Pradhan, V. Vishal, T.N. Singh (2019) Landslides: Theory, Practice and Modelling, Springer.

Instructor bio

Prof. M.E.A. Mondal

Aligarh Muslim University
Prof. M. E. A. Mondal Research interests, include magmatic and tectonic processes of Precambrian crustal evolution, hard rock and clastic rock geochemistry. He is particularly interested in understanding the geodynamic evolution of Indian continental lithosphere, viz. Bundelkhand craton, Bastar craton and Aravalli craton through multi-disciplinary approach involving field studies, petrology, geochronology and geochemistry. He teaches igneous and metamorphic petrology, geochemistry, geodynamics and engineering geology at U.G. & P.G. levels. He has supervised 09 doctoral thesis (awarded). He has published 98 research papers in peer reviewed journals including Precambrian Research, Gondwana Research, Lithosphere, Tectonophysics, Island Arc, Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, Geochemical Journal, Terra Nova, Geological Society, London, Geoscience Frontiers, Journal of Geology, Geological Journal. Total citation of his papers is 1708 with h-index of 20 and i-10 index of 36 as on June 2024. He has completed 10 research projects sponsored by DST, Ministry of Mines, UGC & SERB, Govt of India, and at present carrying out 01 research project sponsored by ANRF-SERB Govt of India. He is fellow and life member of many learned bodies and has been a member of National Working Group for International Geological Correlation Programme (IGCP) on A-type granites and related rocks (IGCP 510), and International Geological Correlation Programme (IGCP) on The Changing Early Earth (IGCP 599). He was member of Science Program Committee of the 36th International Geological Congress 2020, and Coordinator of the theme: Hadean to Archaean. He is recipient of National Geoscience Award 2017 of Govt of India. He was awarded Outstanding Researcher Award 2018, and Gold Medal in 1990 by Aligarh Muslim University. He has Edited a Book titled "Geological Evolution of the Precambrian Indian Shield" published by Springer. He is General Secretary of Indian Association of Sedimentologists.

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.
The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).
Date and Time of Exams: 25 October 2025 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.
Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.
The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.
Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 8 assignments out of the total 12 assignments given in the course.
Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

Please note that assignments encompass all types (including quizzes, programming tasks, and essay submissions) available in the specific week.

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup. It will have the logos of INI and AMU.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- INI Team


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