Discussion of ‘Seeking the research frontiers for UK Engineering Geology’ by J.S. Griffiths & M.G. Culshaw, Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology , 37, 317–325

Abstract

The authors have rightly drawn attention to the current status of Engineering Geology. The history of the last 50 years explains the problem. The rapid expansion of interest and activity in the field during the 60s, 70s and 80s, as witnessed by the very successful series of Annual Regional Meetings, coincided with increased Engineering activities, especially the Motorway Construction programme which introduced Engineers to problem materials such as Mercia Mudstone (or Keuper Marl as it was then known) and to relict solifluxion slides and thus made the Engineering fraternity aware of the shortcomings of their geological knowledge. Likewise, overseas activities brought Engineers into regions where their scant undergraduate geology courses provided no guidance to the geomorphological and ground problems they encountered. Much of the Soil Mechanics applied in this era was …