Discussion of ‘The first engineering geological publication in the UK?’ by M.G. Culshaw, Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 37, 227–231

Abstract

Graham West writes: Professor Martin Culshaw is to be congratulated on his very interesting paper bringing to our notice what, in dating from 1897, is most likely the first engineering geological map and memoir in the UK. Having noted that the origins of engineering geology can be traced back to William Smith (1769–1839), he remarks that: ‘In so far as British engineering geologists think about such things, there is probably a belief that engineering geology in the UK ‘started’ shortly after the Second World War…’ The purpose of this Discussion is to show that many examples of the practice of engineering geology in Great Britain can be found dating from before the Second World War, and, indeed, some from much earlier if we include rudimentary soil and rock mechanics, and the assessment of stone and rock for road making and building, as falling within the ambit of engineering geology. The examples that follow come from my own personal interests, but I am sure that readers will know of others. During the construction of the turnpike roads (1730–1890) there were occasions when the surveyors (as the engineers were called) working for the turnpike trusts had to deal with what we would call soil mechanics problems. One such instance was in 1823 when the Whetstone Turnpike Trustees wanted to ease the slope of the road up Barnet Hill for London-bound coaches, and their surveyor built a clay embankment at the foot of the slope to do so. The embankment slipped, much to the discomfiture of the surveyor who said that ‘he was not aware that clay would not stand at a less slope than 1 in 4’ (West 2000). This is an early example of soil mechanics inasmuch as the surveyor was aware that slope stability was related to soil type: this …