Geologists and civil engineers related to infrastructure planning, design and building describe professional practices and engineering geological methods in different European infrastructure projects.

Geologists and civil engineers related to infrastructure planning, design and building describe professional practices and engineering geological methods in different European infrastructure projects.

Summing up knowledge and understanding of engineering geology as is applies to the urban environment at the start of the 21st century, this volume demonstrates that: working standards are becoming internationalised; risk assessment is driving decision-making; geo-environmental change is becoming better understood; greater use of underground space is being made; and IT advances are improving subsurface visualization. --

Covering a broad range of topics (curricular matters in geo-engineering education, teaching; learning and assessment in geo-engineering education; challenges in geotechnical engineering education; issues in education and training in Engineering Geology; the link university -professional world in geo-engineering, this book will be invaluable to university teachers, academics and professionals involved in education and training in geo-engineering sciences.

Geologists and civil engineers related to infrastructure planning, design and building describe professional practices and engineering geological methods in different European infrastructure projects.

Nowadays, demands on modern civil engineering structures require not only safe technical solutions, but also additional approaches, involving ecological, sociological and economical aspects. This book reacts on these new requirements with a focus on earth structures for transport engineering, mainly for motorways and railways. Technical demands have to be adequately related to the risk with which the design and execution are connected. Soil used for the construction, together with subsoil, are natural materials with a high degree of inhomogeneity. Therefore, the risk when constructing with such materials is much higher than for structures utilizing man-made materials. The engineering approach is firstly focused on the geotechnical risk identification and subsequently on the reduction of this risk. Geotechnical risk is linked to the uncertainties for individual phases of the design and construction processes. Ground model, geotechnical design model, calculation model and structure execution are the main phases of the above-mentioned processes. Risk reduction involves the lowering of the range of uncertainties for individual phases, guaranteeing safe and optimal technical solutions. Eurocode 7 "Geotechnical design" creates a general frame of this risk identification and reduction approach. Earth structures are offering great opportunities for sustainability approach. Therefore, the possibilities how to decrease consumption of land (greenfields), energy and natural aggregates are at the centre of interest. In parallel to sustainability, the principles of availability and affordability for transport infrastructures are discussed. The main aim there is to eliminate the impact of interaction of the transport infrastructure with natural and man-made hazards, thus guaranteeing long-term functionality. This book will be of interest to specialists responsible for transport infrastructure planning, investors (project owners) of motorways and railways and environmental engineers. The main focus is on those responsible for geotechnical investigations, earth structures design and on contractors of such structures.

Learn from this integrated approach to the management and restoration of ecosystems edited by an international leader in the field The Handbook of Ecological and Ecosystem Engineering delivers a comprehensive overview of the latest research and practical developments in the rapidly evolving fields of ecological and ecosystem engineering. Beginning with an introduction to the theory and practice of ecological engineering and ecosystem services, the book addresses a wide variety of issues central to the restoration and remediation of ecological environments. The book contains fulsome analyses of the restoration, rehabilitation, conservation, sustainability, reconstruction, remediation, and reclamation of ecosystems using ecological engineering techniques. Case studies are used to highlight practical applications of the theory discussed within. The material in the Handbook of Ecological and Ecosystem Engineering is particularly relevant at a time when the human population is dramatically rising, and the exploitation of natural resources is putting increasing pressure on planetary ecosystems. The book demonstrates how modern scientific ecology can contribute to the greening of the environment through the inclusion of concrete examples of successful applied management. The book also includes: A thorough discussion of ecological engineering and ecosystem services theory and practice An exploration of ecological and ecosystem engineering economic and environmental revitalization An examination of the role of soil meso and macrofauna indicators for restoration assessment success in a rehabilitated mine site A treatment of the mitigation of urban environmental issues by applying ecological and ecosystem engineering A discussion of soil fertility restoration theory and practice Perfect for academic researchers, industry scientists, and environmental engineers working in the fields of ecological engineering, environmental science, and biotechnology, the Handbook of Ecological and Ecosystem Engineering also belongs on the bookshelves of environmental regulators and consultants, policy makers, and employees of non-governmental organizations working on sustainable development.