Geotechnical engineering is an important subset of civil engineering dealing with engineering performance of earth materials. Geotechnical engineering uses principles of soil and rock mechanics to determine:

  • subsurface conditions and materials;
  • relevant physical/mechanical and chemical properties of these materials;
  • stability of natural slopes and man-made soil deposits;
  • risks posed by site conditions;

to design:

and to monitor:

Foundations built for above-ground structures include shallow and deep foundations. Retaining structures include earth-filled dams and retaining walls.