Soil has some role in every civil engineering construction project. Therefore, its design will ultimately depend on the characteristics of the soil or rock. The systematic use of methods that enable building with geomaterials such as rock and soil, is known as geotechnical engineering.
Like in most countries in the world, geotechnical engineering prospects in Bangladesh are also noticeable. Opportunities to work in this sector come frequently. Since it is directly related to civil engineering and other types of engineering, you can have a promising career in this sector.
Unfortunately, many of us are not familiar with geotechnical engineering. That is why we are going to break down everything about geotechnical engineering so you may have a clear understanding at the end of this discussion.
What is Geotechnical Engineering?
The practice of engineering with soils and rocks is known as geotechnical engineering. The study of geotechnical engineering shows how soils respond to loading forces and interact with water. This information is used in the design of waste containment foundations, retaining walls, earth dams, clay liners, and geosynthetics.
Since most construction is done on the ground, geotechnical engineering is essential for all civil engineering projects. Additionally, it is crucial for assessing natural hazard events such as earthquakes and land collapse. It is also important for energy industries like underground mining, open casting, or extracting hydrocarbons.
Geotechnical engineering is distinct from another engineering because it uses natural soil and rock. Although most engineers can define the materials they employ, they can’t alter the qualities of materials in geotechnical engineering since they naturally come from the ground.
Source: Piezocone and Cone Penetration Test (CPTu and CPT) Applications in Foundation Engineering
Before 1990, the original name of the “International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering” was “International Society for Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering”. Hence, you may understand the importance of geotechnical engineering.
Who Are Geotechnical Engineers and How to Become One?
Geotechnical engineers ensure the stability of the foundations for constructed items such as roads, buildings, runways, and dams. They emphasize civil engineers’ creations like buildings and canals. They also engage with the natural components of the earth (soil and rock). Additionally, they create plans and designs for tunnels, basement walls, and slopes.
Objectives of Geotechnical Engineers
The objectives of geotechnical engineers might include everything from foundation design to temporary support for excavation. They have other tasks like identifying significant fields for groundwater pollution, detecting landfill waste disposal, and selecting railway and highway routes.
Geotechnical engineers participate in field and laboratory studies in order to ascertain the engineering qualities of site soils as well as other geomaterials. They are required to do analytical research on the current situation for future applications.
If you wish to become a geotechnical engineer, you have to meet the educational requirements first. You may need to gain the necessary skills as well as obtain professional certificates in the further process. For that, you may have to go through some geotechnical engineering lectures or courses.
Educational Requirement
A bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, one of its specialties, or civil engineering technology, is required to become a geotechnical engineer. Although most geotechnical engineers hold a college degree, becoming one with just a high school diploma or GED is not an option.
How much education you need is one of the major concerns of becoming a geotechnical engineer. According to our research, 64.0% of geotechnical engineers have a bachelor’s degree. We also discovered that almost 24.8% of them are geotechnical engineering masters.
Skill
Geological engineers are employed full-time. Since their job requires them to travel from one location to another, they could work more than 40 hours each week. Geotechnical engineers work on a variety of infrastructure, including bridges, highways, dams, pipelines, and trains.
They closely collaborate with architects and structural engineers to effectively carry out their duties. They may work for petroleum firms, engineering firms, mining corporations, or building enterprises.
The following abilities are necessary for a successful geotechnical engineer –
Certification and Courses
The courses listed below are highly advised for undergraduate students who want to specialize in geotechnical engineering –
- Geoenvironmental Engineering Course (Must)
- Geotechnical Engineering Course (Must)
- Construction Engineering Course (Recommended)
- Mechanics of Groundwater Flow Course (Recommended)
- Groundwater Hydrology Course (Recommended)
- Stability of Rock Slopes Course (Recommended)
- Rock Fragmentation Course (Recommended)
In order to work as an entry-level geotechnical engineer, you do not need to be licensed or certified. You can get a Professional Engineering (PE) license, which allows for greater levels of freedom and leadership later in your professional career. However, the top geotechnical engineers are licensed engineers (PEs). A PE can certify projects, supervise the work of other engineers, and offer services to the public directly. They have the power to sign on or off a particular project.
Geotechnical Engineering Jobs in Bangladesh
Geotechnical engineering jobs are mostly related to civil engineering jobs. As a geological engineer in Bangladesh, you can keep your eyes on the civil engineer job vacancy section. There are also govt jobs for civil engineers, which is applicable to a geological engineers as well.
No matter what your skills are, you must be prepared for the geotechnical engineer interview questions. These are the common careers for geological engineers in Bangladesh –
- Structural engineers
- Staff engineer
- Cost geotechnical engineer
- Geotechnical engineer manager
- Project engineer
- Bridge engineers
- Facilities engineers
- Construction engineers
- Hydrographic engineers
- Research hydraulic engineers
- Highway engineers
- Transportation engineers
Average Salary of Geotechnical Engineers
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that –
- Employment for civil engineers will increase by 11% over the coming ten to fifteen years which is faster than the national average for job growth.
The average yearly wage for geotechnical engineers in Bangladesh is 293,614 BDT. The top 90% of earners make over a million BDT annually, while the poorest 10% earn close to 25,000 BDT.
The Best Geotechnical Software
Finally, you should know the best software for geotechnical engineering work. Skills on any of this software will make your work much easier. Having skills in geotechnical engineering software proves you are skilled.
Here are the top geotechnical software –
- Plaxis 3D – The most crucial features needed to conduct routine deformation and safety analyses for soil and rock are included in PLAXIS 3D. Design logical geotechnical digital processes that flow from analysis and design to a variety of outputs, such as a data sheet or comparison chart. The software is a part of the Bently group and comes in various pricing plans.
- GEO5 – GEO5 is a software package that offers a solution for most geotechnical problems. The user interface and communication between each program remain the same at the time of checking a certain structure type. You can try the software for free.
- GeoStudio – It is a simulation software for geoscientists and engineers. It provides comprehensive application administration, complex product integration, and scientifically sound capacity to address a range of geo-engineering and earth science issues.
- Midas GTX – It is a solution from Midas Geotech. The software is needed for analyzing, drafting, designing, and applying automation to gain the next level of engineering experience. With a friendly CAD user interface, this tool will save your time for precise drawing and reduce errors.
Final Words
Geotechnical engineering was mostly empirical until the last 100 years or so. However, this engineering sector has seen a remarkable scientific breakthrough after World War II, with the advancement of technology, data visualization, and enhanced soil testing. And it is still improving every day.
Engineering judgment must be continuously applied in geotechnical engineering. The greatest way to build this judgment is by meticulous analysis of prior achievements and failures. The judgment also depends on years of experience.
Whether civilian or military, geotechnical engineering is an essential part of almost all infrastructure-related projects. Therefore, geotechnical engineers are essential to any construction project.