Clays and clay minerals play a vital role in geotechnical engineering, offering both benefits and challenges in various applications. Their variability, affected by pore water chemistry and soil fabric, complicates use but enables targeted modifications. This course offers an introduction to clay mineralogy, properties, testing methods, and the associated challenges in environmental geotechnics.
Learning objective
Upon successful completion of this course the student is able to: - Describe clay minerals and their fundamental properties - Describe/propose methods for characterisation of clays and clay minerals - Draw conclusion about specific properties of clays with a focus to their potential use, problematics and things to consider in geotechnics and engineering geology.
Content
- Introduction to clays and clay minerals (importance and application in geosciences, industry and everyday life) - Origin of clays (formation of clays and clay minerals, geological origin) - Clay mineral structure, classification and identification incl. methods for investigation (e.g., XRD) - Properties of clay materials, characterisation and quantification incl. methods for investigation (e.g., cation exchange, rheology, plasticity, shearing, swelling, permeability, retardation and diffusion) - Clay Minerals in geotechnics: Problems and applications in soil mechanics, barriers, slurry walls, tunnelling.
Lecture notes
Lecture slides and further documents will be provided.
Competencies
Subject-specific Competencies
Concepts and Theories
assessed
Techniques and Technologies
assessed
Method-specific Competencies
Analytical Competencies
assessed
Social Competencies
Communication
fostered
Personal Competencies
Critical Thinking
assessed
Performance assessment
Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course