33 AUGUST 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® www.starironworks.com 257 Caroline Street Punxsutawney, PA 15767 800-927-0560 • 814-427-2555 Fax: 814-427-5164 SERVING THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Serving the Drilling Industry Geologist, Engineering Geologist, and Geotechnical Engineer: What is the Difference? Adapted from Information by Central Geotechnical Services Although they are very closely related and have overlapping expertise, the professions of geologist, engineering geologist, and geotechnical engineer have three distinct roles. While all three are experts in earth composition and structure, their unique titles are expressed this way: Geologist, P.G.; Engineering Geologist, C.E.G.; and Geotechnical Engineer, P.E. Geologists study and understand the history of how and why soils and earth were formed and their relation to specific regions. Some geologists work in the construction field, while others focus on research and interpretation aspects of earth science. Engineering geologists study the ways geology and engineering work together and establish best practices for how to properly execute civil engineering projects through research and earth formation application. The main goal of this profession is understanding the environmental impact of man-made construction and how to limit damage or risks for both humankind and the earth. An engineering geologist may study and set standards on how to proceed with earth material properties, landslide risk and slope stability, flooding and erosion, seismic investigations, dewatering, and other geological hazard assessments. Geotechnical engineers rely on their practical experience and theoretical knowledge of soil mechanics to determine how to build on any given site. This vocation puts the findings of geology and engineering geology into practice. They visit development sites and assess whether or not projects are feasible by conducting thorough investigations, testing everything from the chemical makeup of soil and water, to how weather and climate will affect the proposed building long-term. Geotechnical engineering is a subspeciality of civil engineering and is applied across several industries such as construction, military, mining, coastal, and ocean fields. While each of these roles is specialized and unique in its own way, they all rely on each other to evolve and discover better methodologies. Their perspectives are equally important and provide valuable services for many different types of projects across the globe. C&G
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