Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical Engineering is a branch of Civil Engineering that deals with soil both as a foundation material upon which all types of structures rest and with soil as a structural material. This chapter traces the genesis of Geotechnical Engineering and its development, practice, and importance as a subdivision of Civil Engineering. The chapter further explains the nature, origin, and types of soils, weathering and its agents, and factors affecting it with particular emphasis on tropical weathering and laterization and ends with a brief discussion of soil maps and geotechnical mapping of project sites. The type of maps that may be prepared for engineering or environmental purposes are many and varied and can be categorized on the basis of purpose, content, and scale.