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Collected case studies in engineering geology, hydrogeology, and environmental geology
378
Collected Case Studies in Engineering Geology, Hydrogeology, and Environmental Geology. Michael J. Knight, E.J. Minty and Robert B. Smith (Editors). The Engineering Geology Specialist Group of the Geological Society o f Australia Incorporated, Sydney, 1983, v. 11, 423 pp. Australian $24.50 (plus $5 postage and packing). Paperback. The purpose of this book is to begin a "process of consolidating part of the Australian earth science experience" in engineering geology, hydrogeology, and environmental geology. The book represents one of the first efforts undertaken by the Engineering Geology Specialist Group of the Geological Society of Australia. The group, established in 1979, perceived a need for a collection of case histories for both present and future Australian practitioners in the applied earth sciences. This book was intended to partially fill that need. It consists of 19 papers by 25 authors who are writing on the basis of first-hand experience, principally in Australia. The book is divided into three parts, on engineering geology, hydrogeology, and environmental ge91ogy. The opening invited paper by David H. Stapledon is an excellent review of his experience as an independent consultant in contract disputes between contractors and principals. The disputes arose over claims by contractors that adverse site conditions encountered during construction could not have been anticipated on the basis of the exploratory data provided to the contractor when bids were being solicited. Stapledon concludes that most disputes were caused by inadequate site investigation by the principal before solicitation of bids. In cases where good-quality factual data were available and disputes arose, Stapledon concluded that disputes would not have resulted if the contractor had received interpretive as well as factual data. Stapledon's observations on the importance of describing the implications of borehole observations in addition to making the factual observations themselves are worthwhile reading for all new engineering geologists inexperienced with logging. The section on engineering geology consists of six papers that include two on highway geology, two on dams, and one each on rippability of rock and slope stability. The emphasis on roads and dams leaves the reader wondering if these are the principal structures on which engineering geologists work in Australia. As with most of the papers in the volume, the papers do not break new ground but illustrate the application of known principles or concepts. One exception is the paper by E.J. Minty and G.K. Kearns in which they quantify geological factors in order to improve existing methods for assessing rock mass workability. The section on hydrogeology consists of three case histories each on ground-water quality and supply; one of the supply studies is based on the island of Bali in Indonesia rather than Australia. All three water quality papers treat regional issues. Point-source pollution and plume migration are not treated in any detail, although aspects of this challenging problem are briefly treated in the paper by J.G. Leonard on ground-water conditions
379 beneath part of the Melbourne area. The lack of examples of the application of digital ground-water models to regional investigations is also surprising considering their widespread use in modern hydrogeology. The paper on geophysical techniques by J.A. Odins, D.J. O'Neill and R.M. Williams includes an excellent discussion of the advantages and shortcomings of seismic refraction and electrical resistivity surveys. The section on environmental geology includes three papers on aggregate resource management and one paper each on ground-water, coal-mine subsidence, and coastal erosion. The Engineering Geology Specialist Group recognizes the development in Australia of this subdiscipline and acknowledges that it is now firmly established. The six papers attest to its health. In summary, the b o o k meets its objective of providing a broad collection of Australian experiences in the applied subdisciplines of engineering geology, hydrogeology, and environmental geology. However, the b o o k is geographically narrowly focussed -- 15 of the 19 papers are based in New South Wales and Victoria. Nevertheless, the volume should be educational to students contemplating careers in applied earth sciences in Australia who want to learn about the type of work done by practitioners there. The book may also be of interest to the non-Australian professional who is curious about the state-of-the-art of applied earth science in Australia. THOMAS L. HOLZER (Menlo Park, Calif.)
Shallow Refraction Seismics. B. SjSgren. Chapman and Hall, London and New York, 1984, 268 pp., £25. The widespread use of shallow seismic refraction surveys is due to the frequent successes the m e t h o d has had in many areas in rapidly determining the nature and thickness of overburden and in assessing the character of the underlying bedrock. In their practical applications seismic surveys do not avoid the necessity of obtaining borehole data b u t the continuous coverage provided helps to ensure that drilling can be planned to produce a m a x i m u m return in terms of the information required. The many successful applications of refraction surveys include the investigation of the nature and depth of the bedrock for foundations and excavations while investigations of the overburden itself can be useful for sand and gravel resource assessment or water supply studies. In nearly all cases in work of this type the depths of investigation involved rarely exceed one hundred metres. The b o o k by Bengt SjSgren has been written with these applications of seismic refraction surveying in mind. The content emphasises many of the problems which are peculiar to shallow investigations and frequently are n o t discussed in any detail in the standard treatment of refraction surveys included in the many geophysical textbooks. These problems are principally concerned with the interpretation of the data observed in areas of often very irregular buried bedrock relief and strong velocity contrasts, particularly if a very low-velocity, near-surface layer is present.
Collected Case Studies in Engineering Geology, Hydrogeology, and Environmental Geology. Michael J. Knight, E.J. Minty and Robert B. Smith (Editors). The Engineering Geology Specialist Group of the Geological Society o f Australia Incorporated, Sydney, 1983, v. 11, 423 pp. Australian $24.50 (plus $5 postage and packing). Paperback. The purpose of this book is to begin a "process of consolidating part of the Australian earth science experience" in engineering geology, hydrogeology, and environmental geology. The book represents one of the first efforts undertaken by the Engineering Geology Specialist Group of the Geological Society of Australia. The group, established in 1979, perceived a need for a collection of case histories for both present and future Australian practitioners in the applied earth sciences. This book was intended to partially fill that need. It consists of 19 papers by 25 authors who are writing on the basis of first-hand experience, principally in Australia. The book is divided into three parts, on engineering geology, hydrogeology, and environmental ge91ogy. The opening invited paper by David H. Stapledon is an excellent review of his experience as an independent consultant in contract disputes between contractors and principals. The disputes arose over claims by contractors that adverse site conditions encountered during construction could not have been anticipated on the basis of the exploratory data provided to the contractor when bids were being solicited. Stapledon concludes that most disputes were caused by inadequate site investigation by the principal before solicitation of bids. In cases where good-quality factual data were available and disputes arose, Stapledon concluded that disputes would not have resulted if the contractor had received interpretive as well as factual data. Stapledon's observations on the importance of describing the implications of borehole observations in addition to making the factual observations themselves are worthwhile reading for all new engineering geologists inexperienced with logging. The section on engineering geology consists of six papers that include two on highway geology, two on dams, and one each on rippability of rock and slope stability. The emphasis on roads and dams leaves the reader wondering if these are the principal structures on which engineering geologists work in Australia. As with most of the papers in the volume, the papers do not break new ground but illustrate the application of known principles or concepts. One exception is the paper by E.J. Minty and G.K. Kearns in which they quantify geological factors in order to improve existing methods for assessing rock mass workability. The section on hydrogeology consists of three case histories each on ground-water quality and supply; one of the supply studies is based on the island of Bali in Indonesia rather than Australia. All three water quality papers treat regional issues. Point-source pollution and plume migration are not treated in any detail, although aspects of this challenging problem are briefly treated in the paper by J.G. Leonard on ground-water conditions
379 beneath part of the Melbourne area. The lack of examples of the application of digital ground-water models to regional investigations is also surprising considering their widespread use in modern hydrogeology. The paper on geophysical techniques by J.A. Odins, D.J. O'Neill and R.M. Williams includes an excellent discussion of the advantages and shortcomings of seismic refraction and electrical resistivity surveys. The section on environmental geology includes three papers on aggregate resource management and one paper each on ground-water, coal-mine subsidence, and coastal erosion. The Engineering Geology Specialist Group recognizes the development in Australia of this subdiscipline and acknowledges that it is now firmly established. The six papers attest to its health. In summary, the b o o k meets its objective of providing a broad collection of Australian experiences in the applied subdisciplines of engineering geology, hydrogeology, and environmental geology. However, the b o o k is geographically narrowly focussed -- 15 of the 19 papers are based in New South Wales and Victoria. Nevertheless, the volume should be educational to students contemplating careers in applied earth sciences in Australia who want to learn about the type of work done by practitioners there. The book may also be of interest to the non-Australian professional who is curious about the state-of-the-art of applied earth science in Australia. THOMAS L. HOLZER (Menlo Park, Calif.)
Shallow Refraction Seismics. B. SjSgren. Chapman and Hall, London and New York, 1984, 268 pp., £25. The widespread use of shallow seismic refraction surveys is due to the frequent successes the m e t h o d has had in many areas in rapidly determining the nature and thickness of overburden and in assessing the character of the underlying bedrock. In their practical applications seismic surveys do not avoid the necessity of obtaining borehole data b u t the continuous coverage provided helps to ensure that drilling can be planned to produce a m a x i m u m return in terms of the information required. The many successful applications of refraction surveys include the investigation of the nature and depth of the bedrock for foundations and excavations while investigations of the overburden itself can be useful for sand and gravel resource assessment or water supply studies. In nearly all cases in work of this type the depths of investigation involved rarely exceed one hundred metres. The b o o k by Bengt SjSgren has been written with these applications of seismic refraction surveying in mind. The content emphasises many of the problems which are peculiar to shallow investigations and frequently are n o t discussed in any detail in the standard treatment of refraction surveys included in the many geophysical textbooks. These problems are principally concerned with the interpretation of the data observed in areas of often very irregular buried bedrock relief and strong velocity contrasts, particularly if a very low-velocity, near-surface layer is present.