GeoZone - Applied Geology & Geotechnics

GeoZone Geotechnical Field School

Need some tuition? We are currently accepting applications for our next workshop scheduled from the 6th to the 9th September 2010. Course fees are R2500.00 per participant which includes 3 days of lectures and practicals, course notes and lunch. Please email for more details.

Gerald Davie has been running geological and geotechnical workshops since 2008. There is a need in the industry to train up young professionals and only by exposure to real-world situations can the relevant experience be gained. An example of getting the geotech wrong is spelled out on our home page, and it would be well within your interests to sign your staff up on one of our courses. Our field school runs for 4 days and covers a wide range of geotechnical skills. First and foremost in any geotechnical investigation is the need to gather good data and in this light our emphasis is on logging and sampling of soils and rocks.

We will go to the field with a TLB and dig test pits, take samples, log the holes and learn the art of running a geotechnical investigation. We will also visit sites which have specific geotechnical challenges - wet conditions or unstable ground - to allow the student to develop a feel for the issues involved. We will visit areas of known instability to examine existing failures and the associated challenges.

We also have samples of typical soils available for classroom practice to enable the student to get his or her eye in. The difference for example between a silty Clay or a clayey Silt, or a coarse Sand or fine Gravel will be a little more obvious at the end of the course.

As we all know, getting the geotech wrong can be disastrous and can lead to litigation and problems in the longer term. By enrolling on the course you will get the benefit of 20 years of geotechnical experience distilled into the four days along with comprehensive course notes and technical data immediately applicable to your site work.

Please email us for a detailed itinerary and the date of our next course spelling out the ground covered in the lectures and practicals.

GeoZone - Applied Geology & Geotechnics