Geotechnical Engineering at Virginia Tech
WHAT IS GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING?
Geotechnical Engineering:
- is the branch of civil engineering concerned with the design and construction of foundations, slopes, retaining walls, embankments, tunnels, levees, wharves, landfills and similar facilities; and with the engineering characterization and behavior of the ground and its constituent materials
- plays a key role in all civil engineering projects built on or in the ground.
- is vital for the assessment of natural hazards such as earthquakes, liquefaction, sinkholes, rock falls and landslides
WHAT VIRGINIA TECH’S PROGRAM OFFERS
Virginia Tech’s Geotechnical Engineering Program offers:
- studies in diverse areas including foundation engineering, earth dams, landslide stabilization, environmental geotechnics, in situ testing, soil-structure interaction, earthquake engineering, engineering seismology, sensing, visualization, ground improvement, computational geomechanics, geosynthetics, geological engineering, and engineering rock mechanics
- a broad spectrum of graduate courses
- graduate degrees at the Masters and PhD levels.
- Involvement in cutting-edge research
- Interaction with industrial affiliates through the Center for Geotechnical Practice and Research (CGPR)
CENTER FOR GEOTECHNICAL PRACTICE AND RESEARCH
The Center for Geotechnical Practice and Research (CGPR)
- provides a forum for exchange of ideas among geotechnical practitioners, students and faculty.
- brings together professional practice firms, governmental agencies, and companies involved in geo-engineering and construction, and Virginia Tech students and faculty
- provides educational opportunities for VT graduate students and geotechnical engineering practitioners,
- conducts research on geotechnical problems of current practical importance, and enhances the state of practice level of geotechnical engineering.
- promotes open communication of industry needs, industry access to university resources, rapid transfer of research results back to industry, as well as industry access to top notch graduate students and student access to forward-looking employers.
CORE VALUES
- Excellence in teaching, research, and service
- Solid grounding in the elements of geotechnical engineering, as well as opportunities for broader technical, professional, societal, and interdisciplinary training and experience
- Relevance and importance of our work to society and the environment
- Mutual respect and support toward all stakeholders
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