This course includes 4 days of specialized engineering geologic excursions that are offered by the chair of engineering geology. Topics include visits to landslides and to ongoing construction and research sites (landslides, tunnels, hydropower systems, foundations, roads, waste disposal sites) in the Swiss and Italian Alps.

The seminar includes external and internal lectures on ongoing research topics and the presentation and defence of own MSc thesis research results. In addition students have the opportunity to make new contacts with researchers and practitioners, and get an understanding of the international engineering geology community.

This course deals with the geological activities related to underground excavations (field investigations, route selection, geological models and hazards, geotechnical properties, rock mass behavior, groundwater & environmental impacts). The course focuses on problem solving skills (trained in Lötschberg Base Tunnel case study, including report writing and orally communicating technical details).

This introductory course starts from a descriptions of the behavior and phenomena of soils and rocks under near surface loading conditions and their key geotechnical properties. Lab and field methods for the characterization of soils, rocks and rock masses are introduced. Finally practical aspects of ground engineering, including tunneling and landslide hazards are presented.

This introductory course starts from a descriptions of the behavior and phenomena of soils and rocks under near surface loading conditions and their key geotechnical properties. Lab and field methods for the characterization of soils, rocks and rock masses are introduced. Finally practical aspects of ground engineering, including tunneling and landslide hazards are presented.

This course focusses on the principles (fundamentals) and basic concepts of rock mechanics and rock engineering (e.g. tunnelling, rock slope stability).

In this course, students will gain hands-on experience performing laboratory and index tests commonly used in Rock and Soil Mechanics. The course is divided into two modules, with half the semester devoted to soil mechanics testing, and half to rock mechanics testing.

The course presents the principles of soil mechanics and soil behaviour characteristics and its applications in geotechnical structures and systems. It is based on more descriptive courses on Engineering Geology within the BSc Geol. Program and is a compulsory prerequisite for other courses within the MSc Eng. Geol. program.