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 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.