course-details-portlet

TGB4190

Engineering Geology of Rocks, Advanced Course

Choose study year

Assessments and mandatory activities may be changed until September 20th.

Credits 7.5
Level Second degree level
Course start Spring 2026
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction English
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement School exam
Special deadlines for course registration
Spring: 2025-12-01

About

About the course

Course content

Lecture series on selected topics at advanced level with an expansion of the basic level courses like TGB4185, TGB5110 or equivalent with a focus area within engineering geological investigations, planning, design and specification, special problems related to subsea tunnels, tunnels in soil and young rock formations, stability and support of tunnels, water inflow and leakage prevention, waste disposal in rock caverns, slope stability, storage of oil and gas in rock caverns, engineering geology of dam sites etc. Colloquium based on selected textbook.

Learning outcome

Ingress: The course will give the students in-depth understanding of engineering geological investigations, planning, design and stability analysis related to projects on and in bedrock.

Knowledge: The students will have in-depth knowledge of methodology related to investigation methods, planning and design of all kinds of projects on and in bedrock, and of the main principles for stability analysis and rock support design giving long-term and sustainable solutions.

Skills: Students will be able to perform geological investigation, rock mass classification and design of tunnels and other types of underground projects as well as rock slopes and rock cut slopes, and to perform stability analyses and evaluate rock support requirement.

General: Students will develop an ability to independently evaluate and analyze engineering geological challenges, and an ability to to work in a team and cooperate for multidisciplinary solutions of such challenges to provide long-term stable and sustainable development of structures in rock mass.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, colloquiums, literature study, field mapping and excursions. The colloquiums, literature study, field mapping and excursions are compulsory to attend, in addition to submit any accompanying reports. Field mapping and field excursion may be scheduled during a weekend. The course is evaluated by a reference group.

Compulsory assignments

  • Field course and work

Further on evaluation

If there is a re-sit examination, the examination form may be changed from written to oral. Students retaking the course will have to retake the compulsory activities.

Required previous knowledge

Fulfilled TGB4185 Engineering Geology, Basic Course or TGB5110 Engineering Geology and Tunnelling, Basic Course. Admission to one of the following programs of study is required: MTTEKGEO, MGEOL, MSB1, MSGEOS, or MSGEOTECH. Students on other programs must contact the department (email to the study administration) to gain access.

Course materials

  1. Compendium based on selected papers, book chapters and lecture notes.
  2. Evert Hoek: Practical Rock Engineering and selected manuscript.
  3. Nilsen og Palmstrøm: Engineering Geology and Rock Engineering Handbook, Norsk Bergmekanikkgruppe 2000.

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From
SIG0537 7.5 sp
TGB5100 1.8 sp Autumn 2016
This course has academic overlap with the courses in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • Engineering Geology
  • Technological subjects

Contact information

Course coordinator

Lecturers

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Geoscience

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: School exam
Grade: Letter grades

Ordinary examination - Spring 2026

School exam
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code D Duration 4 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment
Place and room
The specified room can be changed and the final location will be ready no later than 3 days before the exam. You can find your room location on Studentweb.

Re-sit examination - Summer 2026

School exam
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code D Duration 4 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment
Place and room
The specified room can be changed and the final location will be ready no later than 3 days before the exam. You can find your room location on Studentweb.