10th annual report on the international status of engineering geology—year 2004-2005; encompassing hydrogeology, environmental geology and the applied geosciences

The year was particularly eventful in terms of the recognition of improved technologies impinging on the duties of the Engineering Geologist. National economies were strained to the limit under the pressure of the new world terrorist attacks and burgeoning populations. much of which stemmed from escapes from oppressive national regimes to the free world. The impacts of terrorism range from increased danger and costs of field work, to special design considerations and postponed and delayed project work.On the positive side, continued progress has been made in the means of recognition and professional development of our practitioners and in the general call for their work. Competent engineering geologists are in consistent demand, but the working conditions are not improved. A general deterioration of university funding, aggravated by bureaucratic excesses among administrators, have tended to make life miserable for dedicated faculty and a general move is afoot to cut back on the number of funded geology departments in North America and Europe. This situation has also been worsened by the general withdrawal of the mineral industries and by retraction of the petroleum companies from all but their most favored campuses.     

A second review of the international status of engineering geology — encompassing hydrogeology, environmental geology and the applied geosciences

Engineering geology, in 1996, worldwide, was experiencing considerable turmoil due to the uncertain nature of national economies and the general situation of inadequate funds to meet the demands of failing of the national infrastructures that serve citizens. Aside from the previously war-damaged cities of Western Europe, new public service systems of transportation and utilities elsewhere often lagged well behind growth.

It will be some time before international aid and civil engineering contracts are initiated for anything other than humanitarian and basic emergency aid work in these areas.

Many countries in the western hemisphere, eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and developing nations in particular are still in need of basic water and sewage services as well as repair and replacement of old existing systems. Continued partisan warfare in the Balkan states of Albania, Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia forecast the eventual need for redevelopment. Rumblings of broad-scale economic problems in Far-Eastern economies did little to make overseas contract opportunities in these areas very attractive.

Large consulting firms were challenged by an increasing number of individual and small practices who are prepared to operate on 1970's rates and prices for services and government and industry was taking advantage of that situation. More and more individuals were offering services in engineering geology and associated engineering fields and there was a sense of not having enough work to go around. Hence, price competition was again being promoted. Consequently in both Europe and the Americas, the variability of competence was enlarging and a significant amount of so-called ‘professional ’ work was lacking in overall quality. This was especially evident in ‘Environmental’ areas of work.

This begs the question: ‘Is not engineering geology, or any other aspect of applied geosciences, not environmental in nature and essence, fundamentally and in entirety?’

Environmental restoration demands were still being made by governments, but the pressure to complete such work was being relaxed on account of economics. Our clients were asking for more service at lower fees. Clients were still largely unwilling to openly acknowledge that less money spent on competent engineering geologic consultation means that more risk should be accepted by the owner or operator of projects.     

7th Annual Report on the International Status of Engineering Geology—Year 2001: Encompassing hydrogeology, environmental geology and the applied geosciences

The year was marked by noteworthy advances in multinational consortia of commercial firms and of forward-looking universities. Again, the tenor of the practice of Engineering Geology has picked up. Not to be in the vanguard does indeed mean that one languishes in the dust raised by those on the move. Engineering geologists must understand an infinity of challenges stemming from land development, environmental protection and cleanup and resource development. This is a profession in which age can bring wisdom and increased competence.Most practitioners were busy in 2001; more than 80% of ASFE member companies report that business has increased or stayed the same for the past 6 months. Sixty percent of practitioners expect that their 2002 revenues will be stable or increase for Year 2002.     

The role of engineering geology for planning and construction of underground openings: Introduction of the symposium 19-3 “engineering geology in the utilization of underground space”, 29th Int. geological congress, Kyoto, Japan 1992

Langer, M., 1993. The Role of Engineering Geology for Planning and Construction of Underground Openings. In: M. Langer, K. Hoshino and K. Aoki (Editors), Engineering Geology in the Utilization of Underground Space.Eng. Geol., 35: 143–147.