Engineering geology at University of Mines (St. Petersburg, Russia)

Anna SHIDLOVSKAYA, PhDAssociate professor

St. Petersburg University of Mines Russia

Engineering geology schools in Russia

Russia has more than 40 engineering geology schools located in different regions – Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Volga region,

Eastern and Western Siberia, Northern Caucasus and others.

Engineering geology has a solid foundation and is historically applied to mining problems Development and expansion of the mining and metallurgical

industries in Russia at the XVII-XVIII centuries required training specialists including geologist and mining engineers who were able to manage the complicated process of exploration and mining of ore deposits. This period is associated with V.I.Gennin, V.N.Tatishev, M.V.Lomonosov and others.

 University of Mines (St. Petersburg)   V.I.Gennin, V.N.Tatishev

(Ekaterinburg)

 The Empress Catherine the Great

 M.V. Lomonosov Peter the Great

On October 21th (November 1st), 1773 the Empress Catherine the Great wrote the Decree for creating the Mining Engineering School "so be it " bringing to reality Peter the First and M.V. Lomonosov’s ideas of training engineers for the development of mining and metallurgy. 

The establishment and development (1773-1803) of the Mining School aimed at training highly qualified expert for mining and metallurgical industries.

In March 1833 the Mining Cadet’s Corps was renamed the Institute of Mining Engineers Corps, and in 1866 it became the Mining Institute. In 1999, it was again renamed the University of Mines.

Neva River

St. Petersburg

Peter the Great

St. Petersburg is located next to the main branch of the delta.

St. Petersburg from the Air

St. Isaak’s Cathedral

St. Isaak’s Cathedral

St. Isaak’s Cathedral

Kazan Cathedral

St. Isaak’s Cathedral Church on Blood

Smolniy Cathedral

The school “Engineering Geology” was founded at the University of Mines in 1930 to serve hydraulic, mining, and civil engineering.

Before that in 1836 at the University of Mines started to teach the course “Practical geology” with an expect to the current engineering geology.

The first head of the department was professor Nikolay Bobkov who graduated from the University of Mines in 1914. He was the first who defined the problem of “soil-structure interaction”. Bobkov taught the course “Engineering geology” for undergraduate students. He also organized the laboratory on physical and mechanical properties of soil in the 1930s.

Engineering geology at University of Mines

Professor V. Lomtadze

Professor N. Bobkov

Professor V. Mironenko

Professor I. IvanovProfessor R. Dashko

Bobkov first translated the book “Ingenieurgeologie” (authors K.A. Redlich, K.v. Terzaghi, R. Kampe) from German into Russian. This book for a long time was used as a textbook for students.

19321929

“Engineering geology”1939 (Savarenskiy)

“Engineering geology”1984 (Lomtadze)

“Engineering geodynamics”1977 (Lomtadze)

“Soil and rock mechanics”

1984 (Dashko)

“Soil mechanics”1963 (Tsytovich)

“Gruntovedenie”2005 (Moscow State

University)

“Engineering geology”1982 (Sergeev)

“Geotechnics and subsurface

microbiology” 2014 (Dashko, Vlasov, Shidlovskaya)

Evolution of the topics in Russia

• Geology• Engineering geology• Foundation engineering• Geotechnical engineering

University of Mines has over 16.500 students, 9 faculties and 71 different degrees on offer - 46 kinds of bachelor undergraduate degrees and 17 master’s programs

The University of Mines is Russia’s oldest higher education school devoted to engineering. It was founded on October 21 OS (November 1 NS) 1773 by Empress Catherine II.  Today the University of Mines offers all academic cycles,

bachelor’s, master’s and specialist’s profiles for future employees of Russian and International companies engaged in estimation, prospecting, exploitation, exploration  and processing of raw materials, oil, gas, diamonds, ores

The University trains engineers for civil engineering and industrial construction, mining engineering, energy, gas distribution, applied economy, industrial security and geo-ecology

Geological survey Oil and Gas Mining Construction Mechanics Energy Chemistry and

Metallurgy

Faculties of University of Mines

Engineering petrology (soil and rock properties) Soil and rock improvement Soil and rock mechanics Engineering structures (design of shallow and deep foundations, tunnels,

retaining walls etc.) Engineering geodynamics (slope stability, subsidence, sinkhole, drawdown of

the loess, seismic process, gas process, erosion and so on) Site-investigation Hydrogeology (basic positions) Ground water flow dynamics (water flow in soils and rocks) Geochemistry Geophysical methods of investigation Physical and mechanical properties of frozen soils Engineering problems of frozen soils Civilization and Engineering Construction Practices Engineering Geology for Petroleum and Gas Industry Construction Engineering Geology and Geoenvironmental Engineering

Engineering geological courses (University of Mines, St. Petersburg)

International interaction

St. Petersburg University of Mines

Fostering sustainable development of the underground space for urban and industrial regions including design, construction, and maintenance of engineering structures while emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach.

Particular emphasis is given to engineering geology as it relates to the prediction and

protection of structures against engineering geological and geoenvironmental hazards, as

well as evaluation of the technical and economic benefits of research in construction in general.

The goal of the research

Underground space as a multicomponent system

Ground Water Microbiota Biochemical and Deep Gases

Soils and Rocks

Underground Construction (foundations, tunnels etc.)

Пикеты Пикеты

Theoretical and practical basis of “underground space-engineering structure” interaction

Theory and practice of technogenesis of underground space (interface between the natural and built environments with emphasis on ensuring the sustainable and safe ”underground space-structure” interaction)

Engineering geodynamics (processes in underground space) Engineering geology of mineral deposits (mining and processing) Engineering geology of cities and transport facilities Engineering geological problems of reconstruction and restoration of

architectural monuments Engineering geology of industry (mines, industrial regions) Engineering geology and subsurface microbiology Engineering geology of hydro-structures (dams, reservoirs, tailings, sludge

storages) Engineering geological disposal of hazardous industrial wastes

(radioactive) in clay formation Comprehensive monitoring of cities and mining underground space Comprehensive utilizing the mineral deposits (ores and mineral

underground ground water) of iron-rich ore mine

Research topics of engineering geology

Engineering geological and geotechnical problems associated with

reconstruction and restoration of architectural monumentssubway and mining tunnels construction and maintenanceengineering geomicrobiology (engineering microbe-underground space interaction) for sustainable maintenance of civil engineering structures and minesengineering geological monitoring of St. Petersburg’s architectural monumentsdesign, construction and operation of high-rise building foundations

Special topics of interest

Construction and operation of high-rise building (Lakhta Center, 462 m)

Reconstruction and restoration of architectural monuments. St. Isaak’s Cathedral (St.

Petersburg)

WEST EAST

Construction and operation of subway tunnels

EFFECT OF MICROBIAL ACTIVITY ON CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

Macro-porosity in timber

Bio-corrosion in subway and mining tunnels