GEO9131 – Geomechanics

Course content

This course will focus on the properties and mechanics of geomaterials (e.g. rock, soil), in particular, how geomaterials deform, yield, flow and fail under applied loads or external forcing (both natural and human-induced). Failure criteria, frictional sliding, strength and instability will be considered. Numerical approaches and Python programming will be used for the exercises. The concepts discussed will be applied to examples from geohazard problems, e.g. landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; as well as urban infrastructures and underground reservoir management for green energy transition.

Learning outcome

After taking this course, you will be able to

• describe the mechanical properties, strength and stability of geomaterials under different conditions
• explain stress, strain, frictional sliding and instability
• explain rheological behaviour and flow
• apply yield and failure criteria to evaluate stability
• communicate results from your own lab work and published papers in oral and written form

Admission to the course

PhD candidates from the University of Oslo should apply for classes and register for examinations through?Studentweb.

If a course has limited intake capacity, priority will be given to PhD candidates who follow an individual education plan where this particular course is included. Some national researchers’ schools may have specific rules for ranking applicants for courses with limited intake capacity.

PhD candidates who have been admitted to another higher education institution must?apply for a position as a visiting student?within a given deadline.

The courses GEO4131 and GEO9131 has a joint admission, with a joint capacity of 20?students.

If there are more then 20 applicants for GEO4131/9131, applicants will be ranked after the following categories:

1. Master's students in Geosciences admitted to one of the following programme options (not prioritized order):
   • Earth's Structures and Planetary Processes (programme option)
   • Environmental Geosciences, Geohazards, and Geomatics (programme option)
2. Other master's students at one of the following programmes / programme options (not prioritized order):
   • Geosciences (master)
   • CS: Geoscience (programme option)
3. PhD candidates at the MN faculty
4. Other programme students at the Department of Geosciences, UiO
5. Exchange students and other students at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
6. Others

Applicants will be ranked by the number of ECTS-credits within each category:?all applicants within category 1 are ranked before applicants in category 2. If there are space limitations in the course, available places will be given to students selected randomly among those with the same amount of ECTS credits.

Formal prerequisite knowledge

The course includes laboratory work. A laboratory safety course must be passed before you can do the laboratory exercises:

• HMS0503 – Laboratory Safety

Recommended previous knowledge

• MAT1100 – Calculus
• FYS1001 – Introduction to Physics
• IN-GEO1900 – Introduction to Programming for Geosciences

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with GEO4131 – Geomechanics.
• 10 credits overlap with GEO3131 – Geomechanics (discontinued).
• 10 credits overlap with GEO4130 – Engineering Geology and Geomechanics (discontinued).
• 10 credits overlap with GEO9130.

Teaching

The course includes lectures 2 hours per week, as well as practical exercises and labs 2-4 hours per week. PhD candidates are required to give 2 mandatory oral presentations and to submit 2 lab reports. The oral presentations must be approved before the exam and the 2 lab reports count towards the final grade.

Attendance at the first lecture is compulsory. Students who fail to meet are considered to have withdrawn from the course unless they have previously given notice to the course responsible.

We reserve the right to change the teaching form and examination of the course in semesters where 5 or fewer students have been admitted.

As?the?teaching involves laboratory and/or fieldwork, you should consider taking out a separate travel and personal risk insurance.?Read about your insurance cover as a student.

Examination

• 2 oral presentations must be approved before the final exam.
• 2 written laboratory reports?count 50% towards the final grade.
• A final written exam?counts 50% towards the final grade.
• The written lab reports and the final written exam must be passed separately in order to pass the course.

Mandatory assignments are valid for 5 semesters starting from the semester they were approved the first time.

It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you?withdraw from the exam?after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.

It will also be counted as 1 of the 3 attempts to sit the exam for this course if you sit the exam for one of the following courses:

• GEO3131 – Geomechanics (discontinued)
• GEO4130 – Engineering Geology and Geomechanics (discontinued)
• GEO4131 – Geomechanics
• GEO9130

Examination support material

No examination support material is allowed.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about?the grading system.

Resit an examination

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are?offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.

Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass, the original examination.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• How to use AI as a student
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.