Geo-environmental engineering - an integral part of civil engineering

All sophomore students at Rowan University are introduced to engineering design and experiments through a series of integrated lectures and laboratories. The class described in the following paragraphs, is one in a series of engineering clinics offered in the freshmen to senior years. Sophomore students are exposed to a variety of engineering principles, experimental methods, and design tools not typically encountered in the sophomore level. The objective is to introduce them to an incrementally progressive design experience. In this particular sophomore clinic, students were introduced to the basic principles governing the design and construction of a landfill. This design experiment focussed on introducing the EPA regulations governing the siting of landfills, the importance of soil identification, the soils that would be ideal for locating a landfill on, design and construction of a landfill and the various geosynthetics that are used in landfill construction. The introduction of a design course early on in the engineering curriculum enable students to get an idea of the complexities involved in the design and construction of an engineered facility. They also get an early introduction to geo-environmental courses.