All structures must ultimately be supported by the ground. Geotechnical Engineers apply engineering and geological principles to the behaviour of the ground and groundwater and use these principles in civil, mining, offshore and environmental engineering in the widest sense.

Geotechnical engineers design and supervise the construction of foundations and earthen structures related to Civil and Mining Engineering infrastructure. These include shallow and piled foundations for structures, excavations and foundations for buildings and dams, earth and rock fill dams, natural and constructed cut and fill slopes, tunnels, and open pit and underground mines.

UQ Geotechnical Engineering Scholarships

There are several scholarships offered to current undergraduate and postgraduate students in the field of Geotechnical Engineering at UQ.

Career Opportunities

UQ’s Geotechnical Engineering Dual Major Programs for Civil and Mining Engineering undergraduates are unique in Australia, and:

"Building Your Career" by the Australian Geomechanics Society