Geotechnical engineering is concerned with the engineering properties of earth materials. Geotechnical engineers investigate the soil and rock below the ground to determine its properties, and then design foundations for man-made structures built on the ground, such as buildings or bridges. They also design structures built in or of soil or rock. The foundations built for above-ground structures include shallow foundations (footings), deep foundations (piles and drilled piers), and retaining walls. Dams and embankments are structures built of soil or rock; tunnels are structures built through soil or rock. Geotechnical engineers also assess the risk to humans, property and the environment from natural hazards such as landslides, debris flows, and rock falls (all involving natural materials).
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