GC: n

CT: Geotechnics can be described as the application of geological, geophysical and hydrological scientific principles for the solution of engineering problems on or within the ground. The field of geotechnical engineering encompasses a whole host of application types, including foundation design, earthworks (excavating and filling), ground improvement, slope stabilisation and retaining wall construction.

S: SDir – https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/geotechnics (last access: 7 December 2019)

N: 1. From “geo-” (word-forming element meaning “earth, the Earth,” ultimately from Greek geo-, combining form of Attic and Ionic gē “the earth, land, a land or country”) and “technics” (1850, noun from adjective technic -1610s, “technical,” from Latin technicus, from Greek tekhnikos “of or pertaining to art, made by art,” from tekhnē “art, skill, craft”- and -ics -in the names of sciences or disciplines, a 16c. revival of the classical custom of using the neuter plural of adjectives with Greek -ikos “pertaining to” to mean “matters relevant to” and also as the titles of treatises about them-).
2. The application of scientific methods and engineering principles to the acquisition, interpretation, and use of knowledge of materials of the Earth’s crust for the solution of engineering problems; the applied science of making the Earth more habitable. It embraces the fields of soil mechanics and rock mechanics, and many of the engineering aspects of geology, geophysics, hydrology, and related sciences.
3. The soil mechanics engineer is concerned with the testing of the soil materials and the disposition of the deposits. The geotechnical engineer is concerned with the engineering aspects of the superficial deposits, bearing capacities and foundation design. The new name “geotechnics” has been coined to cover both studies.
4. geotechnics: This term is gradually replacing the term “soil mechanics”.
5. The terms engineering geology and environmental geology often seem to be used interchangeably … Another relevant term is geotechnics …
6. “Geotechnics”, “engineering geology”, “environmental geology”, and “soil mechanics” (see those records) with their synonyms are closely related terms and some nearly use them as synonyms. Few or no obvious distinction between them results in ambiguity of use and risk of misunderstanding. Confronted with the situation the terminologist chose to treat them as separate concepts till their use be clarified by usage.

S: 1. OED – ttps://www.etymonline.com/search?q=geo-; https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=technics; https://www.etymonline.com/word/technic; https://www.etymonline.com/word/-ics (last access: 7 December 2019). 2 to 6. TERMIUM PLUS – https://bit.ly/2qsJIag (last access: 7 December 2019).

SYN: geotechnique, geotechnical engineering.

S: TERMIUM PLUS – https://bit.ly/2qsJIag (last access: 7 December 2019)

CR: geothermics