Course Details

Geology

Academic Year 2026/27

BFA101-A course is part of 1 study plan

​ BPA-SIS Winter Semester 1st year

The course introduces students to the fundamentals of geology relevant to construction practice. It focuses on the formation, properties and identification of minerals and the main types of rocks, and their use in construction. The course includes practical identification of rocks.

Credits

2 credits

Language of instruction

English

Semester

winter

Course Guarantor

prof. RNDr. Lukáš Krmíček, Ph.D.

Institute

Institute of Geotechnics

Forms and criteria of assessment

course-unit credit

Entry Knowledge

Basic knowledge of natural sciences at the secondary school level. 

Aims

Professional Knowledge:

  • Students will become familiar with the main types of rocks, including natural processes that affect their quality over time. Students will also acquire professional knowledge concerning the use of geomaterials in construction. Students will gain an understanding of the formation and properties of minerals and rocks.

Professional Skills:

  • Students will be able to determine and describe the properties and behaviour of the main rock types. They will learn to identify and classify the main rock types based on their characteristic textures and mineral composition.

Professional Competence:

  • Students will gain practical experience in identifying and describing rocks and their properties. They will be able to independently identify the principal rock types and assess their basic characteristics.

Basic Literature

WALTHAM, T. Foundations of engineering geology. Spon Press. Londýn. 2002. ISBN: 0415 254493 (en)

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of natural sciences at the secondary school level. 

Offered to foreign students

To offer to students of all faculties

Course on BUT site

https://www.vut.cz/en/students/courses/detail/299084

Lecture

13 weeks, 1 hours/week, compulsory

Syllabus

  1. Introduction, structure of the Earth, relationship between earthquakes, tectonics and volcanism, rock cycle and rock classification.
  2. Mafic and felsic rock-forming minerals, their formation and identification features.
  3. Formation of igneous rocks, principal petrographic types and their use in construction practice.
  4. Formation of sedimentary rocks, principal petrographic types and their use in construction practice.
  5. Formation of metamorphic rocks, principal petrographic types and their use in construction practice.
  6. Principles of regional geology of the Czech Republic, raw material resources of the Czech Republic, groundwater, slope movements.

Exercise

13 weeks, 1 hours/week, compulsory

Syllabus

  1. Introduction, link between geology and construction, geological maps, principle laboratory tests, assignment of semester seminar work/geotechnical project.
  2. Determination properties of silicate and non-silicate minerals.
  3. Practical identification of principal petrographic types, textures and structures of igneous rocks.
  4. Practical identification of principal petrographic types, textures and structures of sedimentary rocks.
  5. Practical identification of principal petrographic types, textures and structures of metamorphic rocks.
  6. Defence of the semester project, identification of main rock types, credit.

Self-study

26 weeks, 1 hours/week