GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING BEYOND SOIL MECHANICS--A CASE STUDY (TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL PAPER)

Geotechnical engineering embraces soil mechanics, rock mechanics, and engineering geology. In practice it employs a wide variety of techniques ranging from site mapping and characterization to advanced theoretical analysis and performance monitoring. This paper draws on the development of the Alberta oil sands as a case study to illustrate the breadth of application of geotechnical engineering in large-scale resource developments. A description of the resource base and common extractive procedures used in the Alberta oil sands is given. The geological setting and geotechnical characterization of the Athabasca deposit are summarized. Detailed discussions are presented on geotechnical contributions to surface mining and slope stability, waste handling and tailings dam construction, and in situ recovery processes. The substantial opportunities for geotechnical engineering to contribute to both safe and economical operations in the extractive industries are emphasized.