Geological Engineering (PDF)

Luis I. Gonzalez de Vallejo; Professor of Geological Engineering at the Complutense University of Madrid, where he is also Director of the MSc Courses in Geological Engineering. He has dedicated his professional career in geological engineering to consulting, research and teaching, and he has conducted a large number of geological and geotechnical investigations for the design and construction of tunnels, dams and foundations in Spain and Central and South America, including landslide and earthquake hazard analysis, large excavations and site assessment for nuclear power plants and radioactive waste disposal.

He has written over 120 papers in journals and proceedings as well as five books. Associate Editor of Soils and Rocks and Member of the Editorial Board of several scientific journals, he has been invited to present the 2nd Mariano Ruiz Vazquez Lecture, at the Academy of Engineering of Mexico, in 2007, and the XXVII Manuel Rocha Lecture, at the Portuguese Geotechnical Society, in 2010.

Mercedes Ferrer; Senior Research Officer at the Geological Survey of Spain and Associate Lecturer on Rock Mechanics at the Complutense University of Madrid, where she graduated in Geological Sciences and obtained her doctorate for her research on the deformability and failure mechanisms of soft rocks. She has carried out research projects on geological hazards in Spain, Italy and Central and South America, particularly on landslides and geo-hazard mapping for urban planning, mitigation and prevention purposes.

She has written over 100 papers and research reports on geological hazards, landslides and slope stability. At present she is leading a research project on the causes and failure mechanisms of the mega-rockslides of volcanic islands flanks.