civileng

Information Resources for a Civil Engineering Assignment

Information Resources for Determining Local Geologic Conditions

(from surface to 500 feet; thickness, origin and character of the overburden, depth to top of bedrock, type and age of bedrock, geologic structure, groundwater conditions, etc.

Libraries:

At UIUC: Geology, Engineering, and/or Agricultural; also Main stacks)

Use the online catalogs from state universities and other libraries. (UIUC Online Catalog)

Use WorldCat, an online catalog for libraries world-wide.

Surveys:

State Geological Surveys (Illinois State Geological Survey)

State Water Surveys (search Google) (Illinois State Water Survey)

U.S. Geological Survey ; USGS Publications Warehouse

USGS Water Resources (local offices)

Other National Surveys

Suggestions:

    • Go to the surveys and talk to staff.
    • Phone the survey.
    • Go to the various web sites & look at survey publication catalogs and other information on their web sites.
    • State surveys may have driller's logs and other records not included in online catalogs or web pages.

Databases:

Search the various online indexes for literature and maps:

GeoRef

ProQuest Dissertation Abstracts (many of these can be downloaded at no cost to UIUC patrons)

Look for both maps and literature (geologic maps are in the Geology Library at UIUC; staff are only available to help with maps from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., M-Fri).

Search tips:

Use terms such as: engineering geology, bedrock, stratigraphy, structure/structural, surface deposit(s), Pleistocene deposit(s), Quaternary deposit(s), properties, groundwater/ground water, aquifer, etc.

Look at a geologic map of the area, determine the formations at the locations and depths of interest, and search for literature about the formations.

Combine the above search terms with the state and county of the location.

Look at Field Trip Guidebooks from the area for general geology.

Go to IDEALS https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/advanced-search and search your area plus "area assessment" plus "Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources".

Environmental Considerations:

EPA Envirofacts Warehouse

National Library for the Environment (CNIE)

Superfund Query Form

Chemical Scorecard - Environmental Defense Fund

For Illinois:

Search for maps:

Geologic Mapping at ISGS

Search Illinois State Geological Survey Catalog of Publications and Maps (go to the bottom of the page and select "only maps". Limit by county.

USGS National Geologic Map Database

USGS National Map Viewer

Map examples for Illinois:

Geologic Road Map of Illinois; Surface Deposits and Landscapes: G4101 .C5 2001 .G7

Geologic Map of Illinois: G4100 .c5 1967 .I4

Map of surface deposits of Illinois: G4100 .c5 1960 .T4

Chicagoland: Shaped by Ice and Water, poster by M.J. Chrzastowski, ISGS. Available from ISGS; on the wall in the UIUC Geology Library.

Literature examples for Illinois:

    • Willman, H.B. and Frye, J.C., 1970, Pleistocene stratigraphy of Illinois: Illinois State Geological Survey Bulletin 94. [Geology 557 IL6B: Geology Stacks (can circulate) and Reference (Reading Room) non-circ.] Willman, H.B. et al, 1975, Handbook of Illinois stratigraphy: Illinois State Geological Survey Bulletin 95. [Geology 557 IL6B: Geology Stacks (can circulate) and Reference (Reading Room) non-circ.]
    • Baurer, R.A., et al., 1991, Geotechnical properties of selected Pleistocene, Silurian, and Ordovician deposits of northeastern Illinois: Champaign, IL, Illinois State Geological Survey, 69 p. [Main stx 550.8 B327x]
    • Chrzastowski, M.J., 2005, Chicagoland: Geology and the making of a metropolis: Field excursion for the 2005 Annual Meeting, Association of American State Geologists, June 15, 2005: ISGS Open File OFS 2005-9, 64 p. [Geology 557.7311 C469c]
    • Leetaru, H. E., Sargent, M.L., and Kolata, D.R., 2004, Geologic atlas of Cook County for planning purposes: Illinois State Geological Survey Open File 2004-12, 30 p., maps. [Geology 557.731 L4877g and online]
    • Smith, G.D., 1942, Illinois loess: Variations in its properties and distribution; A pedologic interpretation: University of Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 490, p.139-184. [Many copies in various libraries at UIUC 551.354 Sm57l]
    • Smith, W.C., 1961, The geology of some Pleistocene deposits and their engineering properties: Doctoral dissertation. Urbana-Champaign, IL, University of Illinois. [Geology 552.5 SM6G]
    • Thornburn, T.H., 1963, Surface deposits of Illinois; A guide for soil engineers: Urbana, IL, University of Illinois Engineering Experiment Station Circular 80, 135 p. [Geology 631 T393S]
    • Thornburn, T.H., and Liu, T.K., 1969, Soils of Illinois and their engineering characteristics: Twentieth Annual Highway Geology Symposium Proceedings, p. 1-13. Highway Geology Symposium PDF. [Also see other articles in the same Proceedings]
    • Wiggers, R., 1997, Geology Underfoot in Illinois: Missoula, MT, Mountain Press. (In particular, see p.103.) [Geology 557.73 W639G, 2 copies; also a copy in Main Reference]

Soil Surveys:

These are in the ACES Library at UIUC. Consult your professor regarding how to use these.("soil" means different things to different disciplines).

Many of the manuscripts are also online. (Soil Survey Maps Online). See also

Created 01/24/05 lej

Converted 3/27/2015 lej