Seeking the research frontiers for UK engineering geology

Anumber of weaknesses have previously been identified that could curtail future development of engineering geology as an independent subject. In the UK one way to guarantee the continued vigour of the subject and provide a continual stream of new recruits into the field will be to ensure that engineering geology has a thriving research culture. At present, the UK research councils provide little support for research in engineering geology, partly because the potential areas of research either are ill-defined or have now been taken over by other disciplines, such as soil and/or rock mechanics. However, many areas where research is needed in the subject can be identified. The concern is that unless engineering geology is willing to push forward its own research frontiers, the very real possibility exists that the discipline will be subsumed as a minor branch of geotechnical engineering.